Daniel Álvarez

Effect of inulin, β-Glucan and their mixtures on emulsion stability, color and textural parameters of cooked meat batters

The effects of fat level (20.0, 12.5 and 5.0%), Inulin (gel-IG, and powder-IP) and β-Glucan (βG) on emulsion stability, color, textural characteristics and microstructure of cooked meat batters were investigated. Reducing fat to 5.0% increased cooking loss and decreased emulsion stability, lightness, hardness and fracturability of cooked emulsions. Inulin, βG, and their mixtures were used as fat replacers in low fat formulations. Adding IP provided better emulsion stability compared to IG, which had no significant effect on stability. IP also produced harder (27-34 N) low fat products with a high fracturability (26-29 N). On the contrary, emulsions containing IG resulted in creamy and softer characteristics. The results were supported by light micrographs, which indicated that appropriate addition of IG and βG mixtures (3%-IG & 0.3%-βG, 6%-IG & 0.6%-βG) could compensate for some of the changes brought about by fat reduction, and maintained several of the textural characteristics of the product as well as reducing cook loss.

A fuzzy language

Abstract With the aim of designing and implementing programming languages that take into account the fuzzy paradigm we will modify the classical lambda calculus by adding a degree to each term and by redefining the b-reduction. Thus, for the new calculus to verify the Church–Rosser property, the degree computed with can be made through a function that is a t-norm or an s-conorm. With this new tool we design a nondeterminist language that satisfies fuzzy data programming requirements, and an example of its behaviour is shown.

Isolation of Chlamydia abortus from a laboratory worker diagnosed with atypical pneumonia

BackgroundIdentifying the aetiological agent of atypical pneumonia in human can sometimes be a tedious process, especially in cases where Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Legionella species and Chlamydia pneumoniae are ruled out. In such cases, a correct anamnesis of the patient is basic to clarify which pathogens might have produced the infection. For this reason, health professionals including veterinarians and laboratory personnel working with zoonotic pathogens should keep their doctors informed.Case presentationA human case of atypical pneumonia linked to Chlamydia abortus is reported. A 47-year-old male, a veterinarian researcher into chlamydiae, developed respiratory symptoms, breathing problems and high fever. Serological analyses ruled out the involvement of several respiratory pathogens, such as M. pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila, Rickettsia conorii and C. pneumoniae, and Chlamydia abortus was identified as the possible aetiological agent of the infection. The isolation of C. abortus from the patient’s sputum and subsequent molecular analysis confirmed the presence of this microorganism.ConclusionAs far as we know, although C. abortus has not been previously described as capable of causing pneumonia in humans, this is the first reported case of atypical pneumonia in which C. abortus is thought to have played an aetiological role.

Development of an in vivo model of Chlamydia abortus chronic infection in mice overexpressing IL-10

Chlamydia abortus, like other members of the family Chlamydiaceae, have a unique intracellular developmental cycle that is characterized by its chronic nature. Infection of a flock can remain undetected for months, until abortion occurs the following reproductive season but, to date, neither the location nor the mechanisms that maintain this latent phase are fully understood. Studies have shown that IL-10 produced as a response to certain micro-organisms sustains the intracellular survival of pathogens and increases host susceptibility to chlamydial infections. In order to induce a sustained infection C. abortus, transgenic mice that constitutively express IL-10 were infected and the immunological mechanisms that maintain infection in these mice were compared with the mechanisms of a resistant wild-type mouse strain. Viable bacteria could be detected in different tissues of transgenic mice up to 28 days after infection, as analysed by bacterial isolation and immunohistochemistry. Chronic infection in these mice was associated with an impaired recruitment of macrophages, decreased iNOS activity at the site of infection and a more diffuse distribution of inflammatory cells in the liver. This murine model can be of great help for understanding the immunological and bacterial mechanisms that lead to chronic chlamydial infections.

Sensory perception of meat from entire male pigs processed by different heating methods

The aim of this study was to evaluate the perception of androstenone in pork from entire male pigs with different androstenone levels (High≥2mgkg-1; Medium 0.5-0.7mgkg-1) applying four different heating methods (vacuum, grill, oven and frying). Androstenone (AND) perception was analysed during and after cooking by a trained panel. During cooking, the highest score for AND odour (greatest perception) was obtained with the grill and vacuum, while frying was the best option for reducing its perception, which was judged to be imperceptible for androstenone medium level (P<0.05). In cooked samples, there were level, heating method and its interaction effects for AND odour and flavour, meat flavour, juiciness and hardness (P<0.05). The samples treated by vacuum and frying had a proper texture profile. However the frying method provided the lowest score in AND perception, making it the best option for reducing both AND odour and flavour. In short, the use of different heating methods strongly affected AND perception.