The composition of the lipid, protein and mineral fractions of quail breast meat obtained from wild and farmed specimens of Common quail (Coturnix coturnix) and farmed Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica domestica).

The present study was intended to answer 2 scientific hypotheses: 1) the quail species has a significant influence in quail breast meat composition; 2) the wild quail's meat presents healthier composition than their farmed counterparts. An analysis of the pectoral muscles of wild and captive common quails (Coturnix coturnix) and domestic quails (Coturnix japonica domestica) was performed. The content of fatty acids (FA), amino acids, total cholesterol, and vitamin E, some basic macro- and microminerals in the pectoral muscles of the 2 species of the genus Coturnix were analyzed. Regarding the quail species influence on meat composition, Japanese Quail (JQ) revealed better lipid composition, characterized by lower saturated FA (SFA; less 3.17 g/100 g of total fatty acids), higher polyunsaturated FA contents (PUFA; more 5.5 g/100 g of total fatty acids) and healthier polyunsaturated FA/saturated FA (P/S) and n-6/n-3 ratios and TI value (1.08, 9.54 and 0.60 vs. 0.76, 12.58, and 0.75, correspondingly). The absence of differences observed on amino acids partial sums and ratios reveals equality between species on protein nutritional quality. On the other hand, Common Quail (CQ) proved to be a better source of copper (0.181 mg/100 g of meat), iron (2.757 mg/100 g of meat), manganese (0.020 mg/100 g of meat), and zinc (0.093 mg/100 g of meat) than JQ. The comparison of farmed and wild specimens within CQ, showed that wild birds presented lower total cholesterol (less 8.32 mg/g of fresh meat) and total PUFA (less 4.26 g/100 g of total fatty acids), and higher n-3 PUFA contents (more 1.53 g/100 g of total fatty acids), which contributed to healthier P/S and n-6/n-3 ratios, but worst PI (1.60, 8.08, and 113.1 vs. 0.76, 12.58, and 100.8, respectively). The wild species revealed higher α-tocopherol content (2.40 vs. 1.49 µg/g of fresh meat. Differences observed on their mineral composition counterbalance each other. Under intensive production system and similar feeding and management conditions, the CQ develops better nutritional qualities than JQ. The comparison of wild and farmed species within CQ reveals more similarities than differences. Quail´s meat presents good nutritional quality and introduces variability to human's diet, which is much valued by consumers.

Susceptibility of dry-cured tuna to oxidative deterioration and biogenic amines generation: I. Effect of NaCl content, antioxidant type and ageing.

This study aimed to assess lipid oxidation and biogenic amine (BA) development in "muxama", a dry-cured tuna muscle product, as affected by salt content, antioxidant type and ageing time. Overall, BA contents decreased with NaCl level (2785.1mgkg-1, 1148.1mgkg-1 and 307.7mgkg-1) and increased with ageing time (366.2mgkg-1, 1711.8mgkg-1 and 2959.2mgkg-1 in the final product (T0), and after 1 (T1) and 3 (T3) months of ageing, respectively). Regardless of the test conditions, the most concentrated BA was always tyramine. For the ageing periods considered in the present study, malondialdehyde formation was affected by the NaCl level, with the saltiest samples exhibiting lower content. Rosemary and sage extracts represented promising technological options for preserving muxama from oxidation and to minimize the presence of a fishy flavour and odour, but this treatment may cause the colour to lose some of its redness and become less appealing.

Effect of processing in volatiles from a Portuguese traditional dry-fermented ripened sausage 'Chourico Grosso Borba-Estremoz PGI'.

Volatile compounds from 'Chouriço Grosso', a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) dry fermented and ripened pork sausage, were analyzed by a purge and trap - gas chromatography-mass spectrometry system (PT/GC/MS) and compared with those from sausages obtained through a modified drying/smoking technique. At the end of the processing (40 days), the two major groups of volatiles present in both types of sausages were sulphur compounds and hydrocarbons. Total volatiles concentration was about 71 mg/kg and 99 mg/kg, respectively for traditional and modified processes. After 3 months at storage, sulphur compounds presented the highest relative values 39.4% (w/w) for traditional batch, while both sulphur compounds, 26.3% (w/w) and alcohols, 26.5% (w/w), showed identical quantities in the modified batch. By extending the product life time up to 12 months, an increase in the concentrations was observed, 193 and 266 mg/kg, respectively for traditional and modified processes. The relative quantities of the different groups diverged between the products assayed, with hydrocarbons and alcohols, and sulfur compounds and hydrocarbons predominating, by decreasing order, in traditional and modified processes, respectively.

Muscle fiber and fatty acid profiles of Mertolenga-PDO meat.

The influence of phenotype and muscle type on intramuscular total lipids (ITL) neutral lipid (NL) and phospholipid (PL) compositions, cholesterol, α-tocopherol and haem iron contents were evaluated in Semitendinosus (St), Longissimus dorsi (Ld) and Supraspinatus (Ss) muscles from 39 Mertolenga young bulls. The results showed that lipid, α-tocopherol, cholesterol and haemic iron contents were not influenced by phenotype. Furthermore, the individual effect of phenotype was not a significant source of variation on ITL, NL and PL fatty acid composition. Muscle histological traits from Unicolor phenotype (n=13) showed that Ss and Ld muscles exhibited higher proportion of type I (P<0.001) and oxidative fibers (P<0.001) and lower percentages of IIB fibers (P<0.001) than St. The Ss muscle, with higher relative area occupied by oxidative fibers (P<0.05-0.001) than Ld and St, had higher ITL (P<0.001), NL (P<0.001), PL (P<0.05-0.01), α-tocopherol (P<0.001), cholesterol (P<0.01) and haem iron (P<0.001) contents than its counterparts. Muscle type notably affected ITL, as a result of its influence on NL rather than in PL composition.

Influence of slaughter season and sex on fatty acid composition, cholesterol and α-tocopherol contents on different muscles of Barrosã-PDO veal.

The influence of slaughter season and sex on intramuscular total lipids (ITL) neutral lipid (NL) and phospholipid (PL) compositions, cholesterol and α-tocopherol contents were evaluated in Biceps femoris (Bf), Longissimus dorsi (Ld) and Supraspinatus (Ss) muscles from 92 Barrosã-PDO (Protected Denomination of Origin) calves. ITL content in Bf muscle was affected by slaughter season and sex whereas NL content was only affected by slaughter season. Neither sex nor slaughter season influenced cholesterol and α-tocopherol contents in the muscles under study. Concerning NL composition, sex was an important source of variation on the proportions of total SFA and MUFA in all muscles. Irrespective of the considered muscle, males had higher total SFA but lower total MUFA and MUFA/SFA contents than females. Slaughter season influenced C18:2 cis-9 trans-11 (CLA) content in Bf (P<0.01) and in Ss muscles (P<0.05) with calves slaughtered in autumn showing higher values than their counterparts. Total MUFA, n-3 PUFA and n-6/n-3 ratio contents in Ld muscle were also affected by slaughter season. Regarding PL composition, slaughter season×sex interaction affected total SFA, PUFA/SFA and n-6 PUFA contents in Bf and Ss muscles. In addition, this interaction influenced total MUFA (P<0.05) in Bf muscle and total PUFA (P<0.01) in Ss muscle. CLA content in PL from Ld was influenced by sex (P<0.05) and by slaughter season (P<0.01), with females slaughtered in autumn presenting the highest content. These results clearly indicate that sex and slaughter season are important factors that influence the fatty acid composition of Barrosã-PDO veal.

[Undifferentiated sarcoma of the liver in the adult]. / Sarcoma indiferenciado do fígado no adulto.

A case of undifferentiated sarcoma of the liver with heart, lung and liver metastases, is reported. We emphasised the role of ultrasound for the early diagnosis of cardiac metastases. As far as we know there is no other report on this tumour in portuguese literature.