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Research on Application of Japanese Quince (Chaenomeles L.) and Pork Collagen in Dark Chocolate—Benefits in Prevention of Inflammation In Vitro Model
In the present study, the effect of the addition of quince and collagen type I and III to dessert chocolate on its functional properties was determined. The study evaluated the antioxidant potential of the tested formulations using the FRAP method and the linoleic acid oxidation test and beta-carotene bleaching test. The tested samples were also evaluated for inhibitory activity against enzymes important in preventive health (inflammation and neurodegenerative disorders) namely: AChE, BChE, GR, GPx, COX, and SOD. The addition of quince and collagen to the chocolate samples resulted in higher activity compared to the control sample, as indicated by the FRAP test. The experiment highlighted the impact of including quince fruit on the antioxidant activity of the chocolate samples. Interestingly, merely increasing the quince fruit amount did not consistently enhance antioxidant potential. Specifically, chocolate samples with a lower proportion of quince fruit (2 g/100 g) exhibited greater antioxidant activity when supplemented with collagen I. Conversely, in samples with higher quince percentages (3 g and 4 g), those enriched with collagen III showed higher antioxidant activity. Similar correlations were observed in the linoleic acid oxidation test. Notably, samples containing 3 g and 4 g of quince and type III collagen demonstrated statistically similar highest antioxidant properties. Regardless of the collagen type used, there was no observed increase in activity towards the tested enzymes for samples with the lowest percentage of quince fruit. Both collagen types exhibited the highest activity in the inhibition assay against acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase when combined with 3 g and 4 g of quince. Overall, the experimental incorporation of both fruit and collagen enhanced the chocolates’ activity. Similarly to the antioxidant activity findings, chocolates with lower quince fruit quantities showed increased activity when supplemented with collagen III, while those with higher quince content (3 g and 4 g) displayed higher activity with collagen I. Bitter chocolate by itself is an attractive food product, rich in many bioactive compounds. However, enriching it with other attractive raw materials can make its properties and taste even more attractive.
Czynniki i mechanizmy wpływające na sezonowe zaburzenia w rozrodzie świń
The problem of unsatisfactory reproductive results in pigs is visible in a significant percentage of herds, especially during summer months and early autumn (seasonal summer infertility). This is reflected mainly in the reduced percentage of sows entering estrus after weaning and the effectiveness of mating/insemination. The consequence is a significantly lower number of births in November, December and sometimes even in January, compared to other seasons. There are many causes of seasonal summer infertility. The first things mentioned are usually the length of the light day and the high temperature in the pigs environment. An important reason that is not often discussed is the daily temperature fluctuations which usually occur at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. Persistent unfavorable conditions are responsible for long-term stress. Hormonal disorders related to stress, leading to reproductive disorders, result from connections taking place in the hypothalamus between the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG), which regulates, among others, the reproductive functions of the ovaries, and the hypothalamus – pituitary – adrenal axis – HPA which governs organism reaction to stress. Under stressful conditions, glucocorticoids (cortisol, corticosterone) secreted in large amounts by the adrenal glands, as well as adrenaline, norepinephrine and, in small amounts, dopamine, may inhibit reproductive functions at the level of the hypothalamus, reducing the secretion of GnRH. At the same time, by reaching the pituitary gland, these hormones limit the sensitivity of the cells of this endocrine gland to GnRH. As a consequence, the maturation of follicles slows down, the number of ovulating and rupturing follicles decreases, and the secretion of estrogen is reduced. The consequence is the absence of heat or, more often, the so-called “silent heat”. Another problem is the uneven maturation of the follicles, which leads to a delayed appearance of estrus and its longer duration: 3-4 days. The final effect of these is a decrease in the rate of females presenting heat after weaning of piglets, a deterioration in the mating/insemination success rate, an increase in the rate of early abortions and percentage of litters with a small number of piglets in a litter. The summary stated that despite the identification of various seasonal causes of reproductive disorders in pigs, depending on both sows and boars, and the availability of various “tools” to reduce phenomenon of seasonal infertility, the presented problem has not been solved in a large percentage of swine farms. Its intensity varies and depends primarily on awareness, knowledge of ways to eliminate unfavorable conditions and determination in this regard. The first step, as always, is to objectively assess the situation. The assessment can be made through a detailed analysis of production data.