Search Results (798)

Concerns about the growing human population and how to supply future nutritional needs have translated to a growing interest in searching for alternative proteins. However, one important aspect of protein intake to be considered is the quality of these proteins and the health benefits of these products. This a comparative study of a novel technological protein ingredient based on “hydrolyzed egg white” with different protein sources, such as pea protein, soy protein, and powder milk, evaluating the protein digestibility-corrected amino acid scores (PDCCAs) and their effects on muscular metabolism. PDCCAs are a method of determining the quality of a protein based on both the amino acid requirements of humans and their ability to digest it. An in vitro methodology has been used based on gastrointestinal digestion using a dynamic system to study the bioaccessibility of the amino acids and peptides and determine the PDCAAS, and a further study was carried out with the bioaccessible fraction in a cellular model of muscular cells (C2C12) to monitor the effect on the genes that code to myogenin, mTOR, and creatin kinase gene via rt-PCR. The results showed that the new hydrolyzed egg white-based ingredient is a high-quality protein source because the PDCAA score of all essential amino acids was higher than 1. This pattern of PDCCAs was similar to that of pea protein and slightly higher than that of concentrated soybean protein. In addition, the new ingredient in hydrolyzed egg white stimulated muscle metabolism by enhancing mTOR and myogenin gene expression in C2C12 cells. A new protein ingredient based on egg white has been developed with a proven protein quality and a healthy effect on muscle metabolism that improves protein synthesis. This new ingredient has potential in the formulation and development of new products for populations with special protein requirements, such as elderly or sportive populations, among others. Full article

Ageing populations, mass “baby-free” policies and children born to mothers at the age at which they are biologically expected to become grandmothers are growing problems in most developed societies. Therefore, any opportunity to improve the quality of infertility treatments seems important for the survival of societies. The possibility of indirectly studying the quality of developing oocytes by examining their follicular fluids (hFFs) offers new opportunities for progress in our understanding the processes of final oocyte maturation and, consequently, for predicting the quality of the resulting embryos and personalising their culture. Using mass spectrometry, we studied follicular fluids collected individually during in vitro fertilisation and compared their composition with the quality of the resulting embryos. We analysed 110 follicular fluids from 50 oocyte donors, from which we obtained 44 high-quality, 39 medium-quality, and 27 low-quality embryos. We identified 2182 proteins by Sequential Window Acquisition of all Theoretical Mass Spectra (SWATH-MS) using a TripleTOF 5600+ hybrid mass spectrometer, of which 484 were suitable for quantification. We were able to identify several proteins whose concentrations varied between the follicular fluids of different oocytes from the same patient and between patients. Among them, the most important appear to be immunoglobulin heavy constant alpha 1 (IgA1hc) and dickkopf-related protein 3. The first one is found at higher concentrations in hFFs from which oocytes develop into poor-quality embryos, the other one exhibits the opposite pattern. None of these have, so far, had any specific links to fertility disorders. In light of these findings, these proteins should be considered a primary target for research aimed at developing a diagnostic tool for oocyte quality control and pre-fertilisation screening. This is particularly important in cases where the fertilisation of each egg is not an option for ethical or other reasons, or in countries where it is prohibited by law. Full article

The rapid increase in the global human population, particularly in Low-Income Food Deficit Countries (LIFDCs), causes severe food shortages. Food shortages are complex and can be linked to economic, environmental, social, and political variables. Harnessing village chicken products serves as a cheap commercial chicken substitute to address food shortages. The consumption and sales of protein products from village chickens, such as meat, eggs, and internal organs, ensures food security and poverty alleviation in limited-resource communities. However, village chickens have poor-quality end products due to poor management and animal-rearing resources. Village chicken production challenges include the absence of high-quality feed, biosecurity, recordkeeping, housing, and commercial marketing of its end products. Management being based on cultural gender roles instead of the possession of formal poultry management training further limits village chicken production. To improve village chicken end-product quality, poultry management trainings for rural women are suggested due to studies showing that women mainly manage village chicken production. Furthermore, to create a formal market share of village chickens, sensory evaluations need to be conducted using mainstream poultry consumers. This review examined the potential contribution of village chickens in achieving Sustainable Development Goals—one, No Poverty and two, Zero Hunger—to benefit vulnerable groups in resource-poor communities. Full article

Tahiti lemon juice (Citrus aurantifolia) was evaluated for its antibacterial activity. For this purpose, microbiological parameters were assessed in vitro (measurement of the inhibition potential of bacteria using the disk diffusion method) and in vivo (the number of total aerobic mesophilic bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae on the eggshell). Tahiti lemon juice inhibited Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, with larger halos for pure juice. The values were 14.33 ± 0.58 mm for E. coli and 16.00 ± 1.00 mm for S. aureus. Compared with the load of mesophilic bacteria in the shells of non-sanitized eggs (5.49 ± 0.12 log₁₀ CFU/mL), Tahiti lemon juice significantly reduced this bacterial group on the eggshell (2.07 ± 0.18 log₁₀ CFU/mL). Combining the characteristics inherent to Tahiti lemon juice and the sanitization processes of poultry products proved helpful in guaranteeing the bacterial quality of eggs. Full article

Climate change poses a significant threat to the poultry industry, especially in hot climates that adversely affect chicken growth, development, and productivity through heat stress. This literature review evaluates the evolutionary background of chickens with the specific genetic characteristics that can help chickens to cope with hot conditions. Both natural selection and human interventions have influenced the genetic characteristics of the breeds used in the current poultry production system. The domestication of chickens from the Red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) has resulted in the development of various breeds with distinct genetic differences. Over the past few years, deliberate breeding for desirable traits (such as meat production and egg quality) in chickens has resulted in the emergence of various economically valuable breeds. However, this selective breeding has also caused a decrease in the genetic diversity of chickens, making them more susceptible to environmental stressors like heat stress. Consequently, the chicken breeds currently in use may possess a limited ability to adapt to challenging conditions, such as extreme heat. This review focuses on evaluating potential genes and pathways responsible for heat tolerance, including heat shock response, antioxidant defense systems, immune function, and cellular homeostasis. This article will also discuss the physiological and behavioral responses of chicken varieties that exhibit genetic resistance to heat, such as the naked neck and dwarf traits in different indigenous chickens. This article intends to review the current genomic findings related to heat tolerance in chickens that used methods such as the genome-wide association study (GWAS) and quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping, offering valuable insights for the sustainability of poultry in the face of global warming. Full article

Antibiotics and antibiotic growth promoters have been extensively employed in poultry farming to enhance growth performance, maintain bird health, improve nutrient uptake efficiency, and mitigate enteric diseases at both sub-therapeutic and therapeutic doses. However, the extensive use of antimicrobials in poultry farming has led to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in microbial reservoirs, representing a significant global public health concern. In response, non-antibiotic dietary interventions, such as yeast mannan-rich fraction (MRF), have emerged as a promising alternative to modulate the gut microbiota and combat the AMR crisis. This study investigated whether a yeast mannan-rich fraction containing feed supplement impacted the performance of laying hens, their microbiomes, and the associated carriage of antimicrobial resistance genes under commercial conditions. High-throughput DNA sequencing was utilised to profile the bacterial community and assess changes in the antibiotic resistance genomes detected in the metagenome, the “resistome”, in response to MRF supplementation. It was found that supplementation favourably influenced laying hen performance and microbial composition. Notably, there was a compositional shift in the MRF supplemented group associated with a lower relative abundance of pathobionts, e.g., Escherichia, Brachyspira and Trueperella, and their AMR-encoded genes, relative to beneficial microbes. Overall, the findings further demonstrate the ability of prebiotics to improve laying hen performance through changes associated with their microbiome and resistome. Full article

Grape pomace is a common waste product that can be used as compost, as animal feed or discarded. The goal of this study was to evaluate the quality and consumers’ perception of a value-added grape pomace beverage, piquette, made using different red grape cultivars, yeast strains and grape pomace to water ratios. Petite Pearl and Marquette grape pomace were soaked using different pomace to water ratios in water for 2 days, prior to being pressed. Cane sugar was added to the juices prior to inoculation with three yeast strains (Cross Evolution, ICV D254, and Exotics Mosaic). The piquettes were bottled before chemical analysis and sensory evaluation by an untrained sensory panel following 8 months of storage. Piquettes made from Petite Pearl grape pomace, regardless of yeast strain, were preferred by consumers. Petite Pearl piquettes were fruity and pink, especially using D254 yeast. Piquettes made from different ratios of Petite Pearl pomace to water on a larger scale lacked nutrients at the beginning of fermentation, which led to “rotten-egg” aromas and were the least accepted by consumers. Full article

This work investigated the impact of chicken egg size, including surface area and initial weight, on the effectiveness of cassava starch-based gel coating during storage at room temperature. The quality of a total of 540 fresh eggs in four different sizes (S, M, L and XL) was evaluated over a 4-week storage period at 25 ± 1 °C (60–65% RH). In this research, images from a scanning electron microscope revealed that the coatings maintained their integrity across all egg sizes, effectively covering pores and cracks throughout storage. The application of gel coating reduced weight loss and preserved the Haugh unit and yolk index, extending freshness by 1–2 weeks compared with uncoated eggs at 25 °C. The results indicated that the performance of the coating varied with egg size. Statistical analysis revealed that the surface area and initial weight of the egg significantly impacted the effectiveness of the coating in preserving quality (p < 0.001). Eggs with larger surface areas exhibited a reduced protective effect of the coating, resulting in higher weight loss and lower retention of Haugh unit and yolk index compared with the coated eggs with smaller surface areas. The coating application was more effective in preserving the Haugh unit of eggs with higher initial weights. Overall, the surface area and the initial weight of the egg should be considered as key factors to ensure optimal coating performance. Full article

The presence of cracks reduces egg quality and safety, and can easily cause food safety hazards to consumers. Machine vision-based methods for cracked egg detection have achieved significant success on in-domain egg data. However, the performance of deep learning models usually decreases under practical industrial scenarios, such as the different egg varieties, origins, and environmental changes. Existing researches that rely on improving network structures or increasing training data volumes cannot effectively solve the problem of model performance decline on unknown egg testing data in practical egg production. To address these challenges, a novel and robust detection method is proposed to extract max domain-invariant features to enhance the model performance on unknown test egg data. Firstly, multi-domain egg data are built on different egg origins and acquisition devices. Then, a multi-domain trained strategy is established by using Maximum Mean Discrepancy with Normalized Squared Feature Estimation (NSFE-MMD) to obtain the optimal matching egg training domain. With the NSFE-MMD method, the original deep learning model can be applied without network structure improvements, which reduces the extremely complex tuning process and hyperparameter adjustments. Finally, robust cracked egg detection experiments are carried out on several unknown testing egg domains. The YOLOV5 (You Only Look Once v5) model trained by the proposed multi-domain training method with NSFE-MMD has a detection mAP of 86.6% on the unknown test Domain 4, and the YOLOV8 (You Only Look Once v8) model has a detection mAP of 88.8% on Domain 4, which is an increase of 8% and 4.4% compared to the best performance of models trained on a single domain, and an increase of 4.7% and 3.7% compared to models trained on all domains. In addition, the YOLOV5 model trained by the proposed multi-domain training method has a detection mAP of 87.9% on egg data of the unknown testing Domain 5. The experimental results demonstrate the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed multi-domain training method, which can be more suitable for the large quantity and variety of egg detection production. Full article

To explore a method of improving the reproductive performance of the striped bamboo shark, three groups (D0, D1, and D2) of mature individuals were fed squid with (D1 and D2) or without (D0) a nutritional fortifier during the breeding seasons of 2022 and 2023. Compared with the D0 group, the D1 and D2 groups had an increase of 20.90% and 31.34% in total eggs, increases of 32.73% and 41.82% in the proportion of lecithal eggs, and a total 119.07% increase in hatching rate, respectively, in 2022. In 2023, the corresponding increase was 17.12% and 9.91% in total eggs, 19.63% and 12.15% in the proportion of lecithal eggs, 43.37% and 43.94% in fertilization rate, 23.94% and 22.22% in hatchability rate, and 66.70% and 8.70% in the survival rate of fry. Moreover, the levels of serum estradiol, testosterone, progesterone, albumin, and total antioxidant capacity and the levels of ARA, EPA, DHA, n-3 PUFA, and n-6 PUFA in both serum and lecithal eggs significantly increased, while the levels of serum triglyceride and total cholesterol were the opposite (p < 0.05). The results demonstrate that feeding the sharks with a nutritional fortifier can increase spawn production and the quality of eggs, regulate the production of sex steroids, and improve the nutrition of eggs and the health of broodstocks. Full article

For freshwater or marine fish farming to be successful, live fish must be transported. This can be performed with eggs, larvae, juveniles, and adults. Nonetheless, because of the handling, confinement, and duration of transport, it is considered a difficult procedure. To prevent significant physiological changes that could result in fish mortality, it is crucial to look for ways to reduce stress and enhance the quality of transport water. Consequently, a comprehensive range of research on the use of additives in water, including salt and artificial or natural anesthetics, is presented in this review, which also discusses potential changes in water quality factors during transport, such as dissolved oxygen (DO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), pH, ammonia, and temperature. The usage of stocking densities during transport is also covered in this review, with consideration given to the various recommendations for each species, fish size, and length of transport. Full article

This study investigated the effects of the β-mannanase enzyme and soyhulls on production performance, economics, egg quality, hematology and serum biochemistry, nutrient digestibility, gut morphology, digesta viscosity, and excreta consistency in laying hens during the late peak production phase (37 to 40 weeks of age). Golden brown hens (RIR × Fayoumi; n = 200) were fed a control diet (no soyhulls or enzymes) and diets containing four combinations, i.e., 3% soyhulls with 20 mg/kg β-mannanase (D1), 3% soyhulls with 30 mg/kg β-mannanase (D2), 9% soyhulls with 20 mg/kg β-mannanase (D3), and 9% soyhulls with 30 mg/kg β-mannanase (D4), for four weeks in four replicates of 10 birds each. Overall, a significantly higher (p < 0.05) feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and water intake were calculated in the D2 group as compared to the control and remaining combinations of soyhulls and β-mannanase. No mortality was recorded during the entire experiment. Economically, the D1 and D2 groups showed the best results as compared to the D3 and D4 groups. Egg quality parameters like egg weight, shell weight and shell thickness, yolk weight, albumen weight and height, and the Haugh unit remained unchanged (p > 0.05). Similarly, the D2 group showed significantly lower total cholesterol, LDL, and VLDL levels and enhanced gut morphology with greater villus width, height, crypt depth, and surface area across intestinal segments. Crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), crude fat, and ash digestibility were higher (p < 0.05) in the D1 and D2 groups compared to the control. Digesta viscosity, excreta consistency, and other egg quality parameters remained unaffected. In conclusion, the dietary inclusion of a combination of 3% soyhulls and 30 mg/kg β-mannanase may have potential benefits for laying hens by improving some production performance and egg quality indicators and economics, lowering blood cholesterol, LDL, and VLDL levels, enhancing nutrient digestibility, and improving gut morphology without affecting egg quality. Full article

School lunch plays an important role in children’s healthy growth. Previous investigations revealed many problems with school lunches, including unreasonable dietary structure and insufficient micronutrients. This study aimed to assess the dietary structure and nutritional quality of lunches in Nanjing primary and middle schools. A stratified cluster random sampling method was used to select 44 schools that supply lunch in 12 districts in Nanjing, with two primary and two middle schools in each district. Twenty-four primary and twenty middle schools were selected. The Mann–Whitney U test was used to explore the influencing factors. Findings revealed a serious shortage of milk and fruit in school lunches; supply of eggs, fish, shrimp, and shellfish was less than half of the recommended quantity; livestock and poultry supply exceeded the recommended level by over four times. Energy and nutrition intake were suboptimal. Provision of energy, carbohydrates, vitamins (A, B1, B2, and C), calcium, and iron in urban primary schools was significantly higher than that in non-urban primary schools. The same pattern of significantly higher nutrients was equally seen in urban middle schools compared with non-urban middle schools, indicating that food supply was affected by regional economies. Therefore, it is urgent to improve the quality of lunches, with a particular focus on those in non-urban areas. Full article

The aim of the study was to determine the changes occurring in the eggs of helmeted guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) from free-range farming in relation to the laying season and storage time. The experimental material consisted of 360 guinea fowl eggs, collected in the first, second and third laying seasons and stored for 7, 14 and 21 days. After each period, physical and physicochemical characteristics of the eggs were determined, as well as the basic chemical composition and mineral content of the albumen and yolk and the yolk fatty acid profile. The age of the guinea fowls affected certain physical parameters of the eggs. The egg weight, shape index and shell thickness increased with the age of the laying hens; however, a decrease in the proportion of shell in the egg was demonstrated. Storage time had a significant effect on egg weight, weight loss during storage and air cell height. Significant differences were found in the chemical composition of guinea fowl eggs depending on the age of the laying hens. Eggs obtained from older laying hens were characterized by higher yolk fat content and lower ash content, while the albumen contained higher water content and lower ash content. During the three-year laying period, changes were observed in the mineral composition of the eggs. The fatty acid profile underwent significant changes; however, no important differences were observed in the total content of SFA, MUFA, PUFA and n-6 fatty acids. Conversely, significant differences were found for n-3 acids and the n-6/n-3 ratio. Eggs in the first and second laying seasons exhibited the most favorable composition. The slow dynamics of changes occurring in successive laying seasons and egg storage time indicated that the raw material studied was safe and could be used by consumers Full article

Egg quality in fishes is commonly determined by fertilisation success and cleavage patterns as a phenotypic outcome of underlying regulatory mechanisms. Although these phenotypic estimators of egg quality are useful in farming conditions, these “good quality” egg batches do not always translate to good larval growth and survival. The identification of genes involved in embryonic development may help find links between genetic factors of maternal origin and egg quality. Herein, the relative expression of seven stage-specific developmental genes of Atlantic cod was analysed using quantitative PCR to understand the function during embryogenesis and its relationship with egg quality. Genes ccnb2 and pvalb1 showed significant differential expression between developmental stages and significant upregulation from blastula and somite stages, respectively. The comparison of spawning batches showed that the relative gene expression of genes ccnb2, acta, tnnt3 and pvalb1 was significantly higher from the middle of the spawning season where phenotypic quality estimators establish the best egg quality. Moreover, a positive significant correlation was observed between quality estimators based on egg morphology and the genetic expression of genes acta and acta1 during somitogenesis. This study suggests that the combination of quality estimators, genetics and batch timing could help optimise reproductive protocols for commercial stocks of Atlantic cod. Full article