Biogenic amines (BAs) represent a considerable toxicological risk in some food and feed products. They are formed under unhygienic conditions during storage and processing; therefore, an increase in the concentrations of those metabolites is related to putrefaction. Because BAs are thermostable, they remain in food and feed that have undergone heat treatment. There are several toxicological effects, especially caused by histamine, when high concentrations of BAs are ingested by humans, depending on the food itself and also on individual susceptibility and individual health status. The present paper reviews the main BAs in meat products, their use as spoilage indicators, the risk on human health and also the contamination of by-product meals. Furthermore, we highlight the state of art regarding impact of BAs on poultry, meat and eggs.

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry can be used as a noninvasive tool to monitor the skeletal integrity of live birds. A pDexa X-ray bone densitometer was used to determine bone mineral densities (BMD) of the left tibia together with the fibula and the humerus of live, unanesthetized birds. Densitometry effectively detected changes in bone integrity of live birds fed varying levels of dietary calcium. Hens consuming 1.8, 3.6, or 5.4% dietary calcium had BMD of 0.147, 0.157, and 0.176 g/cm2 (SEM = 0.005), respectively (linear effect, P < 0.001). Likewise, bone ash weight, breaking force, stress, modulus of elasticity, and eggshell traits also increased linearly in response to increased calcium in the diet (P < 0.05). Densitometric live scans for BMD were positively correlated (P < 0.001) with bone breaking force (r = 0.65) and bone ash (r = 0.77). We also monitored BMD in live Leghorn and broiler females during their life cycle. The tibial BMD of White Leghorns and broilers increased from 15 to 65 wk of age with the BMD of the broiler tibia increasing at a greater rate than that of the Leghorn tibia (line x age interaction, P < 0.0001). A precipitous drop in BMD occurred during an induced molt of Leghorns subjected to 10 d of feed withdrawal. Our long-term goal is to improve skeletal integrity in egg-type chickens by genetic selection for improved BMD. By crossing a broiler with an egg-laying line, an F2 resource population of birds has been developed to identify quantitative trait loci influencing BMD in chickens.

The effect of an induced molt and a second egg laying cycle on White Leghorns hen's skeletal integrity was investigated in a series of 3 experiments. Using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) of the left tibia and humerus were measured in live hens and excised bones and correlated with invasive bone measurement tests, egg traits, and the incidence of broken bones in carcasses of processed hens. The results of all 3 experiments showed that an induced molt was detrimental to skeletal integrity. For hens that were repeatedly scanned throughout the second cycle of lay, the BMD of the humerus never recovered after the molt. Recovery of tibial BMD to premolt values occurred late in the second cycle of lay when egg production was declining. The in vivo BMD scans conducted between 77 and 117 wk of age correlated with bone breaking force and bone ash weight (r = 0.58 and r = 0.65, respectively; P < 0.0001). The percentage of freshly broken bones per bird at the end of processing at 126 wk of age averaged 34% and ranged from 0 to 61%. The incidence of broken bones was negatively correlated with the excised tibial BMD and BMC at 126 wk of age (r = -0.54 and r = -0.53, respectively; P < 0.05). In conclusion, feed withdrawal for 10 d during an induced molt was detrimental to the skeletal integrity of hens, and as BMD and BMC of excised tibia at 126 wk of age decreased in White Leghorns, the incidence of bone breakage increased.

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by several fungal species, toxic to humans, animals and plants. Their ingestion, inhalation or dermal absorption may cause different diseases and even death. These compounds have been described for many decades, however in the beginning of the s, they have been chemically characterized due to the discovery of aflatoxins [ ]. The word aflatoxin is the combination of other words a for Aspergillus genus, fla for the species flavus and toxin, meaning poison [ ]."flatoxin is the mycotoxin generating the greatest losses and the highest management costs due to its extremely high toxicity on a unit basis, and its long history of stringent regulation. The costs are inversely related to the regulatory level that must be met, and lower concentration allowances will increase the costs of crop management. Several effective ways for the management of mycotoxin contamination in agriculture have been stressed. One strategy to manage mycotoxin contamination and decrease health risks and economic costs is to instruct food producers and handlers on how to minimize mycotoxin contamination, and to encourage the adoption of process-based guidelines such as Good "gricultural Practices G"Ps before harvest and good manufacturing practices GMPs after harvest. These actions would minimize risk throughout the production, handling, and processing chain, and can complement product standards [ ]. To control the presence of aflatoxins in foods, many countries established maximum tolerated concentrations through legislation Van Egmond, a cited [ ] .This chapter focuses on properties of aflatoxins and their occurrence in feeds and animal products as meat, eggs, liver, kidneys and milk. Topics regarding mycotoxins absorbents and legislation in feed ingredients and feeds are also covered.

This study investigated changes in bone integrity and circulating concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) of hens subjected to 2 distinct molting regimens and fed pre- and postmolt diets high in n-3 or n-6 fatty acids. A dual-energy x-ray absorptiometer determined bone mineral density (BMD) of the tibia and humerus of 45 live hens from 62 to 76 wk of age. Densitometric scans were also conducted in excised tibia and humerus at 66, 71, and 76 wk of age. Concentrations of IGF-I were monitored using an homologous RIA at the same ages. The molting treatments consisted of 10 d of fasting + cracked corn for 7 d + pullet developer diet for 10 d or a nonfasting molt (wheat-middlings-based diet for 27 d). Five weeks prior to and after either molt treatment, birds were fed 1 of 2 diets containing dietary n-6/ n-3 fatty acids ratios of 0.6 or 8.0. At the end of the molt (71 wk of age), tibial BMD decreased 30% in fasted and 11% in nonfasted molt regimens, and the fatty acid content of the premolt diet had no effect on the decline in BMD. The BMD of the humerus also decreased during molt with the exception of hens subjected to a nonfasted molt and fed n-3 fatty acid diets in which their BMD values were similar to or greater (at 73 wk of age) than those of controls during the entire experimental period (treatment by bone by age, P < or = 0.0001). Induced molt affected circulating IGF-I concentrations (treatment by age interaction, P < or = 0.0001), and the response was the same regardless of molt regimen (fasting vs. nonfasting) or diet (n-3 vs. n-6 fatty acids). A decrease in IGF-I 54 h postmolt was noted; however, from 13 to 43 d postmolt, all molted birds had elevated IGF-I as compared with controls. In conclusion, a nonfasted molt as compared with fasted molt was less detrimental to bone mineralization; dietary n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratios in the pre- and postmolt diets had little effect on the decline of skeletal integrity during molt, and circulating IGF-I concentrations were affected by molt.

This present review intends to provide information and update the reader about diverse aspects of quality and consumption of eggs, the variation among consumer preference worldwide emphasizing the upper status this food represents as source of essential nutrients for human health. This review mainly focus on topics regarding production and quality of table eggs, emphasizing some aspects of the egg market, trend in egg intake and consumers perceptions regarding egg content and nutritious values. Additionally, results from specific studies that provide new findings about the role of enrichment egg components on health, prevention and treatment of diseases are discussed. A novel viewpoint is proposed in this review, highlighting the perspective for an increase of consumption of egg and egg products, mainly in markets where the consumption pattern is known to be low. How the information about shell eggs and its nutrients reach the consumer strongly affect the way this food of higher biological functions takes part in the human diet.Index terms: Enrichment eggs, diet, egg quality, human health. RESUMONesta revisão, os autores buscam informar sobre os vários aspectos relacionados à qualidade e ao consumo de ovos ao nível mundial, reportando as diferenças que existem entre os países e a importância que esse alimento representa para o fornecimento de nutrientes essenciais para nutrir e manter a saúde humana. Ao mesmo tempo, a revisão enfoca os estudos específicos, que indicam as novas descobertas sobre o enriquecimento dos ovos e sua ação auxiliar, no controle de problemas de saúde humana. Existe a perspectiva de incrementos no nível de consumo, principalmente nos países onde a ingestão é baixa e, assim, melhorar a nutrição humana com esse alimento de baixo custo e, no entanto, de alta qualidade nutricional. Termos para indexação:Ovos enriquecidos, dieta, qualidade de ovo, saúde humana.

The occurrence of broken eggs directly depends on the quality of the shell. It is important to consider that the problem of broken eggs is not due to a single factor but a combination of factors. Shell defects, irregularities in shell shape, texture and surface are commonly observed during a regular egg laying cycle and the causes are varied. The incidence of downgraded eggs still represents an important source of economic loss for the egg industry due to products damage and need for further processing. It is possible to obtain significant reduction in the number of eggs lost due to the inferior quality of the shell attempting to an adequate nutrition, disease control, good management practices, and use of genetic lines with higher quality eggshell traits.Index terms: Defective shell, egg industry, eggshell quality, laying hens, shell integrity. RESUMOA ocorrência de ovos quebrados depende diretamente da qualidade da casca. É importante considerar que o problema de ovos quebrados não se deve a um único fator, mas sim a uma combinação de fatores. Defeitos de casca, irregularidades no formato da casca, textura e superfície são comumente observados durante um ciclo regular de postura e as causas são várias. A incidência de ovos descartados ainda representa uma importante fonte de prejuízo econômica à indústria, em razão da perda desses ovos e necessidade de processamento adicional. É possível obter significativa redução no número de ovos perdidos, pela qualidade inferior da casca ,focando-se em uma nutrição adequada, no controle de doenças do plantel, em boas práticas de produção e no uso de linhagens de aves que produzam ovos com melhor qualidade de casca.Termos para indexação: Defeitos de casca, cadeia de ovos comerciais, qualidade da casca, poedeiras comerciais, integridade da casca.

A busca por indicadores de sustentabilidade nas cadeias produtivas tornou-se urgente em função da crescente exigência dos consumidores por informações que antes não eram consideradas na escolha de um produto, levando-se em conta as implicações éticas e ambientais na produção de um alimento, agora observados como atributos essenciais de qualidade e segurança alimentar. Como definição geral e simplificada, os sistemas sustentáveis de produção de alimentos devem ser socialmente responsáveis, economicamente viáveis, garantir a saúde e o bem-estar humanos e animal, e a proteção ao meio-ambiente. Dentro desse contexto, as agroindústrias vem adaptando-se às mudanças, no sentido de atender às exigências dos mercados através da implementação de práticas sustentáveis na produção de alimentos. Ações objetivas para alcance dos propósitos de sustentabilidade na produção de alimentos devem basear-se em princípios de boas-práticas de produção (BPP) considerando a abordagem integral ("from farm to fork"), que tem evoluído para uma estratégia ainda mais abrangente, "from gene to fork" em termos das implicações dos conceitos de rastreabilidade e transparência em toda a cadeia produtiva. Conforme definição da FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) existe dez categorias ou programas a serem trabalhados dentro do escopo das boas práticas: