Determination of astaxanthin stereoisomers and colour attributes in flesh of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) as a tool to distinguish the dietary pigmentation source.

The presence of carotenoids in animal tissue reflects their sources along the food chain. Astaxanthin, the main carotenoid used for salmonid pigmentation, is usually included in the feed as a synthetic product. However, other dietary sources of astaxanthin such as shrimp or krill wastes, algae meal or yeasts are also available on the market.

Characterisation of a lard cured with spices and aromatic herbs.

The study considered the proximate composition, pH, free acidity, MDA and peroxide values of a cured and ripened lard covered with spices and aromatic herbs, these latter parameters, due to lipolytic endoenzymatic phenomena, tended to increase until the end of the salting period. Throughout the production phases the bacterial load was very low. The final vacuum-packed product had a shelf-life of about 90 days and its fatty acid and cholesterol composition was typical of lard.

Chemical and microbiological parameters and sensory attributes of a typical Sicilian salami ripened in different conditions.

A study was carried out on a typical Sicilian salami prepared from meat of the local Nero Siciliano pig in order to characterize this typical product. One formulation of salami was divided in two batches and ripened in two different environments, a traditional sicilian room (TR) and a controlled industrial ripening room (RR). Microbiological and physico-chemical analysis were performed on raw mixture and after 7 and 90 days of ripening.

Cured products from different animal species.

An assessment was made of the proximate composition, pH and a(W) of raw beef, horsemeat and the meat of wild boar, deer and goat. The same assessment, together with one of fatty acids, cholesterol and free amino acids, was made of the same meats as cured products. The raw meat of the different animal species was found to have a reduced lipid, but high protein content.

Racemization kinetics of aspartic acid in fish material under different conditions of moisture, pH, and oxygen pressure.

The racemization kinetics of aspartic acid in heat-treated whole herring have been studied under conditions of treatment comparable to those that may occur in processing of fish meal. D-Aspartic acid content in the samples has been measured by RP-HPLC with precolumn automatic derivatization. The major parameters affecting the rate of racemization of aspartic acid k(Asp) have been demonstrated to be temperature (elevation of temperature from 95 to 120 degrees C resulted in an increase of k(Asp) from 0.