The organic farming of sea bass and sea bream was investigated in a commercial farm by assessing environmental impact, growth performance, fish welfare and product quality in a multidisciplinary approach. Organic and conventional juveniles were reared in four circular 3.800 m(3) floating sea cages at a maximum final stocking density of 15 kg/m(3) and fed on organic or conventional commercial feeds. Conventional farming was started simultaneously and monitored as the reference condition. Environmental and biological samplings were performed after 16 months at the first fish harvesting. No environmental impact was observed in the organic farming area, whereas a significant increase in total phosphorus concentration in the sediment and some changes in the structure and species composition of benthic assemblages were detected just beneath the conventional sea cages with no impact 25 m from the cages. Organic fish showed a better growth performance consistent with the lower feed conversion ratio and higher metabolic status, as evidenced from the protein and energy profiles, compared with conventional fish. No dietary influence on stress and immune response was observed. A higher incidence of fin splitting occurred, probably due to nutritional factors and/or to the larger size of organic fish. Similar good morphological, physical and sensory traits between organic and conventional fish were observed, as denoted by the high fillet yield, low flesh lipid content, long freshness and shelf life both in sea bream and in sea bass. Conversely, the fillet fatty acid composition was different, being poorer in n-3 PUFA and richer in linoleic acid (C18: 2 n-6) in organic versus conventional fish, mirroring the fatty acid profile of the diet. The organic farming of sea bass and sea bream exhibited an overall good performance. Husbandry and feeding practices did not produce any evident environmental impact although long-period investigations covering several full production cycles are needed. Organic fish grew well, displayed an overall state of well-being and had good quality features despite a lower EPA and DHA content. Improvement of organic feed formulation and quality of feed ingredients emerge as important issues to be addressed to optimize the nutritional quality of organic sea bass and sea bream. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the inclusion of chestnut or quebracho tannin extracts in the diet of grazing ewes supplemented with soybean oil, on the blood plasma and milk fatty acid profile, milk quality traits and animal metabolic profile. Eighteen Comisana ewes at 172 6 days in milking were allotted into 3 experimental groups. Diets were characterized by pasture ad libitum administered and by 800 g/head and day of 3 experimental concentrates containing 84.5 g of soybean oil/kg of DM and 52.8 g/kg DM of bentonite (Control diet) or 52.8 g/kg DM of chestnut tannin extract (hydrolysable tannins, CHE diet) or 52.8 g/kg DM of quebracho tannin extract (condensed tannins, QUE diet). The trial lasted 4 weeks after 15 days of adaptation to the feeding regimen. Milk yield was daily recorded while milk composition and blood parameters were weekly analysed. CHE and QUE did not affect the milk yield and composition. Casein Index was affected by diet and it was significant higher in milk from animals fed QUE (P < 0.0259). The clotting parameters with the exception of an were affected by tannins: r was higher for QUE milk while k(20) increased regardless the kind of tannin. Blood parameters were not affected by tannins and the oxidative status of ewes, determined using MDA as indicator, did not present significant differences among, groups, regardless the concentrates fed to animals. Fatty acid profile of blood plasma demonstrated that tannin extract, regardless the source, favored the accumulation of vaccenic acid (trans-11 18:1) reducing the hematic concentration of stearic acid (18:0). Only few significant differences in milk fatty acid profile were found. In particular, rumenic acid (cis-9, trans-11 18:2) increased when the concentrates contained polyphenols and the stronger effect is reached with QUE (P < 0.0002).

Mechanical separation systems are a good option to create new fish products and open new market, however studies on the effect on quality of mechanical treatment on species of interest for European aquaculture, such as European sea bass, gilthead sea bream, and rainbow trout are scarce. Thus in this research, the effect on colour, nutritional quality, and lipid stability was considered immediately after separation process and after 90 days of frozen storage. Results revealed that mechanical separation technique significantly affected colour and lipid stability of the three studied species. Increases in L* and secondary oxidation products were observed, together with a decrease of antioxidant capacity. Nutritional value instead was unaffected by treatment. Thus, mechanical separation process could represent a new way to better exploit species of interest for European aquaculture and acquire new market niches, but oxidative processes during the treatment have to be limited and kept under control.

The aim of the study was to evaluate milk fatty acid (FA) profile, animal performance, and rumen microbial population in response to diets containing soybean oil supplemented or not with chestnut and quebracho tannins in dairy ewes. Eighteen Comisana ewes at 122±6 d in milking were allotted into 3 experimental groups. Diets were characterized by chopped grass hay administered ad libitum and by 800 g/head and day of 3 experimental concentrates containing 84.5 g of soybean oil/kg of dry matter (DM) and 52.8 g/kg of DM of bentonite (control diet), chestnut tannin extract (CHT diet), or quebracho tannin extract (QUE diet). The trial lasted 4 wk. Milk yield was recorded daily, and milk composition and blood parameters were analyzed weekly. At the end of the experiment, samples of rumen fluid were collected to analyze pH, volatile fatty acid profile, and the relative proportions of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens and Butyrivibrio proteoclasticus in the rumen microbial population. Hepatic functionality, milk yield, and gross composition were not affected by tannin extracts, whereas milk FA composition was characterized by significant changes in the concentration of linoleic acid (CHT +2.77% and QUE +9.23%), vaccenic acid (CHT +7.07% and QUE +13.88%), rumenic acid (CHT −1.88% and QUE +24.24%), stearic acid (CHT + 8.71% and QUE −11.45%), and saturated fatty acids (CHT −0.47% and QUE −3.38%). These differences were probably due to the ability of condensed versus hydrolyzable tannins to interfere with rumen microbial metabolism, as indirectly confirmed by changes in the relative proportions of B. fibrisolvens and B. proteoclasticus populations and by changes in the molar proportions of volatile fatty acids. The effect of the CHT diet on the milk FA profile and microbial species considered in this trial was intermediate between that of QUE and the control diet, suggesting a differential effect of condensed and hydrolyzable tannins on rumen microbes. Compared with control animals, the presence of B. fibrisolvens increased about 3 times in ewes fed CHT and about 5 times in animals fed QUE. In contrast, the abundance of B. proteoclasticus decreased about 5- and 15-fold in rumen liquor of ewes fed CHT and QUE diets, respectively. The use of soybean oil and a practical dose of QUE or CHT extract in the diet of dairy ewes can be an efficient strategy to improve the nutritional quality of milk.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect on the final product quality of certain innovative stunning/killing methods for sea bass as substitutes for the most common methods used by European farmers. The changes in tissue stress/quality parameters were monitored from the first hours after death and during the shelf life of the fish. Two trials were conducted in July and November on n. 231 sea bass stunned/killed by ice-water slurry, by single gas or mixture of gases in ice-water and by single- or two-stage electrical stunning/killing methods. Behavioural responses, stun/death time, rigor index, muscular and ocular pH, lactic acid, ATP and catabolites at death and within the 24 h after death were determined. In the November trial, the sensorial evaluation, rigor index, IMP, inosine, hypoxanthine, and K1 values were also evaluated during refrigerated storage until spoilage. The stunning/killing in ice-water appeared to induce low effects on the analysed parameters and preserve a good product quality as indicated by the highest pH and ATP values at death, the delayed full rigor onset and the 1 day longer shelf life (14 days) in comparison with the single- or two-stage electrical stunning/killing. The gas mixture addition provided a 40 % shortening of the time to obtain stunning/killing and 14 days of shelf life. The actual level of quality loss with the different killing conditions and the actual impact of a significant shortage of rigor mortis onset and pH drop on the possible pre-rigor filleting remain to be studied in depth.

Fillets and cooking yields, water holding capacity, textural properties, colour, proximate composition, collagen and fatty acids of five strains (IT1, IT2, IT3, USA, UK) of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, reared in three farms (F1, F2, F3), were measured before and after cooking. Physico-chemical parameters of the strains greatly differed both in raw and cooked state. IT2 and USA recorded the highest yields. IT2 distinguished from the other strains, showing lowest values of hardness, chewiness, gumminess and springiness. It also had brighter and less pigmented flesh with low fat, mainly in the raw state. USA strain showed the most valuable traits in terms of texture and colour, and had higher fat and collagen content in flesh. The physico-chemical profile of each strain was differently modified by cooking. USA strain maintained a positive texture and colour profile after cooking and its quality was the best.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate qualitative traits of meagre (Argyrosomus regius) from two different rearing systems (land-based tank filled with geothermal water vs offshore sea cage) and after short-term storage at chilling temperature (1, 2, or 3 days). Fish originated from the same batch were fed the same diet. Morpho-biometric traits, L*, a*, and b* colour parameters, texture, free water, proximate composition, total lipids, fatty acids, iron, and selenium contents were analyzed in the fillets. Most parameters were affected by rearing system. Compared to tank-reared fish, caged fish were shorter, poorer in visceral fat, and had higher incidence in cavity content and liver, lower incidence in gonads and head. Caged fish also had softer fillets in the epaxial site, which showed a higher tendency towards greenish colour. Caged fish also showed higher lipid content but lower Fe and Se content. Tank-reared fish fillets were more abundant in PUFAn-3, mainly due to DHA (18.54 vs 12.95%; P<0.001) and consequently showed the best healthiness indexes. Minimal changes, mostly involving colour and texture, were detected during the first three days of refrigerated storage. During storage, no significant modification of the parameters investigated could be ascribed to the rearing system.

The effect of harvesting time and cooking on water, protein, lipid, ash and fatty acid content of farmed meagre was assessed. Significant differences in nutrient content of raw fillets were detected in relation to harvesting time. Cooking by boiling induced loss of some macronutrients, mainly lipids and some fatty acids. Retention of total lipids, C18:2n-6 and C18:3n-3 decreased significantly with harvesting time, while C20:5n-3 (EPA) and C22:6n-3 (DHA) were retained in the same quantity. DHA retention was higher than that of the other FAs considered, at all harvesting times. The changes detected did not diminish the nutritional value of the fish. Despite losses induced by cooking and the low fat content, typical of this species, 100 g of fillet ensured an intake of EPA plus DHA more than double the recommended daily intake (250 mg day–1), at all harvesting times. The ability to preserve nutrients is an essential requirement for quality maintenance and suggests the possibility of heat-processing fillets.

The aim of this paper was to compare the influence of a five-month finishing period in a sea or in the lagoon site on quality changes during chilled storage of Pacific cupped oysters (C. gigas), farmed in the lagoon. The oysters were analysed for morphological and chemical characteristics, and for parameters useful to monitor changes during shelf life (intervalvar liquid content, colour, volatile organic compound profile, pH and microbiological load) on 1st, 3rd, 7th and 10th days of refrigerated storage at 4°C. Oysters finished in the lagoon showed a higher incidence of soft part and higher condition indexes, even though oysters finished in the sea had larger biometric dimensions. Lagoon-finished oysters had edible part richer in total lipids (11.82 vs 9.34%) with lower percentages of PUFAn-6 and C20:5n-3, whereas C22:6n-3 percentages were similar. From sensory analysis, sea-finished oysters were judged saltier and more bitter, whereas lagoon-finished oysters kept better during refrigerated storage, presenting more stable pH values, higher retention of intervalvar liquor and a moderate capacity to control bacterial proliferation during 10days of refrigerated storage. The profile of volatiles was the same in both groups of oysters, but the amounts of each volatile tended to be significantly higher in lagoon-finished oysters. The finishing period in the sea induced a decrease in quality of all market and sensory characteristics and poorer storage performance. The better nutritional status of lagoon-finished oysters at harvest, the better trophic conditions of lagoon finishing and the better adaptation of the molluscs to a wide range of fluctuations in environmental parameters were presumably linked to their greater ability to withstand hypoxia during out-of-water refrigerated storage.

The reduction of fish meal in aquaculture feeds is a priority goal for the further expansion and sustainability of the farmed fish production. Some encouraging results, also in carnivorous species as salmonids, are obtained by partial and even total replacement of dietary fish meal protein with plant protein (Kaushik et al., 1995). However, the consequences of the protein source on the infra vitam fish performances and on quality traits of the final product are little investigated. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of total replacement of animal protein...

Wild ungulate populations are increasing in Europe and Italy, with a consequent increase in culling rates and availability of their meats. Objectives of this review were to evaluate the trends of availability of meat from wild ungulates in Italy, to review the present knowledge on nutritional properties, sensorial characteristics, and hygiene problems of wild ungulate meat and to examine the critical steps that influence their hygiene and quality. Wild ungulate meat in Italy derives mainly from wild boar, roe deer and red deer and its availability has been increasing in the last decade. Total consumption of wild ungulate meat is low (0.1-0.3 kg per capita/year), but in some regions rises to significant levels, especially for hunters' families (1.0-4.0 kg per capita/year). Wild ungulate meats generally have a low fat content, although with a certain variability associated with gender, hunting season, age and physiological conditions, and a favourable fatty acid composition. In general, they are darker, less tender and characterised by a more intense and peculiar flavour than meats from domestic ruminants. However, these properties also show a great inter-and intra-specific variability. Risks for the consumer associated with contaminants (heavy metals, radionuclides, organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls) and zoonoses are considered to be low. Critical steps from shooting in the field to the final marketing should be considered to ensure hygiene and quality of meats. Future research should focus on the variability of hunting modes, accuracy of shooting, field dressing and carcass processing, in order to understand how these practices influence the final microbiological and sensorial quality of wild ungulate meats.

Fish samplings were carried out monthly from spring to autumn during 2008, on the Lamone river and the Campigno stream by an electrofishing, in order to verify the presence of fish populations and the most common species represented. Barb, Barb us plebejus, Blageon, Leuciscus muticellus, Chub, Leuciscus cephalus, South European Nase, Chondrostoma genei were identified. A small population of Brown trout, Salmo trutta fario was also recognized. Barb is the most represented species in all the sites. The samplings highlight that Lamone river presented conditions suitable to fully guarantee the life of the fish populations.

To evaluate the influence of fattening on morphological, nutritional and safety characteristics, two lots of bluefin tuna were sampled before (November: 2 ♀, 4 ♂) and after 5 months of fattening (April: 5 ♀, 5 ♂). The specimens, after death, were refrigerated and analysed at different times over the period of a week for morphological and flesh physico-chemical parameters in six muscle sites.Tuna sampled in April had greater body weight (44.04 vs 36.41kg), trunk length (52.21 vs 48.22cm) and minimum and maximum circumferences (13.74 vs 12.77 and 94.90 vs 89.10cm).No differences in other linear measures or body components were found. Fattening did not influence flesh colour or total lipid content, producing small differences in its chemical composition: greater C18:0, C18:1n9 and PUFAn6 percentages; higher putrescine and histamine (0.489 vs 0.335 and 0.666 vs 0.370mg/kg) but lower spermine and spermidine (10.598 vs 17.387 and 2.420 vs 3.928mg/kg) levels. Large differences in physico-chemical parameters were found between muscle sites and a significant interaction between sampling date and muscle site indicated non homogeneous changes in chemical composition of dorsal, ventral and red muscle after fattening. Sex only influenced fat content in viscera (♀ 12.84 vs ♂ 9.84%).

The fish stunning/slaughtering procedure has an important role both for the ethical aspect related to animal welfare and for the potential quality of the final products. Stressful harvest procedure and killing methods can negatively influence the post mortem biochemical processes with a consequent faster fish freshness loss. In particular, killing procedures causing a long agony are not humane and can shorten fish shelf life; others, more humane, can have risks for the consumers health (anaesthetics or chemical substances) or are not feasible in small/medium size fish industry (spiking and knocking). The aim of this study was to compare the traditional killing method (asphyxia - A) used for rainbow trout (Onchorynchus mykiss) with an innovative stunning/slaughtering method (two-stage electric stun: 2s at a 500Hz electric field of 2.5V/cm and then 58s at a 50Hz electric field of 0.75V/cm - E), through the study of their effects on stress and quality indicators in fish fed with traditional fish meal (FM) or innovative 80% plant protein diet (PV80). Fish (n=30) of each group (FMA, FME, PV80A, PV80E) were stored at 1°C with ice covering and analysed from 0h to 192h from death. The following analyses were done: blood parameters (only at death); rigor index (RI%) and sensorial evaluation with EU Scheme Rule 2406/96 EEC (performed by 5 judge); eye liquor and muscular pH (pHe, pHm); ATP and its degradation products in muscle; lactic acid in muscle and fillet length (FLC) and height contraction % (FHC) (at 0, 3, 6, 24h). Fillet quality appearance was evaluated by absence/presence and size of bloodstains along the midline on the left fillet. Data were analyzed by ANOVA (killing method, diet and their interaction). Asphyxiated fish (A) died within 15-30’ after prolonged struggling and agony, while innovative method stunned/killed fish (E) were immediately stunned and died in 1 minute. Asphyxiated group showed: higher values of blood glucose and muscle lactic acid; lower values of pHe and pHm at 3, 6 and 24h (P<0.01); earlier full rigor (RI 100% at 1h). RI, significantly different (P<0.001) between A and E fish until 6h after death, in E group reached 100% only at 8h. In agreement with this result, FLC of E fish showed lesser contraction both at 3 h (E 6.9 vs A 18.4%, P<0.001) and at 6h (E 13.9 vs A 18.4%, P<0.05). The same emerged for FHC at 3 h (E 0.9 vs 5.3%, P<0.001). The lower values of ATP/IMP ratio at 0, 3 (P<0.001) and 6h (P<0.01) in A fish than in E fish confirmed the stress condition of the first ones. Differences due to the diet were scarce: PV80 fish had higher pHe, pHm and inosine values at 72h (P<0.001). Fish sensorial evaluation indicated A class until 144h in all groups and B class at 192h after death, except in PV80A fish (75% in B class at 144h). As waited, some bloodstains were found in FME (26.7%) and PV80E (53.3%) fillets while A fish had negligible damages (1.7%). The bloodstains should downgraded the fillet acceptance. However, because the portion size trout are traded wholes/gutted by Italian fish industry, the problem seems less serious. The innovative killing procedure, really a fast and humane procedure, need to be improved for fillet appearance.

The farming of captured wild red tuna (Thunnus thynnus) presents remarkable interest and by now more than one half of tuna caught in the Mediterranean Sea are finished in the fattening cages. The rearing of this species generally does not imply a significant growth of the animals, as instead an improvement of quality and value of the tunas through the restoration of elevated fat levels in flesh, a very appreciated trait by the Japanese consumers. The commercial outlet of the product is the international market, where there is a persistent demand of product for sushi and sashimi. A possibility for increasing the competitiveness of the Italian farmers is to guarantee to the market a very fresh product, characterised by elevated quality and better than the supplies from the other Countries. The aim of the present research was to describe some physical and freshness/organoleptic characteristics of red tuna, particularly the rigor mortis evolution (pre rigor, full rigor and rigor release phases) measured on the whole body. This quality indicator is not easy to measure in tunas due their generally great dimensions and there is a lack of this kind of information in literature, since tunas usually are immediately beheads, eviscerated and deprived of the tail. Specimens of red tunas captured in the Tyrrhenian Sea on October 2005 were transferred to the tuna farm (Vibo Marina, VV) in a circular floating cage, where they were fed with a mixed diet (anchovies, mackerels, sardines, herrings, cephalopods) at the feeding level of 1-4% live weight, depending on the water temperature. In April 2006, a random sample of 10 tunas (44.0±6.2 kg b. w.) was stunned/killed (one by one) using a modified diver gun, shoot by a diver directly in water and then subjected on board to bleeding and spiking and ikejime operations. On each fish, placed in ice covering immediately after bleeding, rigor index, body temperature, eye liquor pH and epaxial and red muscle pH were determined at death, 4h and 24h after death. Sensory evaluation by freshness classes (Rule CE n. 2406/96) and the measurement of rigor index were carried out at the 2nd, 5th, 6th and 7th day after death. The temperature increase with the depth within the tuna body was confirmed at death: eye liquor (21.6±1.6°C), epaxial muscle (21.4±1.3°C) and red muscle close to the vertebral column (30.2±0.9°C). Temperature diminished until 1-2°C within the first 24h in surface and only within 48h in depth. Fish were in Extra class of freshness until 3th day after death and in A class (good quality) until 7th day. Rigor index onset differed, possibly due to the different harvesting time and/or the stress conditions: some tunas, reached the full rigor at 48 hours, others reached rigor at 24h maintaining it until 48 h and the last fish caught showed the shortest full rigor onset (4h) and earlier rigor release (80% at 24h). Rigor release had a moderate decrease (70% at 120h; 54% at 144h and 50% at 168h, excluding the last tuna, which had 7%). The pH of red muscle (6.69 at death) had a fast decrease within 24h (4.99) and an increase at 48h (5.87). This behaviour could be related to a higher speed in the post mortem biochemical processes in red muscle, justified from the still high temperature recorded at 24h. Results confirmed the importance of a rapid and low stressing harvest procedure and fast chilling of red tuna body for high quality product, as already verified by the same authors in a previous trial.

The haematic pattern of Maremmana cattle of Grosseto area was studied, to investigate the causes of the often found low reproductive efficiency. The provided data are related to some haematic parameters measured in different seasons in Maremmana cattle fed three different diets: Standard diet (pasture + hay in critical periods): diet A; standard diet integrated with mineral salts: diet B; standard diet + mineral salts + concentrated mixed feed): diet C. The season influenced all parameters, while no difference was found among diets. Among the mineral elements, phosphorous showed values always above norm.

The Maremmana breed is characterised by rusticity, resistance to harsh environments and good growth ability and it could be considered as one of the most suited breeds for extensive rearing in Italy. Moreover, Maremmana presents high fertility and good fostering ability but, on the other hand, the age at first calving appears quite high. This could probably be due to reduced feed availability to which animals are frequently subjected. The aim of this paper was to determine the age at puberty in Maremmana heifers, the repeatability of the reproductive cycles along the seasons and to verify the possibility to anticipate the age at first service. Haematic levels of progesterone and 17-β-estradiol were determined weekly in 6 heifers raised in pens and fed with 0.70 Milk FU/kg DM and 121 g of gross protein/kg d.m, starting from 9 up to 25 months of age. Metabolic profile was determined monthly to highlight possible metabolic unbalances that could affect reproductive activity. Plasma was submitted to RIA analysis in order to measure steroidal hormones. Puberty was considered reached when two subsequent measures of progesterone resulted higher than 1 ng/ml of plasma. This happened in 5 out of 6 heifers at an average age of 17 months. The fluctuation of the hormonal levels throughout the year seems to exclude the seasonality of the oestrous cycle. The results showed that the level of the most important metabolites is within the normal range and it does not seem to interfere with the choice to anticipate the first service by one year. Possible periods of anoestrus noticed in some herds could be linked to the reduced availability of pastures in a few months of the year.

The haematic outline of 339 rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) from two different farms in the Lucca province was studied for a preliminary assessment of the metabolic profile of this species and for the investigation of the influence of some endogenous and exogenous factors on the variability of the studied parameters. The sampling time, as well as the weight, appears to have caused significant variations on most of the parameters analysed. The present study gives the annual means and the seasonal trends for each farm where the study was carried out.

The assessment of blood reference ranges of farmed fish can be extremely useful in improving production and product quality. A first attempt to establish the normality ranges for the most important haematochemical parameters of farmed sea bass was carried out by analysing the trend of Haematocrit, Glucose, Total Protein, Albumin, Globulin, Total Cholesterol and some electrolytes in 353 sea bass farmed with two different farming systems within 1 year. A strong seasonal effect was found with regard to each parameter; the role of some environmental conditions was evaluated; and some reference ranges were proposed for the culturing methods considered.