Influence of Added Starch on Mixing of Dough Made with Three Wheat Flours Differing in High Molecular Weight Subunit Composition: Rheological Behavior

The effect of mixing time (6 and 20 min) and starch content were studied on doughs prepared with three wheat flours differing in high molecular weight subunit composition. Rheological measurements were performed in dynamic oscillation: frequency and strain sweeps, stress relaxation, and in large deformation viscosity measurements. The flours were diluted with starch to cover flour protein contents of 10–15%. Water was added to keep the starch‐water ratio constant when doughs were prepared with different protein contents. By increasing the starch content of the doughs, the rheological properties approached those of a starch‐water mixture prepared with the same starch‐water ratio as in the dough. The effect of the starch granules was reinforced by prolonged mixing. This may explain the higher values of the storage modulus and relaxation times observed after 20 min of mixing. Qualities related to gluten properties, appeared more clearly in large deformation viscosity measurements.     

Breakeven prices for recording of indicator traits to reduce the environmental impact of milk production

A breeding scheme using genomic selection and an indicator trait for environmental impact (EI) was studied to find the most effective recording strategy in terms of annual monetary genetic gain and breakeven price for the recording of indicator traits. The breakeven price shows the investment space for developing a recording system for an indicator trait. The breeding goal consisted of three traits – milk production, functional trait and environmental impact – with economic values of €83, €82 and €?83, respectively. The first scenario included only breeding goal traits and no indicator traits (NoIT). The other scenarios included all three breeding goal traits and one indicator trait (IT) for EI. The indicator traits were recorded on a large scale (stayability after first lactation and stature), medium scale (live weight and greenhouse gases (GHG) measured in the breath of the cow during milking) or small scale (residual feed intake and total enteric methane measured in a respiration chamber). In the scenario with stayability, the genetic gain in EI was over 11% higher than it was in NoIT. The breakeven price of recording stayability was €8 per record. Stayability is easy to record in the national milk recording system, and its use as an indicator trait for EI would not generate any additional recording costs. Therefore, stayability would be a good indicator trait to use to mitigate EI. The highest genetic gain in EI (23% higher compared to NoIT) was achieved when the GHG measured in the breath of the cow was used as indicator trait. The breakeven price for this indicator trait was €29 per record in the reference population. Ideally the recording of a specific indicator trait for EI would take place when: (i) the genetic correlation between the IT and EI is high; and (ii) the number of phenotypic records for the indicator trait is high enough to achieve a moderately high reliability of direct genomic values.     

Site index curves for Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) karst.) planted on abandoned farm land

Growth data were collected from 157 Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) stands planted on farm land in Sweden from 55 to 66° N. The mean age of the stands was 41 years (range, 25–91), the mean stand density 1 640 stems ha^–1 (range, 400–3 722), and the mean diameter at breast height (outside bark) 25 cm (range, 12–48). The height growth was measured in 56 stands during the initial five years after plantation and followed systematically until the stands were 30 years old. Early height growth for spruces growing on clay soils was lower than for trees growing on sand, till and peat soils. The height increment for 5-year-old spruces predicted the height increment for mature spruces (30–50 years old).Site index curves were constructed for total age. Curves for H₄₀ (dominant height at 40 years total age) were made for both northern (50 stands, 61–66° N) and southern (107 stands, 55–61° N) Sweden. Site index curves for H₅₀ at total age are presented for Sweden as a whole (Lat. 55–66° N) and southern Sweden only. Curves based on breast height age were also constructed for H₄₀ and H₅₀. Curves fitted for H₄₀ at breast height were well in accordance with the curves presented in the past for spruce on forest lands by Nordic studies. The curves from the present study have slower growth for young spruces than curves for forest land. For 40–90-year-old spruce stands, curves from the present study indicate taller heights than from forest land curves.     

Genetic and functional characterization of the NanA sialidase from Clostridium chauvoei

ABSTRACT: Clostridium chauvoei is the causative agent of blackleg, a wide spread serious infection of cattle and sheep with high mortality. In this study we have analyzed the sialidase activity of the NanA protein of C. chauvoei and cloned the sialidase gene nanA. Sialidase is encoded as a precursor protein of 722 amino acids with a 26 amino acid signal peptide. The mature sialidase has a calculated molecular mass of 81 kDa and contains the carbohydrate binding module 32 (CBM32, or F5/8 type C domain), the sialic acid binding module CBM40 and the enzymatically active sialidase domain found in all pro- and eukaryotic sialidases. Sialidase activity does not require the CBM32 domain. The NanA protein is secreted by C. chauvoei as a dimer. The nanA gene was found to be conserved and sialidase activity was found in C. chauvoei strains isolated over a period of 50 years from various geographical locations. Antiserum directed against a recombinant 40 kDa peptide containing CBM40 and part of the enzymatically active domain of NanA neutralized the secreted sialidase activity of all C. chauvoei strains tested.     

A nationwide outbreak of Salmonella bovismorbificans associated with sprouted alfalfa seeds in Finland, 2009

Salmonella enterica serotype Bovismorbificans is a rare serotype in Finland. In June 2009, a nationwide outbreak of S. Bovismorbificans infections occurred, and 42 clinical isolates were identified. We conducted a case-control study enrolling 28 cases and 48 matched controls, and found ready-to-eat alfalfa sprouts associated with the infection (odds ratio = 35.2, 95% confidence interval 2.8-435). The sprouts were traced back to a domestic producer, with the seeds originating in Italy. Although finding microbiological evidence for sprouts as a source of this outbreak was very challenging, S. Bovismorbificans was finally found in sprouts germinated in the laboratory, and in soaking and rinse waters during the germination process. The pulsed field gel electrophoresis showed that these isolates were identical to the human outbreak isolates. Before sampling, it is important to mix the seeds well and to take several large-size samples from different seed lots. Instead of analysing seeds, the analysis should be targeted to soaking or rinse water samples and to the sprouts germinated in a laboratory. Accordingly, the sprout producers should only buy seeds that have been analysed for Salmonella. The producers have to include Salmonella testing in their internal quality control to ensure that Salmonella is absent from sprouts placed on the market during their shelf-life. In order to reduce the health hazard caused by sprouts, an effective and safe decontamination procedure should also be developed for the seeds.     

From Molecules to Products: Some Aspects of Structure–Function Relationships in Cereal Starches

In this review, starch behavior is described from molecules in solution to the use of starch in products. The determination of molecular characteristics with asymmetrical flow field‐flow fractionation is described, and the behavior of starch in binary solutions is discussed. The organization of starch in granules and the changes in organization during gelatinization and retrogradation are then described. The role of starch retrogradation in bread staling is described in some detail, and the influence of water mobility and distribution is discussed in relation to amylopectin retrogradation. Finally, the use of starch as emulsifier is described. Hydrophobically modified starch is one possibility for emulsion stabilization; also, the starch granule as such can be used to stabilize emulsions (so‐called Pickering emulsions).     

Population Structure Among Progeny-tested Bulls of the Red Dairy Breeds in Finland,Norway and Sweden

Abstract

The Icelandic cattle breed is believed to have been brought to Iceland from Norway around 1100 years ago. Since then it is thought to have been almost completely isolated and to have gone through large fluctuations in population size. Here molecular markers were used to assess the breed's genetic diversity and the current within-population genetic structure using a randomly selected unbiased sample from the population as verified by calculations of the coefficient of relationship (R). Measures of genetic diversity suggest that there is considerable diversity within the breed despite long-term isolation and the effective population size is high considering the isolation and the breeding system used in recent years. No evidence of recent bottlenecks was found and analysis of population structure suggests that the population is uniform in structure.     

Genetic associations of in-line recorded milkability traits and udder conformation with udder health

Milkability and udder conformation traits of Swedish Holstein (SH) and Swedish Red (SR) cows from 93 herds with automatic milking systems or conventional milking parlors were used to study genetic relationships to lactation average somatic cell score (LSCS) and incidence of clinical mastitis (CM). Estimated genetic correlations between measures of milking speed (average flow rate, milking time and box time) and LSCS ranged between 0.29 and 0.57 and showed that high milking speed is associated with increasing LSCS. Regressions indicated a curvilinear relationship. Genetic correlations between milking speed and CM showed similar values as for LSCS in SH cows, but were inconsistent in SR cows. Shallow udder and strong fore udder attachment were consistently correlated with good udder health. The unfavorable relationships between milking speed and udder health traits should be considered together with a few udder conformation traits when selecting for better milkability.