Aleksandra Martinovic

Cadmium in liver and kidneys of domestic Balkan and Alpine dairy goat breeds from Montenegro and Serbia

ABSTRACT Concentrations of cadmium (Cd) were determined in the samples of 144 animals around 1 and of 144 animals around 4 years old. Cd was analysed by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), after microwave digestion. Cd concentrations were higher (p < 0.05) in kidney than in liver and higher (p < 0.05) in older animals than in young ones. In domestic Balkan goat which was raised in a free-ranged system Cd accumulation was lower (p < 0.05) than in Alpine goat raised in an intensive production system. Geographic region did influence Cd accumulation only in older animals. Higher Cd levels (p < 0.05) were determined in goats from Serbia. The highest obtained Cd concentrations in both tissues were lower than maximum levels set by European and national legislation for ruminants (cattle and sheep).

Survival of lactic acid and propionibacteria in low- and full-fat Dutch-type cheese during human digestion ex vivo.

The survival of selected bacteria in semi‐hard experimental cheeses was studied after exposure to human gastric and duodenal juices in an ex vivo model. Experimental cheeses (10 and 28% fat) were supplemented with different strains of Lactobacillus sp. and Propionibacterium sp. and ripened for 7 and 70 weeks. After digestion, greater numbers of the adjunct bacteria we rerecorded in the 7‐week‐old cheeses compared to the well‐matured cheeses (70 weeks). The bacterial survival was strain dependent, and influenced by the fat content of the cheese. Lactobacilli showed better survival, especially when in low‐fat cheeses. The strains of propionibacteria also survived well during the digestion of the low‐fat cheeses. The results confirmed that cheese can potentially be a good carrier matrix for bacteria to the intestine. In addition, it has been shown that different strains present in cheese have different abilities to survive the conditions of the gastrointestinal tract. Younger cheese was indicated to be a better carrier, possibly because the bacteria present in those cheeses have had shorter exposure to the stress conditions occurring in cheese during prolonged maturation.

Effects of different production systems on carcass and meat quality of sheep and lamb from Western Balkan and Norway

The identification of meat quality characteristics from selected breeds grazing in specific regions is particularly relevant to achieve a marketing advantage. Longisimus thoracis at lumborum (LTL) from the indigenous Western Balkan (WB) sheep - VlasickaPramenka (VP) sheep and lambs, and Pivska Pramenka (PP) sheep grazing in Bosnia & Herzegovina (B&H) and Montenegro (MN), respectively, was compared regarding carcass and meat qualities to the crossbred Norwegian white sheep (NWS) - sheep and lambs, grazing in wide Hardangervidda and Jotunheimen regions where the lamb meat is marketed as gourmet meat. The WB sheep had lower average carcass weights and antioxidant capacity, higher ultimate pH, intramuscular fat and n-6/n-3 ratio, but better tenderness and color stability compared to NWS. The WB lambs were lighter, had higher n-6/n-3 ratio, lower antioxidant capacity and became more easily rancid despite a higher fat α-tocopherol content. The marketing advantage of WB meat is its tenderness properties while NOs NWS lambs displayed a better nutritional profile.

Cadmium and lead in female cattle livers and kidneys from Vojvodina, northern Serbia

ABSTRACT Concentrations of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) were determined in livers (n = 52) and kidneys (n = 52) of female cattle (345–2717 days old) from dairy farms in the region Vojvodina. Cd and Pb were analysed by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry, after microwave digestion. Cd and Pb concentrations did not exceed the Serbian and European maximum set limits in any sample. The Cd concentrations in the livers and kidneys ranged from 0.033 to 0.151 mg kg−1 wet weight and from 0.055 to 0.510 mg kg−1 wet weight, respectively. The corresponding Pb concentrations were 0.015-0.159 mg kg−1 wet weight and 0.021-0.196 mg kg−1 wet weight, respectively. Mean Cd and Pb concentrations were significantly lower (p < 0.001) in the liver (0.072 and 0.053 mg kg−1 wet weight) than in the kidney (0.190 and 0.075 mg kg−1 wet weight). There were good correlations between Cd in liver and Cd in kidney, Pb in liver and Pb in kidney, Cd level and age and Pb level and age in both tissues.