Evaluation of Chokeberry/Carboxymethylcellulose Hydrogels with the Addition of Disaccharides: DART-TOF/MS and HPLC-DAD Analysis.

With the growing awareness of the importance of a healthy diet, the need for the development of novel formulations is also on the rise. Chokeberry products are popular among consumers since they are a rich source of polyphenols that are responsible for antioxidant activity and other positive effects on human health. However, other natural food ingredients, such as disaccharides, can affect their stability. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of disaccharides addition on the polyphenol composition of chokeberry hydrogels. Hydrogels were prepared from chokeberry juice and 2% of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) with the addition of 30%, 40%, or 50% of disaccharides (sucrose or trehalose). Samples were analyzed using DART-TOF/MS. The method was optimized, and the fingerprints of the mass spectra have been statistically processed using PCA analysis. Prepared samples were evaluated for total polyphenols, monomeric anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity (FRAP, CUPRAC, DPPH, ABTS assays) using spectrophotometric methods. Individual polyphenols were evaluated using HPLC-DAD analysis. Results showed the addition of disaccharides to 2% CMC hydrogels caused a decrease of total polyphenols. These findings confirm proper formulation is important to achieve appropriate retention of polyphenols.

Comparison of the Automatic and Manual Broiler Pre-Slaughter Chain Based on Trailer Microclimate during Transportation and Its Effect on m. pectoralis major.

This study aims to compare two broiler pre-slaughter chain methods: (i) the automatic pre-slaughter chain (APC) and (ii) manual pre-slaughter chain (MPC). The comparison is based on the evaluation of the trailer microclimate, number of injuries, and breast muscle (m. pectoralis major) quality. Transportation lasts 3.5 h, unloading 1 h. The selection of two hundred 39-day-old broilers (Ross 308 and Cobb 500 breeds) is random for each type of method. After slaughter, the pH value, electrical conductivity (EC), and color (lightness) of breast muscle tissues are determined at different post-mortem intervals. The MPC negatively affects the microclimate (p < 0.001), meat qualitative characteristics (p < 0.001), and places a greater strain on the body of chickens compared with APC. The average pH15min value of MPC broiler breast muscle tissue, generally used as the main meat quality parameter, is 5.97 ± 0.12, in contrast to 6.36 ± 0.16 for APC. Higher pH15min value of APC indicates better welfare and pre-slaughter handling. Values of EC and L* of breast tissues also confirms a difference between the methods of broiler handling (p < 0.001). No difference is found between the breed lines (p > 0.05).

Measuring citrate synthase activity as an enzymatic approach to the differentiation of chilled and frozen/thawed meat.

Citrate synthase belongs between mitochondrial enzymes which are released from the meat tissue after cell membrane damage caused by ice crystal formation. The presence of this enzyme can indicate a previous freezing process. In this study, we determined citrate synthase activity for chilled and frozen/thawed meats (chicken, pork, beef, and salmon). As an additional factor, we examined a potential connection between microbial spoilage and increased enzyme activity. UV spectrophotometry was used for the evaluation of the citrate synthase activity. The effect of microbial spoilage on the enzyme activity was established through microbial analysis, which was carried out for two weeks for chilled and five months for frozen/thawed meats. The citrate synthase activity in the frozen/thawed samples was significantly higher than in the chilled samples. Dependence of microbial contamination and the increased activity of the citrate synthase was not observed. Our results suggest that there could be designed specific limits of citrate synthase activity for the resolution of chilled and frozen/thawed meats.