Concentrations of toxic and nutritional essential elements in meat from different beef breeds reared under intensive production systems

Specific of accumulation of manganese in organs and tissues of Hereford cattle

The elemental status of cattle is one of the important factors, which determine its growth, fertility, fetal development, meat and dairy production, etc. Therefore, the study of content of different elements in cattle organs and tissues and its correlation with cattle characteristics and diet is urgent task. It is also important to develop intravital and low-invasive methods to analyze element content in cattle to regulate its diet during lifetime. In the present work, we have studied the content and distribution of manganese in Hereford cattle from an ecologically clean zone of Western Siberia (Russia). 252 samples were taken from 31 bulls aged 15-18 months. They were collected from various livestock farms in the region and analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (organs and muscle tissue) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (hair). The median values of manganese concentration obtained in natural moisture for hair, heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, muscles, spleen, testes, and brain were 25, 0.37, 1.0, 2.6, 0.4, 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, and 0.5 ppm. Accordingly, the concentration of manganese differs significantly in the organs and tissues of animals (H = 188.6, df = 8, p <0.0001). Statistically significant associations of manganese were revealed in pairs: liver-testis, hair-testis, spleen-testis, and heart-brain. The classification of organs and tissues of animals according to the level of content and variability of manganese is carried out. The concentration of manganese in the body is not uniform, most of all it is deposited in the hair and excretory organs of the liver and kidneys. In other organs and muscle tissues, the distribution of manganese is more even and is in the range of 0.2-0.5 ppm. The resulting ranges can be used as a guideline for Hereford cattle bred in Western Siberia.

Development of a Predictive Model for Iron Levels in Bovine Muscle Tissue Using Hair as a Predictor

The assessment of iron levels in cattle muscle tissue is crucial for livestock management because it influences both animal health and meat quality, key factors in sustainable development. This study aimed to develop an optimal model for noninvasively predicting the iron content in Hereford cattle muscle tissue, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the animals' elemental status. The research involved the atomic absorption analysis of muscle tissue and hair samples from cattle. A regression model was constructed using the least squares method to identify the most effective approach. These findings have ecological applications, aiding in evaluating environmental health and establishing acceptable iron thresholds for animals. The proposed mathematical model utilizing biomarkers (levels of Mg, K, Fe, Al, Cr in hair) will allow for the assessment of iron levels in cattle muscle tissue throughout the period of productive use, with the possibility of adjustment and tracking the changes in elemental status over time. The utilization of the developed method will enable the diagnosis of animal elementosis and assessment of the iron level burden. Subsequently, this will allow for the improvement of the qualitative characteristics of the final product. Thus, the obtained data contribute to fundamental knowledge regarding the content and variability of iron levels in the muscle tissue of cattle.

Assessment of quality and safety of meats from various animal species in the Shuchinsk-Burabay resort zone, Kazakhstan

Aim:

This study aimed to determine the food safety and protein adequacy of meats from various animals in the Shuchinsk-Burabay resort zone.

Materials and Methods:

Samples of meat were collected from markets “Zhomart” and “Kausar.” Two hundred and ninety-eight samples of meat were obtained: beef - 166, horse - 42, pork - 67, mutton - 8, and poultry - 15. From each carcass, part of the carcass, point samples were taken to form an average sample and conduct research. Analyses used inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography. The determination of amino acid composition was carried out following the chromatographic method for determining the amino acid composition of meat proteins.

Results:

The quality of meats from the resort zone was lower than recommended due to the reduced content of essential amino acids, including valine, lysine, isoleucine, and phenylalanine. Concentrations of heavy metals and radionuclides did not exceed maximum permissible limits, and trace concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, and lead were detected in all meat samples, except beef. The latter meat showed increased concentrations of mercury.

Conclusion:

In terms of quality indicators, all types of meat met standards; however, pork protein displayed the most favorable amino acid composition, both for content of essential amino acids and the ratio of amounts of essential to non-essential amino acids. For content of heavy metals, poultry and pork meats were safest.

Evaluation of Element Concentrations in Beef and Pork Meat Cuts Available to the Population in the Croatian Capital

The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of essential, trace, and toxic elements in beef and pork meat cuts available at markets and retail chains in the Croatian capital. Significant differences in the concentrations of Al, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Se, Pb, and Zn were found between bovine cuts (p < 0.01, all) and also between pork cuts (p < 0.01, all). A risk assessment using the estimated intakes based on the lowest and highest mean values of Al, Cr, Ni, and Pb in beef and pork showed low contributions to tolerable toxicological limits. However, consumers whose diets consist of large amounts of beef and pork kidneys may be at risk because the estimated intakes for Cd and Se exceeded the toxicological limits. Consumers of large quantities of beef mixed meat may be at risk due to higher values of estimated As intakes compared to health-based guidance values. Estimation based on the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake values for Cu, Fe, and Zn showed that beef and pork cuts can be considered safe for consumption. A comparison with data from other studies shows that the concentrations of the analyzed elements in beef and pork cuts vary considerably.

Manganese in the Diet: Bioaccessibility, Adequate Intake, and Neurotoxicological Effects

Manganese (Mn) is an essential element that participates in several biological processes. Mn serves as a cofactor for several enzymes, such as glutamine synthetase and oxidoreductases, that have an important role in the defense of the organisms against oxidative stress. The diet is the main source of Mn intake for humans, and adequate daily intake levels for this metal change with age. Moreover, in higher amounts, Mn may be toxic, mainly to the brain. Here, we provide an overview of Mn occurrence in food, addressing its bioaccessibility and discussing the dietary standard and recommended intake of Mn consumption. In addition, we review some mechanisms underlying Mn-induced neurotoxicity.

Influence of Genotype and Slaughter Age on the Content of Selected Minerals and Fatty Acids in the Longissimus Thoracis Muscle of Crossbred Bulls

Simple Summary

In some European countries, including Poland, beef production is based mostly on dairy cattle herds. Beef quality can be improved by the commercial crossbreeding of dairy cows with beef bulls. The offspring are characterized by higher fattening performance and more desirable carcass characteristics. The experiment was performed on 72 bulls produced by crossing Polish Holstein-Friesian (PHF) cows with bulls of three most popular beef breeds: Hereford (HH), Limousin (LM), and Charolais (CH), to determine the effects of genotype and age at slaughter on the content of selected minerals (K, Na, Mg, Zn, and Fe) and fatty acid profile in beef. The meat of PHF × LM crosses had a lower content of K and Mg, compared with the remaining crossbred bulls. The Fe content per kg of meat was higher in bulls slaughtered at 21 months of age than in those slaughtered at 15 months of age. The best sire breed for crossing with dairy cows cannot be clearly indicated based on the present findings. However, the results of this study suggest that bulls should be slaughtered at 21 months of age to achieve the optimal values of most analyzed traits and parameters, in particular the fatty acid profile.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of genotype and slaughter age on the mineral content and fatty acid profile of beef. The experiment was performed on 72 crossbred bulls produced by crossing Polish Holstein-Friesian (PHF) cows with bulls of three beef breeds: Hereford (HH), Limousin (LM), and Charolais (CH), slaughtered at 15, 18, and 21 months of age. Samples of the longissimus thoracis muscle were collected to determine their mineral (potassium—K, sodium—Na, magnesium—Mg, zinc—Zn, and iron—Fe) and fatty acid composition. The meat of PHF × LM crosses had a lower (p ≤ 0.01) content of K and Mg, compared with the remaining crossbred bulls. The Fe content per kg of meat was 4 mg higher (p ≤ 0.01) in bulls slaughtered at 21 months of age than in those slaughtered at 15 months of age. The content of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) in intramuscular fat was 2.77% higher in bulls slaughtered at 21 months of age than in those slaughtered at 15 months of age. The n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) ratio did not exceed 4.0, and it was most desirable in PHF × LM crosses (2.84) and in the oldest bulls (2.92).

Predicting the Content of 20 Minerals in Beef by Different Portable Near-Infrared (NIR) Spectrometers

The aim of this study was to test the predictability of a detailed mineral profile of beef using different portable near-infrared spectrometers (NIRS). These devices are rapid, chemical waste-free, cheap, nondestructive tools that can be used directly on the meat surface in the work environment without the need to take samples. We compared a transportable Visible-NIRS (weight 5.6 kg; wavelength 350-1830 nm), a portable NIRS (2.0 kg; 950-1650 nm), and a hand-held Micro-NIRS (0.06 kg; 905-1649 nm) to predict the contents of 20 minerals (measured by ICP-OES) in 178 beef samples (Longissimus thoracis muscle) using different mathematical pretreatments of the spectra and partial least square regressions. The externally validated results show that Fe, P, Mg, S, Na, and Pb have some potential for prediction with all instruments (R2VAL: 0.40-0.83). Overall, the prediction performances of the three instruments were similar, although the smallest (Micro-NIRS) exhibited certain advantages.

Relationships of a Detailed Mineral Profile of Meat with Animal Performance and Beef Quality

Simply Summary

Minerals play direct or indirect role in different biological process of animals. These biological processes finally affect the meat quality. Therefore, analysis of minerals in cattle’s diet is important for assessing potential effects on beef quality. However, minerals profile and concentration in beef are affected by several factors such as animals rearing practices, age, environment, breed etc. Hence, we analyzed 20 minerals in 192 beef samples and studied the different sources of variation which affect the minerals profile in beef. In order to understand the complex and intriguing relations of beef qualities and minerals, we utilized correlation and factor analysis with 16 traits related to animal performance and beef quality. Our analysis shows many significant associations of minerals in beef with animal performance and beef qualities. Five groups of minerals (latent factors) were associated with almost all quality traits of beef. The knowledge about the mineral contents in beef is important to understand the complex interrelationships of animal rearing, farm management, environmental conditions with regard to animal performance and beef quality.

Abstract

The mineral profile of beef is a subject of human health interest, but also animal performance and meat quality. This study analyzes the relationships of 20 minerals in beef inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) with three animal performance and 13 beef quality traits analyzed on 182 samples of Longissimus thoracis. Animals’ breed and sex showed limited effects. The major sources of variation (farm/date of slaughter, individual animal within group and side/sample within animal) differed greatly from trait to trait. Mineral contents were correlated to animal performance and beef quality being significant 52 out of the 320 correlations at the farm/date level, and 101 out of the 320 at the individual animal level. Five latent factors explained 69% of mineral co-variation. The most important, “Mineral quantity” factor correlated with age at slaughter and with the beef color traits. Two latent factors (“Na + Fe + Cu” and “Fe + Mn”) correlated with performance and beef color traits. Two other (“K-B-Pb” and “Zn”) correlated with beef chemical composition and the latter also with carcass weight and daily gain, and beef color traits. Beef cooking losses correlated with “K-B-Pb”. Latent factor analysis appears be a useful means of disentangling the very complex relationships that the minerals in beef have with animal performance and beef quality traits.

Influence of Farm Management for Calves on Growth Performance and Meat Quality Traits Duration Fattening of Simmental Bulls and Heifers

Simple Summary

Cattle have been selected for their adaptation to a specific environment and productive system, in which they show, in theory, their best economical results. With appropriate nutrition, the calf’s performance enhances during early life and improve the production limit providing distinctive opportunities to optimize feeding strategies and increase the profitability of beef production. There is considerable variation in fattening protocols as well as in farm conditions. Meat quality parameters and carcass traits are the main objectives of most research carried out in the beef production area. Optimizing meat quality parameters and carcass traits are important for farmer profits and consumer satisfaction. According to that, at the phenotypic level, growth performance and traits could be observed. Rearing practices are known to have an impact on cattle carcasses and meat characteristics. The rearing practices applied after calving have an influence on the animal’s performance at the growth period and can involve different animal properties at the beginning of the fattening period.

Abstract

This study assessed the effects of farm management during rearing practices in the first months of a calf’s life on growth performance and meat quality traits during the fattening period. A total of 48 Simmental calves were divided into two groups at a commercial cattle feedlot. In the first group were calves from the same farm and herd (n = 12 male and n = 12 female). The second group included calves from several different herds and farms (n = 12 male and n= 12 female). Calves were transferred to a feedlot and fed with a commercial feedlot ration at three to four months of age. The aim was to determine if identical fattening conditions at feedlot can reduce initial calf rearing differences between cattle during the fattening period. Bulls grew faster than heifers reaching higher total gain and showed significantly higher slaughter weight than heifers. Meat samples of heifers from the same herd had the highest intramuscular fat content and reddest color with significant differences among cattle groups. The most abundant fatty acid was oleic acid (C18:1), followed by palmitic (C16:0), stearic (C18:0), linoleic (C18:2), and myristic acid (C14:0). Meat samples of heifers from different herds were darkest with highest content of iron (Fe) with significant differences among cattle groups.

Systematic study of the quality and safety of chilled pork from wet markets, supermarkets, and online markets in China

BACKGROUND

With increasing media coverage of food safety incidents, such as that of clenbuterol residues in pork, food safety has become a major public health concern in China. Rapidly developing online markets attract increasing numbers of Chinese consumers to purchase food on the Internet. However, the quality and safety of food sold online are uncertain and are less reported on.

OBJECTIVE

This research aimed to systematically study the quality and safety of chilled pork from wet markets, supermarkets, and online markets in China.

RESULTS

The chilled pork samples from online markets were fresher than those from wet markets and supermarkets based on the surface redness (a* value). Chilled pork contained high levels of nutritional elements, especially the magnesium and phosphorus levels in samples from online markets. The levels of heavy metal element residues and veterinary drug residues in all chilled pork samples were within the standards limits. In addition, huge differences existed in the quality and freshness of the chilled pork samples from online markets according to principal component analysis (PCA).

CONCLUSIONS

Most chilled pork sold in Chinese markets was qualified and safe. It is necessary to establish an effective online market supervision system for chilled pork.

Importance of breed aptitude (beef or dairy) in determining trace element concentrations in bovine muscles

The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of various trace elements in muscles with different oxidative/glycolytic profiles (cardiac [CA]; diaphragm [DI], as oxidative; trapezius [TR], as intermediate oxidative/glycolytic; and semimembranosus [SM], as glycolytic muscle) of ten dairy-aptitude (Holstein-Friesian, HF), ten beef-aptitude (Galician Blonde, GB) and ten cross-breed (GBxHF) calves. The type of muscle was a highly significant factor in relation to the concentrations of all elements, whereas breed was only significant for Fe, Mn and Zn in the SM muscle. The concentrations of the main trace elements (Cu, Fe, Se and Zn) were significantly lower in GB and GBxHF than in HF, that were mainly associated with differences in the oxidative/glycolytic profile, probably due to the muscular hypertrophy characteristic of heavily muscled breeds. The pattern of distribution was similar in all breeds, with significantly higher concentrations in the CA muscle, followed by the DI; trace element concentrations in the SM and TR muscles were very similar.

Evaluation of the Mineral Concentration in Beef from Polish Native Cattle

The aim of the study was to determine the content of macrominerals and microminerals in the longissimus lumborum (LL) and semitendinosus (ST) muscles of young bulls of five breeds-Polish Red (PR), White-Backed (WB), Polish Black-and-White (PBW), Simmental (SIM) and Polish Holstein-Friesian (PHF). The meat of the Polish Holstein-Friesian bulls was found to contain significantly less K, Mg and Ca and more Mn than other breeds. The meat of the White-Backed bulls contained significantly (P < 0.01) more Ca and less Na than the meat of the Polish Red, Simmental and Polish Holstein-Friesian breeds. Moreover, the meat of White-Backed bulls showed a significantly (P < 0.01) higher level of Mn and Cu in comparison with other native breeds (Polish Red and Polish Black-and-White) and the Simmental breed. Similar content of macronutrients was found in the LL and ST muscles. However, in the case of micronutrients, the LL muscle contained significantly more Zn, Fe and Cu as well as Mn (P > 0.05).