Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of sheep slaughter age on myogenic characteristics in skeletal muscle satellite cells (SMSCs).Methods: Primary SMSCs were isolated from hind leg biceps femoris muscles of Wurank lambs (slaughtered at three months, Mth-3) and adults (slaughtered at fifteen months, Mth-15). SMSCs were selected by morphological observation and fluorescence staining. Myogenic regulatory factors (MRF) and myosin heavy chain (MyHC) expressions of SMSCs were analyzed on days 1, 3, 4, and 5.Results: The expressions of myogenic factor 5 (Myf5), myogenic differentiation (MyoD), Myf6, and myogenin (MyoG) in Mth-15 were significantly higher in Mth-15 than in Mth-3 on days 1, 3, and 4 (p<0.05). However, MyoG expression in Mth-15 was significantly lower than in Mth-3 on day 5 (p<0.05). The expressions of MyHC I, MyHC IIa, and MyHC IIx in Mth-15 were significantly higher than in Mth-3 on days 1 and 3 (p<0.05), and MyHC IIb were significantly lower than in Mth-3 on days 3 and 4 (p<0.05). In contrast, the expression of MyHC IIx in Mth-15 was significantly lower and MyHC IIb was significantly higher than in Mth-3 on days 5 (p<0.05).Conclusion: The slaughter age altered the expression of MRFs and MyHCs in SMSCs while differentiation, which caused the variation of myogenic characteristics, and thus may affect the meat quality of Wurank sheep.

Objective: Fermented sausage is popular all over the world for its rich nutrition and unique flavor. Sausage casing is one of the key factors affecting the quality of fermented sausage. However, there is little information involved in this field. Methods: In this study, collagen casings were used as a wrapping material, and natural casings (pig casings) were used as a control. The effects of the two types of casings on biogenic amine content and other quality characteristics of fermented sausage were analyzed with increasing the storage time. Results: The results showed that with storage time increasing, the hardness and gumminess of fermented sausage in collagen casing (CC) group were higher than those in pig casing (PC) group (P<0.05), while the elasticity in CC group was lower than that in PC group (P<0.05). In the processing and storage period, there was no significant difference in the type and content of flavor substances between the two groups. More importantly, the contents of tryptamine, putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, tyramine and phenyethylamine in fermented sausage of CC group were lower than those in PC group (P<0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, this study revealed that CC could improve the quality characteristics of fermented sausage and reduce the content of biogenic amines in fermented sausage, which provides a theoretical basis for the choice of casings in industrial production in the future.

Fermented sausage is popular with many consumers because of its distinctive flavor, but the safety of it has attracted widespread attention. At present, nitrite is widely used in fermented meat products because of its ideal color and bacteriostatic effect, but nitrite can be transformed into nitrosamines, which cause strong carcinogenic effects. Therefore, it is urgent to actively explore safe and efficient nitrite substitutes. In this study, cranberry powder was selected as a natural substitute for nitrite during the production of fermented sausage due to its unique antioxidant and bacteriostatic properties. The results showed that adding an appropriate amount of cranberry powder (5 g/kg) promoted a better color of the fermented sausage and promoted the accumulation of aromatic compounds. Furthermore, Pediococcus and Staphylococcus became the dominant species, accounting for more than 90% in all samples. According to the Pearson correlation analysis, Staphylococcus and Pediococcus had positive effects on the quality characteristics of fermented sausage products. This study provided the latest information on the application of cranberry powder as a natural substitute for nitrite in the process of manufacturing fermented sausage, and it also introduced an advanced solution to improve the quality characteristics and safety of fermented sausage products during processing.

Fermented sausage is popular with many consumers because of its distinctive flavor, but the safety of it has attracted widespread attention. At present, nitrite is widely used in fermented meat products because of its ideal color and bacteriostatic effect, but nitrite can be transformed into nitrosamines, which cause strong carcinogenic effects. Therefore, it is urgent to actively explore safe and efficient nitrite substitutes. In this study, cranberry powder was selected as a natural substitute for nitrite during the production of fermented sausage due to its unique antioxidant and bacteriostatic properties. The results showed that adding an appropriate amount of cranberry powder (5 g/kg) promoted a better color of the fermented sausage and promoted the accumulation of aromatic compounds. Furthermore, Pediococcus and Staphylococcus became the dominant species, accounting for more than 90% in all samples. According to the Pearson correlation analysis, Staphylococcus and Pediococcus had positive effects on the quality characteristics of fermented sausage products. This study provided the latest information on the application of cranberry powder as a natural substitute for nitrite in the process of manufacturing fermented sausage, and it also introduced an advanced solution to improve the quality characteristics and safety of fermented sausage products during processing.

The application of strategic finishing diets to reduce the muscle glycogen content at slaughter is considered a method to improve pork meat quality. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of feeding pigs with high-fat and low-digestible-carbohydrate diets in the late finishing period (last 29 d) on meat quality. Four dietary treatments were applied: 1) a control diet (CON; 67.2% corn, 15.5% soybean meal, and 15.0% hard wheat), 2) a high-fat and -fiber diet (HFF; 38.0% corn, 17.9% soybean meal, 15.0% hard wheat, 20.0% oat hulls, and 6.9% fat), 3) a blend of 50:50% CON and HFF diets, and 4) the CON diet for 11 d and then the HFF diet for 11 d after a 7-d diet transition. A total of 160 pigs (119.2 ± 6.2 kg), balanced by gender (barrows and gilts), were raised in 20 pens of 8 pigs each (5 pens per treatment). At the end of the finishing period, pigs were weighed and fasted between 16 and 19 h before slaughter. The whole-blood lactate level was assessed at exsanguination using a hand-held Lactate Scout Analyzer (EKF Diagnostic GmbH, Magdeburg, Germany). On the slaughter day, HCW was recorded and pH was measured at 1 h postmortem in the LM and semimembranous (SM) muscles. Meat quality was also assessed at 24 h postmortem by measuring pHu in the LM, SM, and adductor muscles; color (Minolta L*, a*, and b*) in the LM and SM muscle; and EZ-drip loss in the LM. Analyses were performed using the MIXED procedure of SAS, with the pen as the experimental unit, using treatment, sex, and their interactions in the model. Results indicated neither differences between treatments nor an interactive effect (P > 0.05) between sex and treatment for final live weight and any of the postmortem measured variables. These results may indicate either the inefficiency of the applied dietary treatments for meat quality improvement or, based on the low exsanguination blood lactate values (mean and confidence interval of 5.2 mmol/L and 5.8–6.7 mmol/L, respectively), that the stress imposed on pigs before slaughter in this study might not have been sufficiently high to result in meat quality variation. Copyright © 2017. American Society of Animal Science .