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Mezcal Characterization Through Sensory and Volatile Analyses
Get PDFMezcal is a traditional beverage with relevant cultural and economic importance
in Mexico, with different Protected Designation of Origin locations. This study focuses on
creating a sensory lexicon for Mezcal with local producers by means of Free Choice Profiling.
A selection of the most relevant descriptors was made to construct a sensory wheel.
Subsequently, a sensory panel evaluated a total of 10 Mezcal samples using the sensory
categories defined in the sensory wheel. Additionally, gas chromatography with mass
spectrometry was performed to analyze volatile components’ contribution to the aroma
and flavor descriptors. A total of 87 terms were selected for the sensory wheel, using 41
descriptors within 10 categories for odor modality and 46 more within 13 categories for
flavor modality. The main volatile compounds that were identified were 37 esters, 17 alcohols,
12 ketals and 9 terpenes, which were the foremost contributors to the presence of
several sensory descriptors and were also found in most of the Mezcal samples. The quantitative
analysis results exhibited a higher floral odor for Mezcal of the Angustifolia variety
and the highest smoked odor for an earthenware distilled Mezcal, thus proving that
the selection of the descriptors from the wheel was appropriate for differentiating Mezcal
samples from different origins, agave species and distillation processes. Therefore, the
sensory wheel developed in this study can be used both as a quality control tool and as a
marketing tool that allows producers to differentiate their products in the market.This work was supported by the Program National Problems from the National Council of Science and Technology of MEXICO, Project number 6590 (from 2018 to 2023).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Insect detection by molecular diagnostics in stored products: Results from a survey in the agrifood sector
Get PDFInsect pests cause significant losses to the agrifood industry by infesting both raw materials and processed products, making effective pest detection a critical aspect of stored product management. Traditional insect detection methods, such as visual inspection after grain sieving, have limitations in sensitivity and reliability, particularly regarding detection of immature stages sometimes hidden in the grain kernels. Molecular diagnostics, particularly DNA-based techniques, offer a promising alternative for improving pest detection accuracy in a grain sample. This study, conducted as part of the INSECT-FREE project, aimed to assess the perspectives of the European agrifood sector on the adoption of molecular diagnostic tools for insect detection. A structured survey was distributed to over 50 companies, including flour mills, grain storage facilities, and food processors, to evaluate current pest management practices, challenges, and the willingness to adopt DNA-based detection methods for insects detection. Results showed that over 90% of respondents considered the presence of insects to be a major concern, with traditional detection methods still dominant. However, 70% of companies using molecular techniques for other quality control applications, such as GMO and mycotoxin detection, expressed interest in incorporating DNA-based pest detection. This indicates a significant demand for reliable, rapid, and sensitive detection methods, emphasizing the potential for integrating molecular diagnostics into pest management strategies. The implementation of these molecular techniques could improve food safety, reduce economic losses, and support regulatory compliance. Further research should focus on optimizing cost-effectiveness and accessibility to facilitate widespread adoption of these molecular diagnostic methods in the agrifood sector.The authors would like to thank Marisa Amo for her help in the management of data collected in the questionnaire. This research was funded by the MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and the European Union Next Generation EU/PRTR (PDC2022-133321-I00), the Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA, Spain), from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (RTI2018- 095526-R-100), and by the CERCA Program (Centres de Recerca de Catalunya) of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Feeding Behaviour in Group-Housed Growing-Finishing Pigs and Its Relationship with Growth and Feed Efficiency
Get PDFFeed consumption and feeding patterns influence the individual feed efficiency in group-housed livestock species. Using the meal as the unit of feeding behaviour, the main objectives of this research were to identify feeding behaviour (FB) traits that may indicate an individual’s rank within the social hierarchy or its level of dominance among pen mates and to assess the relationship between growth and feed efficiency with the identified traits, as well as those describing individual feed consumption patterns. Data from 5516 pigs during the fattening period were used. Pens were equipped with an automatic concentrate feeder that recorded individual feed intake, time spent at the feeder, and body weight at each visit. A meal criterion was established. Then, different FB traits were computed: number of meals, number of visits to complete a meal, occupation time to complete a meal, time between first and last visit within a meal, feeding rate, feeding rate to complete a meal, and interval between meals. Social ranking (SR) traits were also calculated: position/order in which each animal accessed the feeder, ratio of visits to the feeder during preferred times, distribution among the cage mates of the total daily feed, number of visits, number of meals, and occupation time. Pigs that eat more and faster tend to have a poorer feed efficiency and higher final weight. Animals that eat more, more times, and occupy the feeder longer, eat mainly in the preferred period. They could be considered dominant, while others have to adapt their feeding schedules to off-peak times.This study was part of the project PID2021-128173OR-C21 (GENEF3), and M.M. is a recipient of a “Formacion de Personal Investigador (FPI)” associated with the research project RTI2018-097610R-I00.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Evaluación de nuevas variedades de triticale y centeno híbrido en España
Get PDFEn este artículo se presentan los resultados de los ensayos de nuevas variedades de triticale y centeno híbrido realizados en el marco de la red Genvce (Grupo para la Evaluación de Nuevas Variedades de Cultivos Extensivos en España), durante las campañas 2021/22, 2022/23 y 2023/24.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Monitoring of Selected Swine Viral Diseases in Peruvian Amazon Peccaries
Get PDFPeccaries (collared peccary—CP—and white-lipped peccary—WLP) are an essential source of protein and income for rural communities in the Amazon region. Since 1980s, researchers in the Amazon have reported recurrent local disappearances of WLP populations. Although such disappearances impact the species conservation and the food security of rural societies, no studies have drawn consistent conclusions about the causes of these population collapses. However, it has recently been proposed that the overabundance of this species before its decline would be related to infectious disease outbreaks. In the current study, we aimed to determine the circulation (occurrence and exposure) of viruses relevant to swine health in CP and WLP populations, namely classical swine fever virus (CSFV), Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV), swine vesicular disease virus (SVDV), and porcine circoviruses (PCV). The study was conducted in two areas of the northeastern Peruvian Amazon: the Yavarí-Mirín River basin (2008 -2020), where WLPs experienced extreme population fluctuations, and the Pucacuro National Reserve (2012–2014), where no WLP disappearances have been reported. Since WLP is not easily found during population declines, we also sampled CP as an indicator of virus circulation in the area as they are likely to be susceptible to the same pathogens. CSFV and ADV antibodies were detected in both peccary species and both areas. Diseases caused by CSFV and ADV have the potential to act as ultimate causes of population collapse, especially in large WLP populations where overabundance could increase the rate of pathogen transmission. Our results were inconclusive in establishing whether or not these viruses drove the WLP population to collapse, but their potential role warrants deeper investigation, expanding the geographical coverage of studies on infectious diseases in peccaries.Open Access Funding provided by Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona. Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico, Tecnológico y de Innovación Tecnológica, 136-2018-FONDECYT, ERANet-LAC, 17/HLH-0271.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Ecological restoration of field margins enhances biodiversity and multiple ecosystem services in rice agroecosystems
Get PDFEcological restoration of non-productive agricultural areas such as field margins has been identified as a key priority to enhance biodiversity and promote multiple ecosystem services within agroecosystems. Field margin restoration is especially important in rice (Oryza sativa, L), a globally important crop which occupies around 15 % of world cropland surface. Even though assessment of how ecosystem service multifunctionality varies across different restoration strategies is scarce. Here, by using a 3-year field scale experiment, we evaluated how different restoration strategies (i.e., hedgerows, flower strips and passive restoration) contribute to ecosystem service multifunctionality in rice farming. We focused on the simultaneous provision of biodiversity enhancement, pest and weed control, mitigation of invasive species impact, and soil protection. We found that all restoration strategies substantially increased multifunctionality when compared to non-restored margins, with improved plant and natural enemy diversity, reduced weed abundance, enhanced protection against the invasive red swamp crawfish, and decreased soil erosion. Multifunctionality was similar across restoration strategies, yet the passive spontaneous restoration emerged as the most economically feasible. Overall, our results underscore the value of restoring non-productive areas such as field margins to promote rice multifunctional landscapes. Specifically, passive restoration strategies offer a promising approach to enhance multiple ecosystem services while remaining cost-effective, supporting both biodiversity conservation and sustainable agricultural production.This work was supported by the Origins program of Kellogg’s Company. Néstor Pérez-Méndez was granted with a Ramón y Cajal Fellowship (RYC2021–033599-I) funded by MCIN/AEI /10.13039/ 501100011033. We acknowledge Pere Luque and Rubén Tarifa for advising us on arthropod and plant identification, respectively. We are also in debt with the technical staff that helped in data collection: Juan Blas Fernández, Oriol Ferré, and Raúl Llevat. We finally acknowledge Hugo Marrero for his thoughtful feedback during the initial stages of the study.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Evaluación de nuevas variedades de cebada de primavera
Get PDFEn este artículo se presentan los resultados de los ensayos de nuevas variedades de cebada realizados en el marco de la red Genvce (Grupo para la Evaluación de Nuevas Variedades de Cultivos Extensivos en España), durante las campañas, 2022/23 y 2023/24.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
El rovell negre del blat a Catalunya: anàlisi de la situació actual i possibles escenaris
No full textinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
El llegat de la varietat d’oliva Arbequina
Get PDFÉs una varietat relativament antiga, però provinent de fora de Catalunyainfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Welfare of horses at slaughter
Get PDFThe objective of this Scientific Opinion is to assess the hazards and welfare consequences associated with the slaughter of horses for human consumption. The entire slaughter procedure, from arrival at the slaughterhouse until death, is divided into three phases: Phase 1 – pre-stunning, Phase 2 – stunning and Phase 3 – bleeding. Phase 1 includes the following processes (in chronological order): (a) arrival, (b) unloading of the animals from the vehicle, (c) lairage, (d) handling and moving to the stunning area and (e) restraint before application of the stunning method. Phase 2 encompasses the stunning methods, while Phase 3 involves the bleeding process (i.e. exsanguination following stunning). Stunning methods for horses include penetrative captive bolt and firearms. Welfare consequences that horses may experience (such as handling stress, restriction of movement and injuries) and potential hazards were identified for all the phases along with preventive and corrective measures. For arrival and unloading during phase 1, this Opinion refers to a previous EFSA assessment on the transport of Equidae. Animal-based measures (ABMs) to assess all identified welfare consequences are proposed. A flowchart of ABMs to assess the state of consciousness is provided to allow monitoring during the stunning and bleeding phase at three key stages ((1) between the end of stunning and shackling, (2) during neck cutting or sticking, (3) during bleeding). Additionally, specific practices deemed unacceptable on welfare grounds are listed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio