ECOSYS-87: model calculations of the activity in cattle meat related to deposition time and feeding regimes after a nuclear fallout.

The radioecological model ECOSYS-87 was used to evaluate the effect of countermeasures for reducing the ingestion dose by eating cattle meat after an accidental release of radioactive material. Calculations were performed using a database adapted to Swiss conditions for the case that (1) contaminated grass or hay is replaced by clean fodder; (2) the last 100 days before slaughter, taking place one year after an accident, only uncontaminated fodder is given; and (3) alternative feeding regimes are chosen. Seasonal effects were considered by doing all calculations for a deposition at each month of the year. Feeding uncontaminated forage 100 d before slaughter (case 2) proved to be the most effective countermeasure and reduced the integrated activity in meat by 90% to 99%. The effect of replacing contaminated grass (case 1) was less uniform and depended strongly on the time a deposition occurred. In this case the reduction was between 50% and 100% one year after deposition. The substitution of contaminated hay (case 1) was less effective compared to the substitution of grass. The choice of alternative feeding regimes (case 3) led to a reduction of the integrated activity of up to 40% one year after deposition. The present model calculations clearly reveal the importance of the seasonality and demonstrate the usefulness of such calculations as a basis for generating countermeasures in decision support systems.

Possible breakdown of volatile N-nitrosamines by enzymatic and/or microbiological agents in Swiss raw sausage.

The degradation trends of 4 added nitrosamines (NDMA, NDEA, NPIP and NPYR) in Italian type salami have been investigated. All of the added NA's were partly degraded during the ripening period of the sausages (29 days); the aliphatic ones were less stable than the heterocyclic.

[On the occurrence of fatty acids in animal fats. 1st communication (author's transl)]. / Zur Kenntnis der Fette tierischer Herkunft. 1. Zum Fettsäurevorkommen in tierischen Fetten

The fats of a number of organs, and of sausages made from these organs, were examined regarding their composition of fatty acids. The main emphasis was placed on determining the contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The values were expressed as "arachidonic acid equivalents", on the effects of lowering the level of lipids in the blood. In the tested organs the fat contained 9-19% arachidonic acid equivalent. In the sausages that fat contained 5.9-8.9% arachidonic acid equivalent (i.e. 2.1-2.5 g arachidonic acid equivalent per 100 g of sausage). High contents of arachidonic acid were found particularly in fat from livers.