Background: Leishmania infantum and Toxoplasma gondii are protozoa with zoonotic and economic importance. Prevalences of antibodies to these agents were assessed in 173 horses from the north of Portugal. Findings: Antibodies to L. infantum were detected by the direct agglutination test (DAT); seven (4.0%) horses were seropositive with DAT titres of 200 (n = 5), 800 (n = 1) and ≥ 1600 (n = 1). Antibodies to T. gondii were assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT); 23 (13.3%) horses were seropositive with MAT titres of 20 (n = 13), 40 (n = 5), 80 (n = 3) and ≥ 160 (n = 2). No statistical differences were found among equine categories of gender (female, male and gelding), age (1.5–6, 7–12 and 13–30 years), type of housing (indoors and mixed/outdoors), ability (recreation, farming and sports) and clinical status (apparently healthy and sick) for both agents. Conclusions: Horses are exposed to and may be infected with L. infantum and T. gondii in the north of Portugal.

Dry‐aged beef is valued for its tenderness, complex aroma, and concentrated flavor. However, variability in aging protocols and limited understanding of underlying biological and technological processes can compromise consistent quality and safety. This review examines factors influencing meat characteristics, including genetics, breed, sex, age, diet, intramuscular fat deposition, antioxidant reserves, and endogenous enzyme pools. Postmortem biochemical pathways, such as proteolysis, lipid oxidation, and nucleotide degradation, are discussed in relation to flavor and texture development. The dynamics of surface microbiota are analyzed, highlighting the succession from psychrotrophic spoilage bacteria to molds and yeasts, which collectively form an enzymatic crust that contributes umami and nutty notes while providing antimicrobial barriers. Regulatory frameworks in major markets are reviewed, alongside valorization strategies that convert crust trimmings into umami‐rich powders, bioactive peptides, starter cultures, or industrial enzymes. Despite advances, critical knowledge gaps remain, including the functional roles of minor crust taxa, the efficacy of defined starter cultures or bacteriophage blends, and standardized methods for texture and flavor measurement. By focusing on these biochemical and microbiological mechanisms and their applications, this review provides a roadmap for transforming dry aging into a reproducible, safe, and high‐quality process in modern meat science.

Beef dry-aging consists of a selection of unpackaged prime cuts placed in a controlled environment cold room for several weeks. The goals are to concentrate flavors like nutty and beefy and to improve tenderness. The aim of this study was to verify the microbiological and physicochemical behavior and sensory perception of meat during a sample process example of meat dry-aging. Twelve beef loins were selected for 90 days of dry aging and placed in a cold room with average temperature, relative humidity and forced air 3.2 ± 0.7 °C, 60.7 ± 4.2% and 0.5–2 m/s, respectively. Samples of crust and lean meat were collected on days 1, 14, 21, 35, 60 and 90 of the dry aging process for microbiological, physicochemical (pH, a_w, color L*a*b*) and sensory analysis. During drying, no pathogenic bacteria were detected, and the average counts were higher for the crust. The average values for water activity (a_w) and pH were 0.98 ± 0.02 and 5.77 ± 0.015, respectively. A slight decrease in a_w and an increase in pH were observed over the aging period (p < 0.05). The lower microbial counts on the lean meat and the overall assessment of freshness confirm the importance of good manufacturing and storage practices during dry aging.