• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.270-277
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• 2018

Objective: The present experiment has tested the effect of dietary alfalfa flavonoids (AAF) supplementation on the productive performances, carcass characteristics, meat quality and lipid oxidation of growing rabbits. Methods: One hundred and sixty crossbred rabbits (42 days old) were divided into four groups of forty animals each and were fed either a control diet (AAF0) or an AAF0 diet supplemented with 400, 800, or 1,200 mg of AAF/kg per diet (AAF4, AAF8, and AAF12, respectively) from weaning to slaughtering (102 days old). Performance data were recorded over a period of 60 days. At the end of the trial, 12 rabbits were slaughtered per group, and the carcass characteristics were recorded. Moreover, the plasma, liver and dorsal muscles were sampled from 12 rabbits/group, and were analyzed for lipid oxidation. Results: No significant differences were recorded for the performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality traits except for lightness parameter that was lower in the control group. Dietary AAF supplementation significantly (p<0.01) affected the malondialdehyde (MDA) levels of the frozen meat in a dose-related manner, with the lowest value (0.24 mg MDA/kg fresh meat) recorded in the AAF12 group samples. Conclusion: These findings indicated that the dietary inclusion of AAF in rabbit diets improved muscle oxidation stability with no adverse effects on the growth performance of the animals even if a slight impact on meat lightness color parameter was recorded.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.262-272
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• 1984

A study on the balance of essential amino acids in Korean diet and further investigation on quality of protein through optimum combination of foods using the least square method based on FAO/WHO (1973) provisional score patterns were carried out The results of the optimum gross combination are summarized as follows: 1) The first limiting amino acids of the Korean diet was found to be methionine and cysteine based on both whole egg and FAO/WHO (1973) provisional score patterns. 2) Weight ratios between rice and beef, chicken, pork, rabbit meat are 7 : 3, 4 : 1, 4 : 1, and 3 : 1. The amino acid score and the least amino acid are 100(phe+tyr), 99(thr), 111(trp), and 109(leu) for each combination. This result indicates that pork and rabbit meat can be high quality protein sources for the rice eating people. 3) Weight ratios between rice and anchovy, saury, ark shell, pollack, cuttle fish, tuna and herring are 2 : 1, 5 : 1, 3 : 2, 3 : 1, 3 : 1, 4 : 1, and 3 : 1. 4) Weight ratios between potato and rice, wheat flour are 8 : 1 and 24 : 1. Lysine, the limiting amino acid of rice and wheat flour can be complemented by combining these with potato. 5) It is possible to apply this idea on typical Korean dishes. For example, in case of soybean-sprout rice the optimum combinations of rice : soybean-sprout : pork and rice : soybean-sprout : beef are 4 : 1 : 1 and 11 : 1 : 5. It is of utmost importance to pursue further more desirable combinations with more complex food items and transform the result obtained by the computer analysis into more practical terms for practical use.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.1169-1177
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• 2012

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of different amounts of dietary linoleic acid (LA) on growth performance, serum biochemical traits, meat quality, fatty acids composition of muscle and liver, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 (CPT 1) mRNA expression in the liver of 9 wks old to 13 wks old growing meat rabbits. One hundred and fifty 9 wks old meat rabbits were allocated to individual cages and randomly divided into five groups. Animals in each group were fed with a diet with the following LA addition concentrations: 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 g/kg diet (as-fed basis) and LA concentrations were 0.84, 1.21, 1.34, 1.61 and 1.80% in the diet, respectively. The results showed as follows: the dietary LA levels significantly affected muscle color of LL included $a^*$ and $b^*$ of experimental rabbits (p<0.05). The linear effect of LA on serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol was obtained (p = 0.0119). The saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) contents of LL decreased and the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) content of LL increased with dietary LA increase (p<0.0001). The PUFA n-6 content and PUFA n-3 content in the LL was significantly affected by the dietary LA levels (p<0.01, p<0.05). The MUFAs content in the liver decreased and the PUFAs contents in the liver increased with dietary LA increase (p<0.0001). The PUFA n-6 content and the PUFA n-6/n-3 ratio in the liver increased and PUFA n-3 content in the liver decreased with dietary LA increase (p<0.01). The linear effect of LA on CPT 1 mRNA expression in the liver was obtained (p = 0.0081). In summary, dietary LA addition had significant effects on liver and muscle fatty acid composition (increased PUFAs) of 9 wks old to 13 wks old growing meat rabbits, but had little effects on growth performance, meat physical traits and mRNA expression of liver relative enzyme of experimental rabbits.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.759-763
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• 2015

The breeding of domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) for human consumption has a long tradition in China. Infections that can affect the production of meat or even be transmitted from animals to humans are important to monitor, especially for public health reasons as well as for their impact on animal health. Thus, a total of 1,132 domestic rabbit sera from 4 regions in China were collected for serological screening for Encephalitozoon cuniculi and for Toxoplasma gondii by ELISA and modified agglutination test (MAT), respectively. Antibodies to E. cuniculi were detected in 248/1,132 (21.9%) sera tested while antibodies against T. gondii revealed a seroprevalence of 51/1,132 (4.5%). We believe that the present results are of epidemiological implications and public health importance due to the acknowledged susceptibility of humans to E. cuniculi and T. gondii infections. Therefore, routine screening tests of domestic rabbits are proposed considering the zoonotic potential of these parasites.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.10-18
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• 2015

The changes in fatty acid composition of total intramuscular lipid and phospholipids were investigated in the longissimus dorsi, left-hind leg muscle, and abdominal muscle of male Ira rabbits. Changes were monitored at 35, 45, 60, 75, and 90 d. Analysis using gas chromatography identified 21 types of fatty acids. Results showed that the intramuscular lipid increased and the intramuscular phospholipids (total intramuscular lipid %) decreased in all muscles with increasing age (p<0.05). An abundant amount of unsaturated fatty acids, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids, was distributed in male Ira rabbits at different ages and muscles. Palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0), oleic acid (C18:1), linoleic acid (C18:2), and arachidonic acid (C20:4) were the major fatty acids, which account to the dynamic changes of the n-6/n-3 value in Ira rabbit meat.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.151-160
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• 2024

Objective: The growing consumers' interest on animal welfare has raised the request of products obtained by alternative rearing systems. The present study was conducted to assess the influence of housing system on gut and muscle morphology and on microbial load in rabbits reared under free-range (FR) and cage system (CS). Methods: A total of forty weaned (35 days of age) male Italian White breed rabbits were allotted according to the rearing system, and at 91 days of age were randomly selected and slaughtered for the morphological evaluation of tissue from duodenum and longissimus lumborum. Morphometric analysis of the villus height, villus width, crypt depth, villus height/crypt depth ratio, and villus surface was performed. The microbial loads on hind muscle was determined by total mesophilic aerobic count (TMAC), Escherichia coli and Enterobacteriaceae; whereas, total anaerobic bacteria count (TABC) and TMAC, E. coli and Enterobacteriaceae was determined on caecal content. Results: Rearing system did not interfere with the duodenum and muscle histomorphology in both rabbit groups. Similarly, microbial load of caecal content showed no significant differences on the TABC and TMAC. Conversely, significant difference was found for E. coli strains in caecal content, with the lower counts in FR compared to CS rabbits (p<0.01). Microbiological assay of muscle revealed significant lower TMAC in FR vs CS rabbits (p< 0.05). All rabbit meat samples were negative for E. Coli and Enterobacteriaceae. Conclusion: Free-range could be considered a possible alternative and sustainable rearing system in rabbits to preserve gut environment and muscle quality.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.444-455
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• 1991

Two kinds of new lectin fractions (LOA-I, LOA-II) were obtained from loach (Misgurnus spp.) meat by 0.15 M NaCl extraction, salt fractionation, ion exchange and hydroxyapatite column chromatographies. On polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, LOA-I exhibited one major and a few minor bands, but LOA-II exhibited three minor bands. The partially purified loach lectins agglutinated not only erythrocytes of human B and AB type, rabbit, dog, but also murine splenic lymphocytes. Agglutinability was relatively labile at various pH and stable at increasing temperature, but was not affected by tested several metal ions. By the sugar specificity test, D-glucosamine and metyl-$\beta$-galactopyranose inhibited agglutinating activity at a final concentration of 3 mM. The lectins contained relatively high amounts of aspartic acid, valine and leucine, but sulfur containing amino acids, cystein, methionine and isoleucine were not determined. LOA-I, LOA-II lectins were nonmitogenic toward murine lymphocytes.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.204-208
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• 1992

This study was carried out to develop a practical enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) for the determination of soy protein in processed meat products as a preliminary study. The titer of antiserum raised in rabbit by injection of SDS-treated whole buffer extract(WBE) from isolates soy protein(ISP) was above 1:10,000 in indirect ELISA. When the SDS concentration was higher than 0.03% the antibody-antigen reaction was inhibited significantly. However, the antibody-antigen reaction inhibition was not observed when the SDS concentration was less than 0.02%. The antibodies used in this experiment also reacted with renatured antigen after removing SDS by dialysis, though not better than with SDS-denatured antigen(immunogen). The calibration curve with $100\;{\mu}g/100\;ml$ of sensitivity was obtained in indirect competitive ELISA.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 1977

Nutrition counselors in Korea often encounter difficulty in their attempt to change village women's attitudes regarding food taboos which are counter to good eating habits. There are a great many food superstitions which are not due to religious influence, but seem to be related to shape and composition of food. Many expectant mothers superstitiously avoid eating certain foods for fear that they may cause mental or physical abnormality in their babies. As was shown in a previous survey (Mo, 1966)of villages in all provinces except Jeju Island, such superstitions were common among pregnant and lactating mothers. Many food taboos and superstitions based on non-scientific and irrational ideas do exist even in modern society, and are a major obstacle to nutritionally adequate food consumption. A study of food taboos among women of Jeju Island was undertaken from November to December of 1976, these results to be compared as well with those of the previous study. There were 73 items found to be prohibited during pregnancy. Of these, 48.7% were of the deaf group, 17.4% fish, 5.5% eggs, 4.7% cereal, and only 2.2% fruit. Of 252% women respondents, 111 (45% ) abstained from eating chicken, duck, and shark because of the belief that they would cause their babies to be born with gooseflesh or shark skin. Many of them avoided rabbit meat for fear that their babies might be born with harelip. It was also feared that a baby would become disfigured if his mother ate duck, goat, dog meat, chicken or duck eggs, or soup made of bones. A common superstition was that highly spiced or salty foods would cause the fetus to be hairless. Squid and octopus were believed to cause babies to have weak bones, or none at all. Most of these food taboos were associated with fears concerning Physical structure and appearance of unborn babies. Other taboos were associated with fear of undesirable behavioral characteristics. For example, some mothers thought that a baby would pinch or bite the mother's breast during the weaning period, if crab meat were eaten during pregnancy. Unevenly sliced rice cake, loach, snake meat and eel were also believed to cause a baby to be ill-tempered. The findings of this study are remarkably similar to those of the previous study conducted by the authour in 1966. Most of the same food taboos, based on non-scientific and irrational reasons, were found on Jeju Island as on the peninsula, and thor were similarly wide-spread. The results of correlational analysis show that the most significant factors related to prevalence of food taboos, are level of education and religious background. Number of food taboos is correlated with level of education. Also, food taboos are least freqent among the Christian woman. Proper nutrition education should he undertaken in order to encourage intake of protein-rich food, particularly during pregnancy when nutritional needs of mother and fetus are great.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.733-739
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• 1966

A 371 agricultural households from 26 different communities in South Korea was subjected on a study of food taboos in January of 1966. To the pregnant women, those to whom a high protein diet is particurally important, as many as 14 different kinds of foods, mostly portein rich foods, were avoided to eat. It is believed that if duck is eaten while pregnant her baby may walk like a duck in later life. Some mother have a strong aversion to the rabbit meat that her unborn baby must be a harelip. It is feared to eat chicken, shark or carp by the pregnant mother for her baby may get a gooseflesh appearance, or fish scale-like skin in later life. It is thought that if mother eats soup made of meat borns, especially chicken bones, a disfigured baby may be born. Some area informed that if mother eats crab meat her future baby will always bubble. To the child-bearing mothers 13 different kinds of foods were avoided to eat. Some believe that if raddish kimchi, soybean curd, squash are eaten while dilivery that mother may get dental decay or to lose all her teeth. Other think that highly spiced raddish kimchi cause delivery difficult. To the lactating mothers 7 different items of foods were not recommended to eat. It is a common belief that eating green vegetables, especially fresh lettuce, are restricted that her baby may stool greenish. It is said that eating ginsen-chicken soup, or ginsen tea during lactating reduces breast milk secretion. To the weaning babies 7 different kinds of foods were prohibited to fee. Eggs are not eaten because mothers think her babies will start to talk very late. Eight different items of foods in cases of gastro-intestinal diseases, 5 items for liver disease, 7 items for high blood pressure as well as for paralysis were respectively restricted. It is said that meats including pork, beef, and chicken are neither desirable for the patients of high blood pressure nor those of paralysis. To the measles children 10 varieties of foods were restricted. Especially soybean products and meats were not encouraged to use for avoiding asecond attack of measles. For the common cold 8 different kinds of foods were aversed and men think that eating of soup of undria delays a recovery. For the tuberculosis 4 kinds of foods were prohibited to eat. It is said that wine, red pepper and ginsen will stimulate lung bleeding. Many mothers had a strong aversion to fermented shrimp and fish in case of style. and 5 different items of foods were restricted. In case of menstration not so many foods were restricted as other cases, but meat soup is not eaten in this condition in some areas. Majority of food taboos in Korean villages are neither based on tribal nor religious factors. But no one knows how, since what ages, from where, these food taboos have been transmitted and spread over the country. This survey found a great variety of food taboos, aversions, traditional beliefs and prohibitions latent unknown reseasons, or non-scientific conceptions, or completely different ideas from the modern medical aspect, or somewhat fallacious and superstitious beliefs. For the vascular disease contrasting approach were found between modern the oritical therapy and popular remedy among the rural populations who largely depend on the eastern medication. Further scientific study on either side should be done to lead the patient proper way. Many restricted foods such as rabbit, duck, chicken and fish are best resources of protein rich foods which are available in the village. Emphasis should be laid upon breaking down fallacious and supersititious food taboos through the extended nutrition education activities in order to improve food habit and good eating pattern for healthier and stronger generations of Korea.