The global meat industry is constantly evolving due to changes in consumer preferences, concerns and lifestyles, as well as monetary, geographical, political, cultural and religious factors. Part of this evolution is the introduction of synthetic antioxidants to increase meat and meat products’ shelf-life, and reduce meat spoilage due to lipid and protein oxidation. The public perception that natural compounds are safer and healthier per se has motivated the meat industry to replace synthetic antioxidants with plant-derived ones in meat systems. Despite several promising results from in vitro and in situ studies, the effectiveness of plant-derived antioxidants against lipid and protein oxidation has not been fully documented. Moreover, the utility, usability, marketability and potential health benefits of natural antioxidants are not yet fully proven. The present review aims to (i) describe the major chemical groups of plant-derived antioxidants and their courses of action; (ii) present the application of spices, herbs and fruits as antioxidants in meat systems; and (iii) discuss the legislative framework, future trends, challenges and limitations that are expected to shape their acceptance and mass exploitation by the meat industry.

Zoonoses and animal diseases threaten human health and livestock biosecurity and productivity. Currently, laboratory confirmation of animal disease outbreaks requires centralized laboratories and trained personnel; it is expensive and time-consuming, and it often does not coincide with the onset or progress of diseases. Point-of-care (POC) diagnostics are rapid, simple, and cost-effective devices and tests, that can be directly applied on field for the detection of animal pathogens. The development of POC diagnostics for use in human medicine has displayed remarkable progress. Nevertheless, animal POC testing has not yet unfolded its full potential. POC devices and tests for animal diseases face many challenges, such as insufficient validation, simplicity, and portability. Emerging technologies and advanced materials are expected to overcome some of these challenges and could popularize animal POC testing. This review aims to: (i) present the main concepts and formats of POC devices and tests, such as lateral flow assays and lab-on-chip devices; (ii) summarize the mode of operation and recent advances in biosensor and POC devices for the detection of farm animal diseases; (iii) present some of the regulatory aspects of POC commercialization in the EU, USA, and Japan; and (iv) summarize the challenges and future perspectives of animal POC testing.

In this paper we present the development of photonic integrated circuit (PIC) biosensors for the label-free detection of six emerging and endemic swine viruses, namely: African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV), Classical Swine Fever Virus (CSFV), Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PPRSV), Porcine Parvovirus (PPV), Porcine Circovirus 2 (PCV2), and Swine Influenza Virus A (SIV). The optical biosensors are based on evanescent wave technology and, in particular, on Resonant Rings (RRs) fabricated in silicon nitride. The novel biosensors were packaged in an integrated sensing cartridge that included a microfluidic channel for buffer/sample delivery and an optical fiber array for the optical operation of the PICs. Antibodies were used as molecular recognition elements (MREs) and were selected based on western blotting and ELISA experiments to ensure the high sensitivity and specificity of the novel sensors. MREs were immobilized on RR surfaces to capture viral antigens. Antibody–antigen interactions were transduced via the RRs to a measurable resonant shift. Cell culture supernatants for all of the targeted viruses were used to validate the biosensors. Resonant shift responses were dose-dependent. The results were obtained within the framework of the SWINOSTICS project, contributing to cover the need of the novel diagnostic tools to tackle swine viral diseases.

Despite years of research devoted to bovine mastitis, the disease remains a serious problem in dairy cattle, causing economic losses to the dairy industry worldwide due to reduced milk yield, lower milk quality, drug costs and early culling of cows. The aim of this study is to determine the importance of several risk factors affecting milk quality in dairy cows, as well as to highlight proper milking techniques. A cross-sectional study was performed in one Greek dairy farm with the inclusion of a total of 1004 Holstein Friesian cows in the study. The udder and teat traits were recorded for each cow, while individual milk samples were used to estimate the somatic cell count (SCC) and gross milk composition. The traits recorded were examined as potential risk factors affecting milk quality using the Akaike information criterion (AIC) and the algorithm stepAIC to select the best linear regression model which explains the data. Overall, the prevalence of mastitis was ca. 9%. With an increase in the lactation period, the SCC increased (p ≤ 0.05) while fat (p ≤ 0.05), protein (p ≤ 0.001) and lactose (p ≤ 0.001) content decreased. Teat hyperkeratosis increased the SCC (p ≤ 0.05) and decreased P content (p ≤ 0.05). Proper husbandry management and milking procedures are considered essential to maintain milk quality of high standards.

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most dangerous hemorrhagic infectious diseases that affect domestic and wild pigs. Currently, neither a vaccine nor effective treatments are available for this disease. As regards the degree of virulence, ASFV strains can be divided into high, moderate, or low virulence. The main detection methods are based on the use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In order to prevent an uncontrolled spread of ASF, new on-site techniques that can enable the identification of an early-stage disease are needed. We have developed a specific immunological SPR-based assay for ASFV antigen detection directly in liquid samples. The developed assay allows us to detect the presence of ASFV at the dose of 10³ HAD₅₀/_mL.

Viral diseases challenge the health and welfare of pigs and undermine the sustainability of swine farms. Their efficient control requires early and reliable diagnosis, highlighting the importance of Point of Care (POC) diagnostics in veterinary practice. The objective of this study was to validate a novel POC system that utilizes Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) and microfluidics to detect swine viral pathogens using oral fluids and Porcine Parvovirus (PPV) and Porcine Circovirus 2 (PCV-2) as proofs of concept. The sensitivity and specificity of the device were calculated for both viruses, and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn. PPV had an Area Under Curve (AUC) value of 0.820 (95% CI: 0.760 to 0.880, p < 0.0001), and its optimal efficiency threshold of detection shifts was equal to 4.5 pm (68.6% sensitivity, 77.1% specificity and Limit of Detection (LOD) value 10⁶ viral copies/mL). PCV-2 had an AUC value of 0.742 (95% CI: 0.670 to 0.815, p < 0.0001) and an optimal efficiency threshold of shifts equal to 6.5 pm (69.5% sensitivity, 70.3% specificity and LOD 3.3 × 10⁵ copies/mL). In this work, it was proven that PICs can be exploited for the detection of swine viral diseases. The novel device can be directly deployed on farms as a POC diagnostics tool.