Fermented Alfalfa Meal Instead of “Grain-Type” Feedstuffs in the Diet Improves Intestinal Health Related Indexes in Weaned Pigs

Corn and soybean meal are the two main components in formula feed of farm animals, leading to a serious food competition between humans and livestock. An alternative may be to encourage the utilization of unconventional feedstuff in animal diet. In the current study, we evaluated the utilization of fermented alfalfa meal (FAM) in weaned pigs. Twenty weaned piglets (separately caged) were randomly divided into two groups. Pigs in the control group (CON) were fed corn-soybean meal diet, and part of corn and soya protein concentrate in the diet of another group was replaced by 8% FAM. After 40 days of feeding, the average feed intake of FAM pigs was increased (P > 0.05), and the villus height (VH) of jejunum and duodenum, crypt depth (CD), and VH/CD in FAM pigs was improved compared to the CON group (P < 0.05). The increase (P < 0.05) of goblet cells in the jejunum of FAM pigs was positively correlated with the expression of MUC-2 gene (R = 0.9150). The expression of genes related to immunity (IRAK4, NF-κB, and IL-10) and intestinal barrier (Occludin and MUC-2) in the jejunum, as well as the expression of ZO-1 and MUC-2 in the colon of these pigs, also showed increase (P < 0.05) compared to CON pigs, which was accompanied by the decrease (P < 0.05) of LPS concentration in the serum. The elevated proportion of CD3+ and CD8+ T-lymphocyte subsets in spleen (P < 0.05) confirmed the improvement of systemic immune function in FAM pigs. In addition, FAM pigs have a higher β-diversity of microbial community (P < 0.05) and promoted enrichment of probiotics such as Lactobacillus that positively was correlated with acetate concentration in the colon over CON pigs. In summary, partially replacement of expanded corn and soya protein concentrate with FAM (8%) may benefit the intestinal barrier and immune function of weaned pigs without affecting their growth. Our findings also provide evidence of the feasibility of FAM as a dietary component in pigs to reduce the consumption of grain.

Role of Functional Food in Treating and Preventing Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are still a major cause of mortality worldwide and are a serious health problem. Various factors that contribute toward CVDs include hypertension, tobacco use, physical inactivity, diabetes mellitus, obesity and overweight, alcohol, dietary factors and psychosocial aspects such as stress, anxiety and depression. Nutraceuticals and diet are very important for prevention of CVDs. The potential of nutraceuticals or functional food in mitigating risk of CVDs is discussed. Functional food with health related properties include fruit and vegetable, fish, legumes, nuts, soya protein, coffee, tea, chocolate, animal based functional food. In addition, some diet plans have shown the potential of reducing the incidence of CVDs. This includes the Mediterranean, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), Okinawan and vegetarian diets. This chapter examines the risk factors of CVDs, including hypertension, tobacco usage, physical inactivity, diabetes mellitus, overweight and obesity. The chapter also brings to the fore, functional foods with properties related to health and effect of dietary patterns in the treatment and prevention of CVDs.

In vitro dynamic gastric digestion of soya protein/milk protein blended beverages: influence of protein composition and co-processing

The gastric digestion behaviours of blended protein beverages containing different ratios of casein, whey protein and soya protein that were heat-treated at 60 °C or 80 °C were investigated using an in vitro dynamic human gastric simulator.

THE EFFECT OF PLANT PROTEINS ON THE FORMATION OF STRUCTURAL AND RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF NOUGAT

This paper considers the problem of increasing the nutritional value of whipped confectionery such as nougat by using hemp- based and soya-based protein-containing ingredients. The main tendencies of obtaining new types of food based on plant proteins with complete amino acid composition are described. The paper presents information on cultivating and using hemp and soya both in Ukraine and in the world, and suggests how products of their processing can be applied to improve the quality and increase the biological value of confectionery. It has been investigated what effect protein-containing ingredients obtained from hemp and soya have on the structural properties of foam in the technology of whipped confectionery such as nougat. It has been established that increasing the amount of plant protein additives leads to a decrease in the foaming ability, but the stability of protein foams increases. Adding 10% of protein-containing hemp additives increases the foam stability by 6%, while protein-containing soya additives increase it by 5%. The paper presents the results of studying the structural and rheological properties of nougat mass with protein-containing plant additives in the amount 2.5–10% of the weight of sugar. It has been determined that adding protein-containing hemp and soya ingredients increases the viscosity and plastic strength of the products and stabilises their structure. The effect of different amounts of nuts on the kinetics of nougat crystallisation has been studied. It is recommended to add 5% of hemp and 7.5% of soya protein-containing additives instead of sugar during the whipping of nougat mass, because it reduces the whipping time and has a positive effect on structure formation. The recommended amount of roasted pistachio kernels in the samples suggested is 25–35% of the total weight of nougat, with the resting time 30–60 minutes and the moulding temperature 50–55°C. The nutritional value of the new products with protein-containing hemp and soya ingredients and nuts has been calculated. It has been noted that nougat has been enriched with protein, unsaturated fatty acids, and minerals (potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus).

Assessment of total protein and soy protein contents in some heated meat products in Tehran, Iran

Heated meat products are emulsion which have various nutrition materials such as meat as an animal protein and soya as a plant protein. The nutritional value of meat proteins is very high than soya protein but the meat is more expensive than soya which the producers substitute the meat with soya. This study was assessed the soy protein and the total protein contents in some heated meat products collected from food stores in Tehran, Iran. Twenty samples of heated meat products with 40%, 55% and 70% of meat were randomly collected from food stores. The heated meat products samples were transferred to the food analysis lab. The total protein was determined by the macro Kjeldahl method after sample preparation and homogenization. Also, the soy protein content in samples was measured by using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Results showed that 4 samples of heated meat products had less total protein content than the standard limit and 16 samples were in accordance with Iranian national standard. Soy protein content in 3 from 8 samples of heated meat products with 40% meat was higher than the standard limit and the others placed in the standard limit (approximate with 4% soy protein). Also, Soy protein content in 6 from 8 samples of heated meat products with 55% meat was higher than the standard limit and only 2 samples were in accordance with the standard limit. All samples of heated meat products with 70% meat set in a standard limit. It was concluded that some heated meat products do not correspond with the Iranian national standard range. The food quality control lab requires doing attention and sensation for correct formulation according to national standard measures.

Changes in chemical constituents and overall acceptability of papaya jam fortified with soya protein during storage

Processed fruit products commonly contain very low protein due to the heat treatment during processing period. This article presents the researchresults concerning the increase of nutrition value of papaya jam fortified with soya protein concentrate. Papaya jam prepared with ratio 40:1, 40:2, 40:3, 40:4, and 40:5 (v/v) of papaya pulp and soya protein concentrate. The treatment of papaya jam and soya protein with the highest acceptability was then analyzed for the changes in chemical constituents and overall acceptability at monthly interval during three months of storage. The parameters that being analyzed were moisture content, total soluble solids (TSS), pH, total and reducing sugars, non-enzymatic browning, acidity, ascorbic acid, total carotenoid, total phenol, crude protein, and total plate count. The results showed that fortified papaya jams prepared with papaya pulp and soy protein concentrate ratio at 40:1 had the highest acceptability. During storage time it revealed that moisture content, TSS, pH, total and reducing sugars, and non-enzymatic browning increased, while acidity, ascorbic acid, total carotenoids, phenols, total antioxidants and crude protein contents of jam decreased. Fortification of papaya jam with soya protein concentrate (40:1 v/v) increased crude protein content on average from 3.15% to 4.16%. Total plate count (TPC) indicated that no microbial contamination during 3 months storage period. It can be concluded that papaya jam fortified with soya protein concentrate remained acceptable during storage although the acceptability decreased over time.

The influence of feed protein not hydrolyzed granules on some indicators when rearing piglets

To date, the technology of obtaining soy protein concentrate using 3D texturing patented in 37 countries consists in the formation of bulk-porous granules with subsequent extraction of low-molecular water-soluble components with clean water, eliminates anti-nutritional factors of carbohydrate, protein and glycosidic nature, and constant laboratory control allows the use of nonadulterated and non-GMO soya. The studies of the infl uence of the effectiveness of granules feed protein concentrated not hydrolyzed (GFPCN) when included in the diets of suckling piglets and weaning piglets on the dynamics of productivity and quality of the resulting products have been presented in the article. Feed protein granules concentrated not hydrolyzed is a new type of soya protein concentrate that does not contain antibiotics, hormones or GMOs. This additive can be added individually to the main diet, as well as to compound feed as the main highly digestible source of protein with the original amino acid composition. The researches have been carried out under industrial conditions of the Unitary Agricultural Enterprise “Raduga-Agro” in the Vetkovsky district in the Gomel region in the Republic of Belarus. In order to conduct these researches, 4 groups of suckling piglets have been formed per 20 heads in each group. The experiment lasted for 90 days. The animals have been selected for the experiments were of the same breed and origin, clinically healthy. Check of productivity indicators of experimental pigs has been carried out at the beginning of the experiment, as well as at 35, 60 and 90 days of age. The results have shown that GFPCN promotes average daily live weight gain of piglets by 2,0–2,7 % more, and to reduce expendutures of feed to get the unit of production by 0,1–0,3 feed units, as well as an additional gross increase in live weight from 8,2 to 14,6 %. At the same time, the study of samples of pig meat from experimental groups has shown that they comply with accepted standards.