http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12327/4 2026-04-15T16:16:05Z 2026-04-15T16:16:05Z Aguilar-Vega, Cecilia Velarde, Antonio Segalés, Joaquim Pérez, Diego Bagaria, Marc Garcia Morante, Beatriz http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12327/5202 2026-04-11T02:00:50Z 2026-03-30T00:00:00Z

Temporal dynamics and intra-farm variability of animal welfare indicators in fattening pigs Aguilar-Vega, Cecilia; Velarde, Antonio; Segalés, Joaquim; Pérez, Diego; Bagaria, Marc; Garcia Morante, Beatriz The Welfare Quality® (WQ®) protocols are broadly implemented for monitoring farm animal welfare and certification purposes. However, they represent a single snapshot in time, demand a significant amount of time for execution, appraise only a subset of the animals, and to achieve high repeatability among assessors, they must be continuously trained. In growing pigs, the dynamic nature of physiological and behavioural changes during the production cycle may affect the consistency of monitoring over time and thus the reliability of the method. Hence, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the temporal variability of principles, criteria and measures of the WQ® protocol in growing pigs, and the intra-farm (between buildings) variability of selected measures. The full WQ® protocol was applied every two weeks during the fattening period in two separate buildings of the same farm by the same two trained assessors (seven and eight visits respectively). A descriptive temporal analysis was conducted, and the relation of measures was explored using Spearman’s correlation. Intra-farm variability of selected measures was assessed for each visit using a permutation test for independence. Certain variability in some measures, criteria and principles was observed depending on the timing of the assessment during the growing period. The “good housing” principle was the most fluctuating variable over time, due to the substantial downward trend of the scores of both the “comfort around resting” and “ease of movement” criteria. Although the “good health” principle was the most stable in terms of absolute score, the categorization changed in one assessment in one of the studied buildings. Both “good feeding” and “appropriate behaviour” remained stable in their categorization. More variability was observed at the criteria and measure levels. In terms of intra-farm variability, measures from four conditions were significantly different, in at least one visit, being the “fear of humans” measure the most frequently variable. This study highlighted the possible differences that may arise in WQ® scoring depending on the time of the assessment during a growing period. The temporal dynamics and intra-farm variability of this protocol outcomes warrant further investigation to improve the reliability of welfare monitoring protocols.

2026-03-30T00:00:00Z Garcia Morante, Beatriz Da Costa, Maria Rodrigues Segalés, Joaquim http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12327/5201 2026-04-11T02:00:54Z 2026-03-30T00:00:00Z

Exploring definitions of porcine respiratory disease complex in the literature: a scoping review protocol Garcia Morante, Beatriz; Da Costa, Maria Rodrigues; Segalés, Joaquim Background: Porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC) is a major health and economic concern in commercial swine production, contributing to reduced growth performance, increased mortality, elevated treatment costs, and widespread antimicrobial use. Although the term and its acronym are widely used in both research and clinical practice, its definition varies considerably across studies. Definitions may rely solely on clinical signs or incorporate combinations of pathological findings, laboratory diagnostics, performance indicators, and environmental or management factors. This lack of definition consistency challenges disease surveillance, diagnosis, and comparability across studies, potentially hindering the development of effective interventions. Scoping reviews are particularly suited for clarifying how complex terms are defined, mapping research approaches, and identifying gaps in knowledge. The objective of this scoping review is to systematically map and describe how PRDC has been defined and operationalized in the scientific literature.Methods and analysis: This review will follow a five-step refined methodological framework guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Eligible sources will include peer-reviewed and grey literature published in English language from 1990 onwards. Searches will be conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, CAB Abstracts, and Scopus, supplemented by grey literature sources such as OpenGrey, ProQuest, and Google Scholar. Additionally, all open-access issues of the Journal of Swine Health and Production will be manually reviewed. Two reviewers will independently screen titles, abstracts, and full texts, with disagreements resolved by consensus or a third reviewer. Data will be extracted on study characteristics, PRDC definitions, diagnostic criteria, pathogens considered, and production context, including environmental and/or housing/management conditions. Results will be reported in accordance with PRISMA-ScR, using descriptive tables and narrative synthesis to explore variability and consistency in PRDC definitions.Discussion: This protocol outlines a scoping review designed to chart how PRDC has been defined in swine health research. By identifying areas of consensus and divergence, the review will support the development of more consistent case definitions, enhance cross-study comparability, and inform future research and systematic reviews.

2026-03-30T00:00:00Z Boronat, Òscar Tolosana, Juan Pla, Anna Aguiló-Aguayo, Ingrid Abadias, Maribel Solé, Joan Martin-Gómez, Helena http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12327/5200 2026-04-11T02:00:33Z 2025-12-13T00:00:00Z

Functional and gastronomic comparison of fresh and dehydrated Spirulina ice creams Boronat, Òscar; Tolosana, Juan; Pla, Anna; Aguiló-Aguayo, Ingrid; Abadias, Maribel; Solé, Joan; Martin-Gómez, Helena Spirulina (Limnospira platensis) is a cyanobacterium that is widely recognized for its sustainability and nutritional value. With approximately 70 % protein content on a dry mass basis and a diversity of essential nutrients including vitamins A, B12, and β-carotene, Spirulina holds significant promise for enhancing human health. This study evaluates the properties of fresh and dehydrated Spirulina, comparing hand-produced and industrial powder forms. Key analyses included C-phycocyanin concentration via UV–Vis spectrophotometry and antioxidant activity using the ABTS method. Our findings demonstrate that temperatures above 50 °C reduced C-phycocyanin stability and antioxidant activity. Dehydrated Spirulina exhibited superior properties compared to fresh forms, while sugar addition further enhanced antioxidant activity. To broaden consumer appeal, Spirulina was incorporated into ice cream, chosen for its ability to preserve antioxidant properties due to its sugar content. Melting rate analysis revealed that no Spirulina form fully replaced the need for stabilizing gums, though ice creams with dehydrated Spirulina exhibited better water-holding capacity. Sensory analysis indicated consumer preference for fresh Spirulina ice cream over other forms. This study highlights Spirulina's versatility, emphasizing its potential as a functional food ingredient while also addressing challenges related to processing and product development.

2025-12-13T00:00:00Z Allende, Ana Bover-Cid, Sara http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12327/5199 2026-04-09T02:00:47Z 2026-03-17T00:00:00Z

Beyond the zero-risk illusion: negotiating food safety in a One Health era Allende, Ana; Bover-Cid, Sara

2026-03-17T00:00:00Z