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The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT), using erythrosine as a photosensitizing agent and a dental halogen curing unit as a light source, on Streptococcus mutans in a biofilm phase. The S. mutans biofilms were formed in a 24-well cell culture cluster. Test groups consisted of biofilms divided into four groups: group 1: no photosensitizer or light irradiation treatment (control group); group 2: photosensitizer treatment alone; group 3: light irradiation alone; group 4: photosensitizer treatment and light irradiation. After treatments, the numbers of colony-forming unit (CFU) were counted and samples were examined by confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy (CLSM). Only group 4 (combined treatment) resulted in significant increases in cell death, with rates of 75% and 55% after 8 h of incubation, and 74% and 42% at 12 h, for biofilms formed in brain–heart infusion (BHI) broth supplemented with 0% or 0.1% sucrose, respectively. Therefore, PDT of S. mutans biofilms using a combination of erythrosine and a dental halogen curing unit, both widely used in dental clinics, resulted in a significant increase in cell death. The PDT effects are decreased in biofilms that form in the presence of sucrose.

One‐hundred‐twenty crossbred pigs finished at 175–185 days of age were used to investigate the effects of live weights at slaughter on the meat quality, volatile flavor compounds, and sensory attributes of pork meat. Based on the live weights at slaughter, three weight groups (n = 36 per group) were classified as follows: light weight (LW: 100 kg), medium weight (MW: 110 kg), and heavy weight (HW: 120 kg). After slaughter, longissimus dorsi muscle samples were taken and used for the analyses of aforementioned parameters. The HW group had higher fat content and water holding capacity compared to the LW or MW group (p < 0.05). The HW group also showed higher levels for majority of unsaturated fatty acids and total polyunsaturated fatty acids than the LW group (p < 0.05). The slaughter weight significantly affected the amounts of 11 among the 47 flavor compounds identified. Significantly higher amounts of fatty acids oxidation‐derived flavor compounds (aldehydes) were found in the HW group than in the other groups. Noticeably, increasing slaughter weight was associated with higher sensorial scores for flavor, juiciness, and acceptance scores (p < 0.05). Based on the obtained results, 120 kg body weight is recommended as the market weight for this commercial breed without compromising the meat quality.

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Objective: Pork belly is considered as the most commercially important and preferable primal cut by consumers worldwide. Thus, this study was conducted to determine the effects of fat levels on the meat quality characteristics of pork bellies.Methods: Seventy-eight growing-finishing pigs collected from different commercial pig farms were slaughtered and used in the present study. After slaughter 24 h, bellies were fabricated according to the Korean Pork Cutting Specification, and immediately sampled for analysis of their fat content. Based on the fat levels, the bellies were segregated into three different groups: low fat (LF, fat ≤20%, n = 15), medium fat (MF, fat 21% to 30%, n = 30), and high fat (HF, fat ≥31%, n = 33). The bellies were then analyzed for meat quality traits, fatty acids, flavor compounds and eating quality properties.Results: The HF group had lower moisture and cooking loss levels compared to the other groups (p<0.05). The LF group presented higher proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acids compared to the other groups (p<0.05). The LF group showed higher amounts of the Maillard reaction-derived flavor compounds (e.g., 2,5-dimethyl pyrazine, 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethyl, and 4-methylthiazole) associated with meaty and roasty flavors whereas, the HF group showed higher amounts of oleic acid- derived compounds (e.g., nonanal and octanal) associated with the fatty and oily flavors. Interestingly, significantly higher scores for all the eating quality attributes (flavor, juiciness, tenderness, and overall acceptance) were found in the HF group compared to those in the LF or MF group (p<0.05).Conclusion: The high-fat bellies (fat ≥31%) had a better technological quality and eating quality compared to the low-fat bellies (fat ≤20%). Thus, increasing the fat content may improve the technological quality and eating quality traits of pork bellies, however, this increase may also result in more trimmed loss due to excessively deposited body fat.

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This effect of Monascus and Laccaic acid on the chemical composition, physical, texture and sensory properties of sausage were investigated during storage. Eight treatments (T) of sausage such as T1 (12 ppm sodium nitrite), while T2, T3, T4, T5, T6 and T7 were formulated with different ratios of Monascus/Laccaic acid: 63/7.0, 108/12, 135/15, 59.5/10.5, 102/18 and 127.5/22.5 ppm, respectively. The batch formulated without nitrite or Monascus and laccaic acid was served as control (C). The control sausages had higher pH values compared to the treated ones at 3, 10 and 28 d storage (p<0.05). After 10 d storage, the pH values decreased in treated sausage samples (p<0.05). The T1 and T4 presented the lowest yellowness and lightness values, respectively over the storage period. The redness values were increased as increasing Monascus and Laccaic acid amounts (T2-T4, T5-T7). The addition of Monascus and Laccaic acid had significantly higher hardness and springiness values (p<0.05) compared with the control in 3, 19 or 28 d storage. The results indicated that the addition of Monascus and Laccaic acid could improve the redness of the products.