Sorption isotherms of alligator's meat (Caiman crocodilus yacare)

Sorption isotherms were determined for salted alligator's meat at four different temperatures (10degreesC, 15degreesC, 25degreesC and 35degreesC), using a standard gravimetric method. The goodness of fit of five sorption models to experimental data was determined. Five models, namely the GAB, the BET, the Halsey, the Henderson and the Hailwood and Horrobin, were evaluated to determine the best fit for the experimental data. The GAB was the best fitted model for the data of salted alligator's meat with an average error less than 10% for temperature of 10degreesC and less than 5% for the others temperatures. The coefficients of determination (r(2)) were 0.99 for all temperatures considered. The monolayer values decreased as temperature increased. The other four models were not appropriated to fit the data because of the high error values, although the r(2) were also similar to the GAB model. The net isosteric heat of sorption was estimated from equilibrium sorption data, using the Clausis-Clapeyron equation. Isosteric heats of sorption were found to increase with increasing temperature and could be well adjusted by an exponential relationship. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality traits and lipid composition of meat from Nellore young bulls fed with different oils either protected or unprotected from rumen degradation

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Charqui meats are hurdle technology meat products

Charqui meat is a tropical intermediate meat product formulated using hurdle technology, a concept described by Leistner (1,2). Salt, sodium nitrite, dehydration, and packaging are hurdles sequentially applied to inhibit deteriorating microorganisms with the possibility of selecting desirable microbiota. This would characterize charqui and its derivatives as fermented meat products. This paper reviews biochemical, physico-chemical, and ultrastructural changes that occur during processing of charquis.

Shelf-life of tail meat of the giant river prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, stored on ice

The objective of this study was to evaluate the shelf-life of peeled giant river prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii stored directly in contact with ice (DCI), and without direct contact with ice (WCI). The prawns from DCI treatment showed an intense leaching of non-protein nitrogen (NPN) and total volatile bases nitrogen (TVB-N), thus suggesting that NPN or TVB-N should not be used as freshness indicators of peeled tails stored directly in contact with ice. Loss of flavor and a quick texture tactile decrease with time occurred in both treatments. The shelf-life of peeled tails prepared from M. rosenbergii was 7 days for DCI and 10 days WCI. © 2006 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

Meat yield of Callinectes bocourti A. Milne Edwards, 1879 (Crustacea, Portunidae) in Iguape, São Paulo, Brazil

The objective of the present study was to analyze the meat yield for both sexes of the crab Callinectes bocourti in the region of Iguape, Brazil. The carapace width for males was 78.1-114.0 mm (96.7 ± 9.5 mm) and for females 76.0-106.3 mm (93.0 ± 7.8 mm). In males, the total wet weight ranged from 65.53 to 224.36 g (134.04 ± 40.77 g) and for females from 56.66 to 164.74 g (105.93 ± 26.88 g). A comparison of morphological structures revealed that the greatest meat yield was in the carapace (55.1%), followed by the right chela (16.9%), the left chela (15.9%), and the legs (12.1%). The total yield from the males (28.5%) was slightly higher than that from the females (22.1%). In general, portunids yield more meat than other crab species. The results of this study will allow the optimization of meat production for this crab species. Manual meat removal makes the process more expensive. This activity could offer an alternative to the fishing communities that live exclusively from this fishery resource. © 2007 Escuela de Ciencias del Mar Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso.

Características sensoriais da carne de cordeiro maturada e injetada com cloreto de cálcio: Sensory characteristics of lamb meat ageing and injected with calcium chloride

Sensory characteristics of Morada Nova lambs meat (muscles Biceps femoris, Longissimus and Triceps brachii) submitted to effects of ageing and injection of calcium chloride were studied. The lambs were slaughtered at 25 kg of body weight. After rigor mortis, muscles were removed and submitted to treatments. The variance analysis indicated that ageing and calcium chloride didn't influence the attributes flavor (6.71) and tenderness (7.13) of meats from Biceps femoris. The interaction among the factors wasn't significant for tenderness, however it was significant for flavor. Ageing didn't affect colour (7.08), flavor (7.42), tenderness (7.83) and global impression (7.58) of meats from Longissimus without calcium chloride, and meats with calcium chloride also didn't affect. Ageing and calcium chloride factor didn't influence the attributes flavor and tenderness of meats from Triceps brachii. The interaction among the factors wasn't significant for attributes flavor and tenderness. The sensory quality of Morada Nova lambs meat, was shown similar with relationship to evaluated attributes when it was submitted to ageing and injection with calcium chloride.

Polymorphisms in FGFBP1 and FGFBP2 genes associated with carcass and meat quality traits in chickens

In the past, the focus of broiler breeding programs on yield and carcass traits improvement led to problems related to meat quality. Awareness of public concern for quality resulted in inclusion of meat quality traits in the evaluation process. Nevertheless, few genes associated with meat quality attributes are known. Previous studies mapped quantitative trait loci for weight at 35 and 42 days in a region of GGA4 flanked by the microsatellite markers, MCW0240 and LEI0063. In this region, there are 2 fibroblast growth factor binding protein (FGFBP) genes that play an important role in embryogenesis, cellulardifferentiation, and proliferation in chickens. The objective of this study was to identify and associate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in FGFBP1 and FGFBP2 with performance, carcass, and meat quality in experimental and commercial chicken populations. In the commercial population, SNP g.2014G>A in FGFBP1 was associated with decreased carcass weight (P < 0.05), and SNP g.651G>A in FGFBP2 was associated with thawing loss and meat redness content (P < 0.05). Four haplotypes were constructed based on 2 SNPs and were associated with breast weight, thawing loss, and meat redness content. The diplotypes were associated with thawing loss, lightness, and redness content. The SNPs evaluated in the present study may be used as markers in poultry breeding programs to aid in improving growth and meat quality traits. © FUNPEC-RP.

The no-tillage system and cover crops-Alternatives to increase upland rice yields

Upland rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivation has been increasing in importance in Asia while water availability for irrigation has been decreasing because of rapid growth in industry and urban centers. Therefore, the development of technologies that increase upland rice yields under aerobic conditions, thereby saving water, would be an effective strategy to avoid a decrease in global rice grain production. The use of the no-tillage system (NTS) and cover crops that maintain soil moisture would prove advantageous in the move toward sustainable agriculture. However, upland rice develops better in plowed soil, and it has been reported that this crop does not perform well under the NTS. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cover crops on upland rice grain yield and yield components sowed in a NTS. A field experiment was conducted during two growing seasons (2008-2009 and 2009-2010), and treatments consisted of growing rice under five cover crops in a NTS and two control treatments under the conventional tillage system (plowing once and disking twice). Treatments were carried out in a randomized block design with three replications. Our findings are as follows: On average, Brachiaria brizantha (12.32Mgha-1), Brachiaria ruziziensis (11.08Mgha-1) and Panicum maximum (11.62Mgha-1) had outstanding biomass production; however, these grasses provided the worst upland rice yields (2.30, 2.04, and 2.67Mgha-1, respectively) and are not recommended as cover crops before upland rice. Millet and fallow exhibited the fastest straw degradation (half-lives of 52 and 54 days, respectively), and millet exhibited the fastest nitrogen release (N half-life of 28 days). The use of a NTS was promising when millet was used as a cover crop; this allowed the highest upland rice yield (3.94Mgha-1) and did not statistically differ from plowed fallow (3.52Mgha-1). © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Meat quality of young Nellore bulls with low and high residual feed intake

Fifty-nine Nellore bulls from low and high residual feed intake (RFI) levels were studied with the objective of evaluating meat quality traits. Animals were slaughtered when ultrasound-measured backfat thickness reached 4. mm, and samples of Longissimus were collected. A mixed model including RFI as fixed effect and herd and diet as random effects was used, and least square means were compared by t-test. More efficient animals consumed 0.730. kg dry matter/day less than less efficient animals, with similar performance. No significant differences in carcass weight, prime meat cuts proportion, chemical composition, pH, sarcomere length, or color were observed between RFI groups. Shear force, myofibrillar fragmentation index and soluble collagen content were influenced by RFI, with a higher shear force and soluble collagen content and a lower fragmentation index in low RFI animals. Feedlot-finished low RFI young Nellore bulls more efficiently convert feed into meat, presenting carcasses within quality standards. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

Effect of intercropping on yields of corn with different relative maturities and Palisadegrass

Intercropping corn (Zea mays L.) with palisadegrass [Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst. ex A. Rich) Stapf] can result in high amounts of residue and improve nutrient cycling. Long-season corn hybrids will live longer, competing with palisadegrass, which may reduce both corn and forage biomass yields. This study, conducted in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, had the objective of evaluating nutrient concentration and yield of corn hybrids with different maturity ratings as affected by intercropped palisadegrass as well as forage dry matter production. Te experimental design was randomized blocks with a factorial arrangement of eight treatments consisting of two cropping systems (corn alone and intercropped with palisadegrass) and four corn hybrids (105-, 121-, 132, and 144-d relative maturity). Compared with corn grown alone, intercropping treatments resulted in corn grain yields of 107% (105-d hybrid) to 71.7% (144-d hybrid). In the corn-alone system, the 132- and 144-d corn hybrids provided the highest corn yields (9581 and 9606 kg ha-1, respectively). Corn yield was similar between the single-crop and intercrop systems when using 105-, 121-, and 132-d hybrids. Intercropping with the 144-d hybrid reduced forage production (6619 kg ha-1) and quality of palisadegrass (86 g kg-1 of crude protein) compared with the other hybrids. Te intercropping system with the 132-d hybrid allowed both the highest corn grain (8860 kg ha-1) and palisadegrass (8256 kg ha-1) yields. Therefore, intercropping palisadegrass with the earlier (105-, 121-, and 132-d) corn hybrids is a viable option for crop-livestock integration because it did not affect either corn or palisadegrass yield. © 2013 by the American Society of Agronomy, 5585 Guilford Road, Madison, WI 53711. All rights reserved.