Study around the Barroso mine (Portugal): Baseline levels of lithium for assessing future exposure and risks from Li mining activity.

The energetic green transition is increasing the demand for lithium (Li) exploitation. However, the Li supply faces challenges like limited reserves and environmental concerns. This pioneer study aims to characterize the Li concentrations in the region around the Barroso mine, in Portugal, by collecting and analyzing samples of cabbage, potato, drinking and irrigation water and soil from two nearby sites, and performing a preliminary exposure and risk assessment of local populations. Li levels ranged between 20 and 589 µg/kg in cabbages (n = 23), 2.3-21 µg/kg in potatoes (n = 21), 1.1-5.9 µg/L in drinking water (n = 10), 1.1-15 µg/L in irrigation water (n = 23) and 35-121 mg/kg in soils (n = 23). Significant differences in Li content between sampling sites were observed only for cabbage samples. The risk assessment revealed that none of the participants exceeded the provisional reference dose (p-RfD) (2 µg/kg bw/day), with a hazard quotient (HQ) < 1, suggesting no health concerns for the population. It is expected that the studied area will be affected by the future expansion of the mine concession, thus this pioneer study is crucial for future research as it establishes a initial database for evaluating the potential impact of mining activity on the environment and the population's exposure to Li.

Enhancing meat quality of weaned piglets with the dietary incorporation of Ulva lactuca and carbohydrases supplementation.

The impact of the dietary incorporation of 7% Ulva lactuca, a green seaweed, on the quality and nutritional value of piglet's meat was assessed. U. lactuca is rich in nutrients and bioactive compounds but its cell wall is composed of complex polysaccharides that reduce their bioavailability. Therefore, the effect of supplementing piglet diets with exogenous carbohydrases was also assessed here. A total of 40 male weaned piglets were divided into four dietary groups, each with 10 piglets: control (wheat, maize and soybean meal-based diet), UL (7% U. lactuca replacing the control diet), UL + R (UL and 0.005% Rovabio®), and UL + E (UL and 0.01% ulvan lyase). The piglets were fed the diets for 2 weeks. The results showed that incorporating U. lactuca in piglet diets did not influence most of the meat quality traits (P > 0.05). However, the incorporation of U. lactuca with the commercial carbohydrase (UL + R) increased the amount of the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3) in their meat (P = 0.011) compared with the control, by 54%. In addition, meat from piglets fed seaweed diets showed a nearly two-fold increase in iodine contents (P < 0.001). Meat tenderness, juiciness and overall acceptability of piglets fed the control diet and the UL diet were lower than those fed the diets containing seaweed and carbohydrases (P < 0.001). Overall, the findings indicate that 7% U. lactuca in the diets of weaned piglets had no major detrimental effects on meat quality and their carbohydrase supplementation has the potential to improve meat sensory traits.

Effect on Broiler Production Performance and Meat Quality of Feeding Ulva lactuca Supplemented with Carbohydrases.

The aim of the study was to test if feeding 15% U. lactuca to broilers, alone or combined with carbohydrases, enhanced meat nutritional quality, without compromising growth performance. One hundred and twenty 22-day-old broilers were allocated to the following diets and replicated 10 times for 14 days: (1) maize and soy-based diet (control); (2) control with 15% U. lactuca (UL); (3) UL diet with 0.005% commercial carbohydrase mixture (ULC); and (4) UL diet with 0.01% ulvan lyase (ULE). Final body weight and average daily gain decreased (p < 0.050) with the ULE diet compared with the control, but no significant differences were found for the other diets. The intestinal viscosity increased (p < 0.001) with all alga diets but was lowered (p < 0.050) in the ileum with the ULE diet, relative to UL and ULC diets. Meat lightness and redness values, off-flavours, and total carotenoids increased (p < 0.001), while yellow values, tenderness, juiciness, overall acceptability, α- and γ-tocopherol, and total lipids decreased (p < 0.001) with alga diets. The n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) increased (p < 0.050), and the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio decreased (p < 0.001) with the ULE diet. Total minerals in meat increased (p < 0.001) with alga diets, conversely to sodium and zinc (p < 0.001). Feeding 15% of U. lactuca to broilers did not impair growth but increased meat nutritional value through the accumulation of health-promoting antioxidant carotenoids, n-3 PUFA and total minerals, although reducing overall meat acceptability.

Effect of Dietary Laminaria digitata with Carbohydrases on Broiler Production Performance and Meat Quality, Lipid Profile, and Mineral Composition.

We hypothesized that dietary inclusion of 15% Laminaria digitata, supplemented or not with carbohydrases, could improve the nutritional value of poultry meat without impairing animal growth performance. A total of 120 22-day old broilers were fed the following dietary treatments (n = 10) for 14 days: cereal-based diet (control); control diet with 15% L. digitata (LA); LA diet with 0.005% Rovabio® Excel AP (LAR); LA diet with 0.01% alginate lyase (LAE). Final body weight was lower and feed conversion ratio higher with LA diet than with the control. The ileal viscosity increased with LA and LAR diets relative to control but without differences between LAE and control. The pH of thigh meat was higher, and the redness value of breast was lower with LA diet than with control. Meat overall acceptability was positively scored for all treatments. The γ-tocopherol decreased, whereas total chlorophylls and carotenoids increased in meat with alga diets relative to control. The percentage of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and accumulation of bromine and iodine in meat increased with alga diets compared with control. Feeding 15% of L. digitata to broilers impaired growth performance but enhanced meat quality by increasing antioxidant pigments, with beneficial effects on n-3 PUFA and iodine.

Influence of Feeding Weaned Piglets with Laminaria digitata on the Quality and Nutritional Value of Meat.

Laminaria digitata is a novel feedstuff that can be used in pig diets to replace conventional feedstuffs. However, its resilient cell wall can prevent the monogastric digestive system from accessing intracellular nutrients. Carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZyme) supplementation is a putative solution for this problem, degrading the cell wall during digestion. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of 10% L. digitata feed inclusion and CAZyme supplementation on the meat quality and nutritional value of weaned piglets. Forty weaned piglets were randomly allocated to four experimental groups (n = 10): control, LA (10% L. digitata, replacing the control diet), LAR (LA + CAZyme (0.005% Rovabio® Excel AP)) and LAL (LA + CAZyme (0.01% alginate lyase)) and the trial lasted for two weeks. The diets had no effect on any zootechnical parameters measured (p > 0.05) and meat quality traits, except for the pH measured 24 h post-mortem, which was higher in LAL compared to LA (p = 0.016). Piglets fed with seaweed had a significantly lower n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio compared to control, to which the higher accumulation of C20:5n-3 (p = 0.001) and C18:4n-3 (p < 0.0001) contributed. In addition, meat of seaweed-fed piglets was enriched with bromine (Br, p < 0.001) and iodine (I, p < 0.001) and depicted a higher oxidative stability. This study demonstrates that the nutritional value of piglets' meat could be improved by the dietary incorporation of L. digitata, regardless of CAZyme supplementation, without negatively affecting growth performance in the post-weaning stage.

Characterisation of nutrient profile of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus), and purple corn (Zea mays L.) consumed in the North of Argentina: proximates, minerals and trace elements.

Quinoa, amaranth and purple corn are Andean cereals largely consumed in North of Argentina. Nutrient analysis with the purpose of inclusion in the Argentinean FCDB and e-search EuroFIR has become urgent matter. In this work proximate and mineral profile of Andean cereals cultivated in the North of Argentina were determined and compared with rice. Proximate analysis showed that Andean cereals have similar profile but significantly higher (p<0.05) than rice. Andean cereals are rich sources of iron, copper, manganese and zinc and better than rice. Phosphorus and magnesium quinoa content could contribute up to 55% of consumers DRI. Andean cereals and rice are poor sources of potassium. To guarantee the interchange of data among users and producers of FCDB component values were obtained in compliance with EuroFIR guidelines for compilation process. Present work provides necessary information to FCDB users who wish to have access to food reference analytical parameters.

The emerging farmed fish species meagre (Argyrosomus regius): how culinary treatment affects nutrients and contaminants concentration and associated benefit-risk balance.

The effect of cooking methods (boiling, grilling, and roasting) on the proximate and mineral composition, contaminants concentration and fatty acids profile was evaluated aiming to understand the benefits and risks associated to the consumption of the emerging farmed fish meagre (Argyrosomus regius). All the treatments led to lower moisture content. After grilling and roasting, the SFA, MUFA and PUFA contents increased. There was no degradation of EPA and DHA during the culinary processes. Significant retention of minerals in grilled and roasted meagre samples was registered. For Pb and Cd there were no concentration differences between culinary treatments and regarding raw fish. Whereas As level was higher in grilled meagre, total Hg and Me-Hg values were augmented in grilled and roasted meagre. The consumption of meagre is advisable due to the low and healthy fat, high selenium and protein content. Grilling would be the best culinary treatment due to the retention of protein, EPA, DHA and minerals. But as the risk of ingestion of Me-Hg content also increases, based on the risk assessment, intake should not exceed two weekly meals, provided that no other important Me-Hg food source is present in the diet. Otherwise, even this maximum threshold should be lower.

Experimental approaches for the estimation of uncertainty in analysis of trace inorganic contaminants in foodstuffs by ICP-MS.

Total Diet Studies to estimate dietary exposure to food contaminants need to evaluate laboratory measurements data variance. In this process it is critical that data from analytical methods are reliable to correctly scrutinize and compare values over time and between countries. In Europe it is widely recognized that the evaluation of measurement uncertainty is an important parameter when assessing the sources of analytical data variability. Two approaches are considered to estimate uncertainty in analytical measurement. Arsenic, Lead, Chromium and Cadmium, content in several food matrix determined by Inductively Coupled Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) microwave digestion assisted, are used as examples. The aim of the present research work is to compare both approaches accepted by Eurolab and GUM: Mathematical modeling to assess uncertainty components based on a classical model (bottom up) and an empirical method (top down), based on either experimental data obtained from a single laboratory validation data or inter-laboratory data from Proficiency Testing schemes. Relative expanded uncertainty calculated by both approaches agree when U (%) <20%. These values are concordant with RSDR reported in collaborative studies of EN 15763 (2009), which were assumed as target uncertainty. The top down approach described is simple and easy to use when compared with the mathematical modeling approach providing considerable benefits to those who assess data produced by several laboratories.