Prediction of fatty acid chain length and unsaturation of milk fat by mid-infrared milk analysis.

Our objective was to develop partial least squares (PLS) models to predict fatty acid chain length and total unsaturation of milk fat directly from a mid-infrared (MIR) spectra of milk at 40°C and then determine the feasibility of using those measures as correction factors to improve the accuracy of milk fat determination. A set of 268 milks (modified milks, farm bulk tank milks, and individual cow) were analyzed for fat, true protein, and anhydrous lactose with chemical reference methods, and in addition a MIR absorption spectra was collected for each milk. Fat was extracted from another portion of each milk, the fat was saponified to produce free fatty acids, and the free fatty acids were converted to methyl esters and quantified using gas-liquid chromatography.

Preparation and stability of milk somatic cell reference materials.

Our objectives were to develop a method to produce milk somatic cell count (SCC) reference materials for calibration of electronic somatic cell count (ESCC) using gravity separation and to determine the effect of refrigerated storage (4°C) and freeze-thaw stability of the skim and whole milk SCC reference materials. Whole raw milk was high-temperature short-time pasteurized and split into 2 portions. One portion was gravity separated at 4°C for 22 h and the second portion was centrifugally separated to produce skim milk that was also gravity separated with somatic cells rising to the surface.

A proficiency test system to improve performance of milk analysis methods and produce reference values for component calibration samples for infrared milk analysis.

Our goal was to determine the feasibility of combining proficiency testing, analytical method quality-assurance system, and production of reference samples for calibration of infrared milk analyzers to achieve a more efficient use of resources and reduce costs while maximizing analytical accuracy within and among milk payment-testing laboratories. To achieve this, we developed and demonstrated a multilaboratory combined proficiency testing and analytical method quality-assurance system as an approach to evaluate and improve the analytical performance of methods. A set of modified milks was developed and optimized to serve multiple purposes (i.

Modification of the Kjeldahl noncasein nitrogen method to include bovine milk concentrates and milks from other species.

The objective of our research was to modify the current indirect casein method for bovine milk to enable it to be applied to bovine milk, bovine milk concentrates, and milks of other species that contain a protein concentration up to 9% (wt/wt). Our work used a series of bovine milk concentrates from about 3 to 9% protein with the same casein as a percentage of true protein to determine the amount of buffer required and pH of the noncasein nitrogen (NCN) filtrate to achieve consistent estimates of casein and casein as percent of true protein. As the concentration of protein in milk increased (either in bovine milk concentrates or in milks of other species), the amount of buffer needed for the NCN sample preparation method to achieve a filtrate pH of 4.

Effect of microbiological testing on subsequent mid-infrared milk component analysis of the same milk sample.

Our objectives were to determine if mixing and sampling of a raw milk sample at 4°C for determination of total bacteria count (TBC) and if incubation at 14°C for 18h and sampling for a preliminary incubation (PI) count influenced the accuracy of subsequent fat, protein, or lactose measurement by mid-infrared (IR) analysis of milk from the same sample container due to either nonrepresentative sampling or the presence of microbial metabolites produced by microbial growth in the milk from the incubation. Milks of 4 fat levels (2.2, 3, 4, and 5%) reflected the range of fat levels encountered in producer milks.

Development of the nasal chemosensory organs in two terrestrial anurans: the directly developing frog, Eleutherodactylus coqui (Anura: Leptodactylidae), and the metamorphosing toad, Bufo americanus (Anura: Bufonidae).

Nearly all vertebrates possess an olfactory organ but the vomeronasal organ is a synapomorphy for tetrapods. Nevertheless, it has been lost in several groups of tetrapods, including aquatic and marine animals. The present study examines the development of the olfactory and vomeronasal organs in two terrestrial anurans that exhibit different developmental modes.