Meat, eggs, full-fat dairy, and nutritional boogeymen: Does the way in which animals are raised affect health differently in humans?

Effect of the Intake of Lean Red-Meat from Beef-(Pirenaica Breed) versus Lean White-Meat on Body Composition, Fatty Acids Profile and Cardiovascular Risk Indicators: A Randomized Cross-Over Study in Healthy Young Adults

The main dietary guidelines recommended a restriction of total and saturated fat intake in the management of cardiovascular risk. These recommendations are overgeneralized, and all red meats should be limited and replaced by white meat. The aim is to assess the effect of the consumption of beef (from the Pirenaica breed) or chicken-based diets on body composition, fatty acid profile and cardiovascular (CV) risk indicators in healthy adults. A randomized cross-over study was carried out in three University accommodation halls. Participants consumed either the Pirenaica breed beef or chicken three times per week for 8-week periods with their usual diet. Body composition, clinical, biochemical and dietary variables were evaluated at baseline and at the end of each period. A validated diet questionnaire was used to assess nutrient intake and monitor compliance. Intervention and control group comparisons were done with the general linear regression model for repeated measures. Forty-seven healthy adults were included (51.6% males, mean age 19.9 ± 1.75 years). No significant differences were found in body composition, fatty acid profile or CV risk indicators from baseline in either diet group. Consumption of lean red meat (Pirenaica breed) or lean white meat (chicken) as part of the usual diet is associated with a similar response. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT 04832217 (accessed on 6 September 2022).

Dietary Fat and Cancer-Which Is Good, Which Is Bad, and the Body of Evidence

A high-fat diet (HFD) induces changes in gut microbiota leading to activation of pro-inflammatory pathways, and obesity, as a consequence of overnutrition, exacerbates inflammation, a known risk factor not only for cancer. However, experimental data showed that the composition of dietary fat has a greater impact on the pathogenesis of cancer than the total fat content in isocaloric diets. Similarly, human studies did not prove that a decrease in total fat intake is an effective strategy to combat cancer. Saturated fat has long been considered as harmful, but the current consensus is that moderate intake of saturated fatty acids (SFAs), including palmitic acid (PA), does not pose a health risk within a balanced diet. In regard to monounsaturated fat, plant sources are recommended. The consumption of plant monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), particularly from olive oil, has been associated with lower cancer risk. Similarly, the replacement of animal MUFAs with plant MUFAs decreased cancer mortality. The impact of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on cancer risk depends on the ratio between ω-6 and ω-3 PUFAs. In vivo data showed stimulatory effects of ω-6 PUFAs on tumour growth while ω-3 PUFAs were protective, but the results of human studies were not as promising as indicated in preclinical reports. As for trans FAs (TFAs), experimental data mostly showed opposite effects of industrially produced and natural TFAs, with the latter being protective against cancer progression, but human data are mixed, and no clear conclusion can be made. Further studies are warranted to establish the role of FAs in the control of cell growth in order to find an effective strategy for cancer prevention/treatment.

Influence of Different Tetracycline Antimicrobial Therapy of Mycoplasma (Mycoplasma synoviae) in Laying Hens Compared to Tea Tree Essential Oil on Table Egg Quality and Antibiotic Residues

The food of animal origin that is the most consumed is the table egg, but laying hens treated with antibiotics can produce eggs contaminated with antibiotic residues. Residues of antibiotics may present a risk for consumer health. Keeping in mind that laying hens almost always suffer from Mycoplasma (Mycoplasma synoviae), for which they are treated with antibiotics, high-quality egg production is even harder. Our research aimed to investigate the influence of three different antibiotics compared to the tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) essential oil administered to naturally infected laying hens with M. synoviae, on antibiotic residues in eggs as well as the egg nutritive and sensory qualities. A total of 20,000 laying hens, housed in one facility and divided into four lines each consisting of 5000 hens naturally infected with M. synoviae, was used. For the antimicrobial therapy, tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC) and chlortetracycline (CTC) were used, respectively. As a control, tea tree essential oil (TT) was used. Based on the gained results all tetracyclines treatment residue values were significantly (p < 0.05) higher compared to the control treatment (TT), but without any significant differences (p > 0.05) between themselves. The results showed no differences in the nutritive and the sensory qualities of eggs between the control and the experimental treatments (p > 0.05). Keeping in mind the obtained results from this study, it can be concluded that tea tree essential oil could be successfully used as a natural antibiotic in the treatment of M. synoviae, without any adverse effects on table egg quality.

Proteome alterations associated with the oleic acid and cis-9, trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid content in bovine skeletal muscle

Oleic acid (OA) and cis-9, trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid (c9t11-CLA) are fatty acids found in beef with beneficial effects in human health. This study investigated differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) in skeletal muscle of bovines with extreme values of OA, and c9t11-CLA. For each one of the fatty acids, twenty muscle samples were divided into two groups (N = 10_High; N = 10_Low) and analyzed by high definition mass spectrometry. We identified 103 and 133 DAPs between the groups for each fatty acid. We found 64 and 45 up-regulated and 39 and 68 down-regulated proteins for OA and c9t11-CLA, respectively. Comparative analysis between proteomic and transcriptomic data revealed eight and ten genes with a consistent between mRNA expression levels and protein abundance for OA and c9t11-CLA, respectively. Unconventional myosin-Id (MYO1D), mineralocorticoid receptor (NR3C2), geranylgeranyl transferase type-2 subunit-alpha (RABGGTA), and uveal autoantigen with coiled-coil domains and ankyrin repeats (UACA) were found as putative candidate proteins for OA content. Fatty acid synthase (FASN), tubulin alpha-4A chain (TUBA4A), vinculin (VCL), NADH dehydrogenase 1 alpha subcomplex 5 (NDUFA5), and prefoldin subunit 6 (PFDN6) for c9t11-CLA. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind the regulation of the OA and c9t11-CLA content in cattle skeletal muscle. SIGNIFICANCE: Questions about the association between meat intake and disease incidence in humans has driven animal scientist to pursue a better understanding of the biological processes associated with differences in the intramuscular fat composition. The beneficial effects of oleic acid and conjugated linoleic acid in human health have been demonstrated by improving the immune system and preventing atherosclerosis, different types of cancers, hypertension, and diabetes. Previous genome-wide association and gene expression studies identified genomic regions and differentially expressed genes associated with the fatty acid profile in skeletal muscle. In this work, differences were evaluated at the protein level. The use of a label-free quantitative proteomic approach, compared with muscle transcriptome results obtained by RNA-sequencing, allowed us to earn new insights into the variability in fatty acid deposition in skeletal muscle of farm animals. This study opens new avenues to explore the effect of the fatty acids in the skeletal muscle of livestock animals, which is associated with nutritional values of the meat, and perhaps to understand the mechanisms correlated with metabolic diseases in other species.

Maximizing Polyphenol Content to Uncork the Relationship Between Wine and Cancer

Studies have revealed conflicting results regarding the risk of cancer from alcohol consumption. Furthermore, some studies have suggested that wine may have benefits that separate it from other alcoholic beverages. As wine contains a significant amount of chemicals, specifically polyphenols like anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins (PA), that can affect cellular function and promote health, this hypothesis is reasonably supported by recent research. Polyphenols promote several anticancer cellular pathways, including xenobiotic metabolism, support of innate antioxidant production, and stimulation of phase I and II detoxification of carcinogens. However, the multitude of growing and production conditions of grapes, including temperature, water availability, soil type, maceration, and aging can result in a remarkably varying final product based on the available literature. Thus, we hypothesize that wines produced from grapes cultivated between steady daily temperatures at 15–25°C with moderate sun exposure from flowering to harvest, lower vine-water status, resulting either from lower precipitation, and irrigation practices or more permeable soil types, limitation of fertilizers, extended maceration, and aging in oak will impact the concentration of anthocyanins and PA in the finished wine and may have a differential impact on cancer. This higher concentration of polyphenols would, in theory, create a healthier wine, thus explaining the conflicting reports on the benefits or harms of wine.