The present study was designed to determine the efficacy of a novel multicomponent mycotoxin detoxifying agent (MMDA) containing modified zeolite (Clinoptilolite), Bacillus subtilis, B. licheniformis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell walls and silymarin against the deleterious effects of Aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) and Ochratoxin A (OTA) in broiler chicks. A total of 160 one-day-old Ross 308^® broiler chicks were randomly allocated in four treatment groups, with four replicates, according to the following experimental design for 42 days. Group A received a basal diet; Group B received a basal diet contaminated with AFB₁ and OTA at 0.1 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg, respectively; Group C received a basal diet contaminated with AFB₁ and OTA and MMDA at 1 g/kg feed, and Group D received a basal diet contaminated with AFB₁ and OTA and MMDA at 3 g/kg feed. Results showed that ingested mycotoxins led to significant (p ≤ 0.05) reduction in body weight and feed conversion from 25 days of age, induced histopathological changes, increased the pH of the intestinal content, and altered the biochemical profile of birds with significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased aspartate aminotransferase (AST) values (p ≤ 0.05). On the other hand, the supplementation of MMDA significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved the feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the second part of the study, diminished biochemical alterations, reduced pH in jejunal and ileal content, and E. coli counts in the caeca of birds (p ≤ 0.05). It may be concluded that the dietary supplementation of the MMDA partially ameliorated the adverse effects of AFB₁ and OTA in broilers and could be an efficient tool in a mycotoxin control program.

Hybrid meat products, i.e., the combination of animal proteins with plant, microbial, algal or cultured ingredients, are becoming increasingly important as a pragmatic approach to reducing the environmental and health impact of conventional meat while retaining familiar sensory properties. This review highlights that moderate substitution rates (20–50%) can maintain or improve texture, juiciness and nutritional balance, whereas higher incorporation rates often lead to off-flavours, colour changes and texture issues. Advances in extrusion, co-processing and protein structuring have enabled increasingly sophisticated formulations. Studies show that the choice of ingredients has a strong influence on the sensory results. For example, faba beans, rice by-products or insect proteins are more acceptable at low to moderate levels, while excessive use of pulses or texturised proteins can produce beany or earthy notes. Nutritional improvements, such as more fibre and healthier fatty acid profiles, are possible but require careful optimisation. Consumer acceptance is increasing, particularly among flexitarians, but remains dependent on sensory performance, familiarity, and perceived health benefits. Ongoing obstacles include unclear regulatory requirements, high production costs and scalability issues. Future progress will require optimisation of ingredient blends, robust life cycle assessments to verify sustainability claims and transparent communication to increase consumer confidence.

Backgrounds: Burn injuries present significant medical challenges due to their complexity in healing and potential for severe scarring. This study evaluates the efficacy of Manuka honey in accelerating burn wound healing compared to conventional antibiotic ointments. Methods: Using a porcine model resembling human skin, nine Landrace breed female pigs with standardized deep dermal burns were treated with either Manuka honey in alginate or a combination of antibiotic ointments. Wound healing was assessed through macroscopic evaluation, a histopathological analysis, and immunohistochemical staining over a 60-day period. Results: Our findings indicate that the Manuka honey treatment was associated with significantly increased collagen density in the treated wounds compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The immunohistochemical analysis revealed lower macrophage activity (Iba1 staining) and a reduction in Ki67 expression on days 10 and 17 in the Manuka honey group, suggesting a more rapid transition toward tissue remodeling. The quantitative analysis showed a trend toward delayed epithelialization and increased inflammation in the control group, while wounds treated with Manuka honey exhibited faster reepithelialization and improved epidermal regeneration. However, additional studies are required to further assess collagen fiber organization and overall dermal architecture. Conclusions: These findings support the potential of Manuka honey as a beneficial treatment for burn wound healing, with evidence of enhanced reepithelialization and collagen deposition. Further research, including clinical trials, is necessary to fully elucidate its role in clinical practice and optimize treatment protocols.

Bardoka and Karakachan sheep are primitive regional transboundary Pramenka-type sheep autochthonous to the Balkan Peninsula, whose populations have been reduced to a critically small size in Serbia. We genotyped 105 Bardoka animals (97 ewes and 8 rams from three flocks) and 97 Karakachan sheep (86 ewes and 11 rams from four flocks), along with 28 Ile-de-France (IDF) animals used for a comparison (25 ewes and 3 rams), using 14 nuclear microsatellites to assess their genetic status and establish a foundation for their genetically informed conservation. We utilized genetic data to assess inbreeding values of individuals (I) and pairwise relatedness (r) traditionally inferred from the pedigree data, which are incomplete in the studied autochthonous breeds. We used these data to assemble a data set of unrelated individuals for subsequent genetic analyses. Low but statistically significant genetic differentiation of Bardoka and Karakachan sheep (F_ST = 0.031, p < 0.01) demonstrates that these phenotypically distinct breeds differ at the genetic level as well. The I and r in ewes were higher in the Karakachan sheep (I = 0.09, r = 0.07) than in Bardoka (I = 0.06, r = 0.06). Contrary to the IDF rams, Bardoka and Karakachan sheep rams were genetically heterogeneous and those of the latter breed displayed higher average r values (0.01 vs. 0.08, respectively). Rams of both local breeds had identical I values of 0.02. Although Bardoka and Karakachan sheep still harbor rather high levels of genetic diversity (H_E = 0.761 ± 0.028 and 0.761 ± 0.021, respectively), the overall genetic data demonstrate that the genetic consequences of the population decline were more severe in the latter breed. A genetic structure presenting a general trend of differentiation of flocks with low genetic exchange into separate genetic entities was observed, indicating the effects of genetic drift. The implementation of the genetically informed conservation, together with the ongoing efforts of the state to enlarge the Bardoka and Karakachan sheep populations, would increase the prospects for the long-term survival of both breeds in Serbia.

Intensive broiler chicken production involves different lighting regimes, which affects a natural cycle of secretion of melatonin, a hormone included in multiple physiological processes in a bird's body. This research aimed to determine the effects of dietary melatonin supplementation during the first two weeks of broiler chickens' life, bred under constant 24 h lighting, on their health and some hematological, biochemical, and production parameters. The study lasted 6 weeks. Three hundred and twenty 1-day chickens were divided into two groups (control - C and experimental - M), with four replications and 40 chickens in each replica. In the first two weeks (the first phase of the study), a continuous lighting mode 24L: 0D was applied. Group M was receiving a diet supplemented with 30 mg/kg synthetic melatonin only during the first phase. Group C had a diet without melatonin supplementation throughout the whole study. Melatonin addition had a statistically significant effect (P<0.01) on the mean values of body weight and daily weight gain at the end of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th week. The chickens of the experimental group have had a significantly higher value of the European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF) (P<0.05). The results presented in this paper indicate a direct benefit in stress relief in broilers and a value of the organism's antioxidant system promotion, manifested by improved production performance and fattening efficiency.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of total aflatoxins (AFs) and type-B fumonisins (FBs) in 65 maize grain samples collected during harvest in 2018 (13 samples), 2019 (11 samples), 2020 (9 samples), 2021 (14 samples) and 2022 (18 samples) from different locations in suburb of Belgrade (Republic of Serbia). The average levels of AFs and FBs in mycotoxin-positive samples were 5.43 and 2910 ?g kg-1 (2018), 5.28 and 2710 ?g kg-1 (2019), 2.35 and 10980 ?g kg-1 (2020), 6.81 and 4950 ?g kg-1 (2021) and 5.32 and 20310 ?g kg-1 (2022), respectively. In 23.08% (2018), 18.18% (2019), 22.22% (2020), 64.29% (2021) and 27.78% (2022) of maize samples, the co-occurrence of AFs and FBs was established. The maximum limits of 10 ?g kg-1 for AFs in maize and 4000 ?g kg-1 for FBs in unprocessed maize prescribed by regulations of Serbia and the European Union were exceeded for AFs in 14.29% (2021) and 5.56% (2022) of maize samples and for FBs in 7.69% (2018), 66.67% (2020), 28.57% (2021) and 41.67% (2022) of maize samples. Multiple linear regression analyses showed a statistically significant influence of climate factors (air temperature, relative humidity and total rainfall) in July-September (2018-2022) on FBs levels. These results indicate the need for continuous monitoring of the health status of harvested maize grains and risk assessment of the potential presence of mycotoxins in the food chain to avoid adverse effects on human and animal health.