Meat-eating by adult female Sumatran orangutans (Pongo pygmæus abelii)

Information about meat-eating behavior by wild orangutans (Pongo pygmæus) is scant. The first article about such a case dates from 1981. Since 1989, seven incidents of adult female Sumatran orangutans eating slow lorises (Nycticebus coucang) have been witnessed. Three females from two study sites were involved. In three cases the females were seen catching the prey. There are too few cases to conclude whether this behavior is typically female. Am. J. Primatol. 43:159–165, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Evaluating the relationship between natural resource management and agriculture using embodied energy and eco-exergy analyses: A comparative study of nine countries

By shifting from animate labor to ever-increasing fossil fuel and other supplement energy subsidies, energy use in human food supply systems continues to increase. As agriculture is the fundamental manner in which humans interact with the environment, it is especially important to understand the relationships between humans, energy, and food. Many researchers evaluate the material and energy resources involved in the food production chain. Energy return on energy investment (EROI) analyses have been particularly useful in assessing the quantity of energy dissipated versus the energy eventually acquired, thus helping to evaluate the overall efficiency of human food systems (i.e., energy invested versus dietary Calories harvested). A complimentary measure, eco-exergy, has been used to evaluate the quality of energies dissipated and generated in ecosystems. To deepen our insight into the dynamic between humans and their food system, we combine these two measures for a food production analysis. Focusing on meat production, adjusted EROI and eco-exergy ratios are used to evaluate both the quantity and quality of energy accumulated and dissipated in nine country's agricultural processes. Each country's food production indicators are then compared with more established methods of sustainability measurement including ecological footprint and biocapacity. The results reveal a significant, highly correlated relationship between these food production indicators and each country's ecological footprint (resources being consumed) while also showing no correlation to their respective biocapacity (resources actually available), thus quantifying a food production disconnect from the local ecosystem. Using these new metrics, we evaluate which changes in each country's food system could result in more environmentally balanced practices, and also how these changes can be realized.     

Association of 1 hydroxypyrene glucuronide in human urine with cigarette smoking and broiled or roasted meat consumption

Humans are exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons PAHs from various occupational, dietary, environmental and medicinal sources. We measured 1 hydroxypyrene glucuronide 1 OHP gluc concentration in urines from male non smokers n = 50 , smokers of blond tobacco n = 31 , smokers of black tobacco n = 16 , and pipe smokers n = 3 . Immunoaffinity chromatography was used as a preparative step and synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy as the quantitation method. The concentration of 1 OHP gluc in urine from smokers mean SE: 1.04 0.13 pmol ml-1 urine was significantly higher than in urine from non smokers 0.55 0.05 pmol ml-1 urine by the Wilcoxon rank sum test non smokers versus all smokers, p = 0.001; vs black tobacco smokers, p = 0.001; vs blond tobacco smokers, p = 0.007 . Urinary 1 OHP gluc concentration among subjects who had consumed roasted, grilled or broiled meat within the past 24 h was elevated compared with those who had not p = 0.025 . Multiple linear regression showed significant associations of urinary 1 OHP gluc with number of cigarettes smoked p = 0.002 and consumption of roasted, grilled or broiled meat p = 0.028 . Systemic CYP1A2 activity estimated by caffeine metabolism was significantly correlated with urinary 1 OHP gluc concentration. However, this association was probably due to cigarette smoking, since adjusting for cigarette smoking by multiple linear regression made the association between urinary 1 OHP gluc and CYP1A2 phenotype non significant. These results further support the use of urinary 1 OHP gluc as a biomarker of recent pyrene exposure through inhalation or diet.     

Defense of termitaria by termitophilous ants

Summary Mounds of Amitermes laurensis are frequently faided by meat ants Iridomyrmex sanguineus. Of eight ant species which often cohabit with the termites, Camponotus sp. B and C were considerably dependent on the termintaria for their nest sites and effectively protected it from the attacks by meat ants. Many termite colonies cohabiting with those two ant species were vigorous, suggesting that this ant-termite relationship is mutualistic; thus, the ants were provided nest sites and probably even food and the termites were protected from destructive natural enemies.     

Lactose metabolism in Lactobacillus curvatus and Lactobacillus sake

Abstract The lactose metabolism was investigated in five strains of Lactobacillus curvatus and 14 strains of L. sake isolated from meat or meat-derived products. Strains with the ability to ferment lactose were found in both species. They exhibited either phospho-β-galactosidase (P-β-gal) or β-galactosidase (β-gal) activity, or both. P-β-gal activity of L. curvatus and L. sake was induced and detected only in the presence of lactose or galactose. Furthermore, catabolite repression by glucose was demonstrated. The immunological properties of the P-β-gal enzymes of these organisms resemble those of Lactococcus lactis . Several strains of L. sake but none of L. curvatus exhibited β-gal activity which was constitutive. In hybridisation experiments, the β-gal genes of L. sake and L. casei ATCC393 showed over 60% DNA-homology. The presence of β-gal genes in L. sake was demonstrated in both β-gal-producing and non-producing strains. This observations is consistent with a genetic potential of lactic acid bacteria exceeding their physiological capabilities.     

Modeling growth,substrate consumption and product formation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penicillium nalgiovense</Emphasis> grown on meat simulation medium in submerged batch culture

Penicillium nalgiovense is the most widely used starter mold for cured and fermented meat products. The development of a biomass film on the surface of these products prevents a large degree undesirable growth of various fungal contaminants and contributes to the ripening process with production of metabolites. This work presents an attempt to model the growth of P. nalgiovense and to relate it to substrate consumption and product release. Because of the extremely complex nature of the meat product fermentation, submerged culture was employed in a bioreactor system that enabled on-line monitoring, using a meat simulation medium, which contained peptones and lactate as carbon, nitrogen and energy sources. The unstructured model presented is based on a partial association of substrate assimilation and product formation with growth. Experimentally derived values for peptones and lactate were compared with model-derived values and their proportions corresponding to growth associated parts, used for biosynthesis, and non-growth associated parts, used for maintenance. The model was applied for the products ammonia, carbon dioxide and protons. Both peptones and lactate were used mainly for biosynthesis (85 and 80% of the total amounts provided, respectively). Assimilation of lactate and ammonia formation from amino acid metabolism resulted in a proton exchange, which was mainly growth associated. The contribution of the growth associated mechanism to the total proton exchange was estimated to be 75% while the contribution of the non-growth associated mechanism increased during the growth phase and reached a maximum of 25%. For carbon dioxide production, the contribution of a maintenance mechanism was evident at 40 h, while production was growth-associated and remained such even at the end of fermentation at 168 h when growth rate was very low. The partially growth associated model showed good agreement with the experimental data and allows accurate determination of the proportions of substrates or products related to biosynthesis and cell maintenance.     

产酶益生素对肉鸭生长性能及肠道菌群的影响

目的产酶益生素对肉鸭生产性能及肠道菌群的影响,为开发利用产酶益生素提供理论依据。方法选用1日龄120只樱桃谷肉鸭,随机分为4组,每组30只,设2个重复,每重复15只,对照组I饲喂基础日粮,实验II、III和IV组分别在基础日粮中添加0.1%、0.2%和0.3%产酶益生素,测定肉鸭的生长性能及肠道菌群数量。结果与对照组相比,实验II、III和IV组平均日增重分别提高了5.82%、11.50%和12.60%,日均采食量分别提高了0.85%、1.71%和3.78%,料重比分别降低了4.85%、8.81%和7.93%;盲肠内双歧杆菌的数量分别提高了3.29%、9.86%和9.48%,乳酸杆菌分别提高了5.49%、10.98%和12.56%,大肠埃希菌分别降低了11.88%、16.35%和22.48%。结论产酶益生素能提高肉鸭的生产性能,促进肠道双歧杆菌及乳酸杆菌的增殖,降低大肠埃希菌的数量。     

Characterization of the porcine differentially expressed <Emphasis Type="Italic">PDK4</Emphasis> gene and association with meat quality

To investigate the differential expression of genes in the skeletal muscle between Yorkshire and Chinese indigenous breed Meishan pigs, suppression subtractive hybridization was carried out and many genes were proved to be expressed significantly different in the two breeds. One gene highly expressed in Meishan but lowly expressed in Yorkshire specific library, shared strong homology with human pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4). Using semi-quantity and quantity PCR, We confirmed its differential expression between the two breeds. Temporal and spatial expression analysis indicated that porcine PDK4 gene is highly expressed in skeletal muscle and the highest in neonatal pigs. Complete cDNA cloning and sequence analysis revealed that porcine PDK4 gene contains an open reading frame of 1,221 bp. The deduced amino acid sequence showed conservation in evolution. A G/A mutation in intron 9 was identified and association analysis showed that it was significantly associated with intramuscular fat, muscle water content.     

Lipid metabolism, adipocyte depot physiology and utilization of meat animals as experimental models for metabolic research

Meat animals are unique as experimental models for both lipid metabolism and adipocyte studies because of their direct economic value for animal production. This paper discusses the principles that regulate adipogenesis in major meat animals (beef cattle, dairy cattle, and pigs), the definition of adipose depot-specific regulation of lipid metabolism or adipogenesis, and introduces the potential value of these animals as models for metabolic research including mammary biology and the ontogeny of fatty livers.     

Disinfection and hygiene in the field of food of animal origin

The cleaning/disinfection procedure should minimize the usually high number of microorganisms (10⁷–10⁸ cm²) on surfaces to reasonably low levels of about one log per cm². Aseptic conditions are normally not achieved.Most commerical disinfectants are mixed preparations. The agents used in disinfectants should not provoke changes, neither in chemical pattern, nor in sensoric properties of the food. They should not be the cause for deposition of unhealthy residues or for corrosive influences on premises. The efficacy must be warranted. The disinfection should include bactericidal, fungicidal and possibly virucidal activities with only minimal static effects. The efficacy should be based on a short-term effect even at lower temperatures (about 10°C).Mostly in use are QACs, amphoteric surfactants and biguanides which are combined in many variations. Aldehydes in mixtures are used very seldomly and only in small amounts due to sensoric, corrosive or toxicological reactions. Alcohols are suitable for quick applications but they are flammable. Organic acids and peroxygens will deliver no residues but may be aggressive to tools and man. Alkylamines will have higher static effects and chlorine active compounds will suffer from protein load and pH deviations.In daily practice the efficacy has to be proved by microbiological monitoring, e.g. by cultural or, indirectly, by bioluminescence-techniques (with or without somatic ATP).Residue levels will remain low on premises if the disinfection is performed correctly, in adequate concentrations and with fresh water rinsing in sufficient amounts (about 8 liters per m²).