Impact of Using Oilseed Industry Byproducts Rich in Linoleic and Alpha-Linolenic Acid in Ruminant Nutrition on Milk Production and Milk Fatty Acid Profile.

Milk contains more than 400 different fatty acids, some of which play a positive role in promoting human health. The profile of fatty acids in milk can be enhanced by providing animals with plant-based resources that possess feeding characteristics adequate for favorable changes in the fatty acid composition and increasing healthy fatty acids in milk. This review summarizes the available 41 research studies on the utilization of oilseed industry byproducts rich in linoleic acid (hemp, pumpkin, sunflower) and alpha-linolenic acid (camelina and linseed) in dairy cow, sheep, and goat nutrition; their impact on milk production characteristics; and potential to improve fatty acid composition of milk through the diet. This review illustrates that incorporating byproducts into the diet for dairy ruminants generally does not have any adverse effects on both milk production and composition. A similar trend of improvement in milk fatty acid profile was observed when ruminants were fed diets supplemented with camelina, linseed, and sunflower byproducts, while no significant changes were noted with pumpkin byproducts. Hempseed byproducts showed potential for use as an alternative ingredient in dairy ruminant diets. Nevertheless, more in-depth research investigating the inclusion of selected byproducts is required before valid conclusions can be drawn regarding their value.

Betaine as a Functional Ingredient: Metabolism, Health-Promoting Attributes, Food Sources, Applications and Analysis Methods.

Betaine is a non-essential amino acid with proven functional properties and underutilized potential. The most common dietary sources of betaine are beets, spinach, and whole grains. Whole grains-such as quinoa, wheat and oat brans, brown rice, barley, etc.-are generally considered rich sources of betaine. This valuable compound has gained popularity as an ingredient in novel and functional foods due to the demonstrated health benefits that it may provide. This review study will provide an overview of the various natural sources of betaine, including different types of food products, and explore the potential of betaine as an innovative functional ingredient. It will thoroughly discuss its metabolic pathways and physiology, disease-preventing and health-promoting properties, and further highlight the extraction procedures and detection methods in different matrices. In addition, gaps in the existing scientific literature will be emphasized.

Cold-Pressed Oilseed Cakes as Alternative and Sustainable Feed Ingredients: A Review.

Due to the increasing demand for alternative protein feed ingredients, the utilization of oilseed by-products in animal nutrition has been sought as a promising solution to ensure cheap and environmentally sustainable feedstuffs. This review aimed to summarize the nutritional value of six cold-pressed cakes (rapeseed, hempseed, linseed, sunflower seed, camelina seed, and pumpkin seed) and the effects of their inclusion in diet for ruminant, pig, and poultry on nutrient digestibility, growth and productive performance, and quality of the products. The presented results indicated that these unconventional feed ingredients are a good protein and lipid source and have a balanced amino acid and fatty acid profile. However, contradictory results of animal production performances can be found in the literature depending on the cake type and chemical composition, dietary inclusion level, animal category, and trial duration. Due to the substantial amount of essential fatty acid, these cakes can be efficiently used in the production of animal products rich in n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. However, the utilization of cakes in pig and poultry nutrition is limited because of the presence of antinutritive factors that can deteriorate feed intake and nutrient utilization.

Physicochemical Changes of Heat-Treated Corn Grain Used in Ruminant Nutrition.

Cereal grain is processed using different combinations of heat, moisture, time, and mechanical action in order to improve its digestibility. The objective of the present research was to quantitatively represent the physicochemical properties of raw and processed starch using an in vitro methodology, as well as to describe the changes that occurred after heat treatment, such as pelleting, steam flaking, micronization, and extrusion of corn. Based on the obtained results, pelleting, steam flaking, and micronization can be considered as mild heat treatment methods, whereas extrusion proved to be a severe heat treatment method. Analysis of functional and pasting properties implied a possible interaction between the degraded components in the steam-flaked sample, as well as in the micronized sample, through to a lesser extent. Additionally, the occurrence of dextrins was noted after extrusion. The obtained results indicate the existence of significant differences in the physicochemical properties of corn starch depending on the heat treatment applied, which could possibly affect rumen starch degradation traits.

Anti-biofilm activities of essential oils rich in carvacrol and thymol against Salmonella Enteritidis.

The aim of the present study was to determine the bioactive compounds in four essential oils (EO's) from Origanum heracleoticum, Origanum vulgare, Thymus vulgaris and Thymus serpyllum and to assess their antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity against Salmonella Enteritidis. Strains were previously characterized depending on the expression of the extracellular matrix components cellulose and curli fimbriae as rdar (red, dry and rough) and bdar morphotype (brown, dry and rough). This study revealed that the EO's and EOC's (carvacrol and thymol) investigated showed inhibition of biofilm formation at sub-minimum inhibitory concentration. Comparing the efficacy of EO's and EOC's in the inhibition of biofilm formation between the strains with different morphotype (rdar and bdar) did not show a statistically significant difference. Results related to the effectiveness of EO's and EOC's (the essential oil components, carvacrol and thymol) on eradication of preformed 48 h old biofilms indicated that biofilm reduction occurred in a dose-dependent manner over time.

Aflatoxins in maize harvested in the Republic of Serbia over the period 2012-2016.

Aflatoxins (AFs) are one of the most frequent contaminants in maize. The Republic of Serbia represents a leader in terms of maize production and exports in Europe. In recent years, Serbia faced climate changes. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to examine AF occurrence in 3000 maize samples collected during 2012-2016. In maize samples from 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2016, AFs were detected in 72.3%, 24.7%, 36.7%, and 5.0% of the samples, in concentration ranges of 1.0-111.2, 1.2-65.2, 1.1-76.2, and 1.3-6.9 µg kg-1, respectively. Contrary to this, in maize samples from 2014, no AFs were detected. Analysis of weather conditions indicates that 2012 was characterised by extreme drought conditions, 2013 and 2015 by lack of precipitation and high air temperatures, 2014 as the rainiest year in these years, while 2016 had moderate weather conditions.