Abul Hashem

The misrepresentation of frozen-thawed meat as fresh constitutes economic fraud that can result in financial losses and erode consumer confidence in meat products. Portable near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy could serve as a process analytical tool for on-site screening if its predictive performance can be maintained across previously unseen animals. This study developed a leakage-controlled, explainable and reliability-calibrated workflow to screen chevon (goat meat) for freeze-thaw history with a handheld short-wave NIR spectrometer (710 to 1027 nm). Longissimus dorsi samples from 400 Black Bengal goats were scanned fresh and after vacuum-packed storage at −18 °C for 60 d and thawing. All data-driven steps used 320 training animals, nested animal-grouped cross-validation estimated performance and 80 unseen animals formed an independent test set. Freeze-thaw increased absorbance by 0.137 AU on average (median paired d_z = 1.06) and changed spectral shape regionally. A support vector machine selected by the one-standard-error rule reached a nested accuracy of 0.865 ± 0.022 and a test accuracy of 0.888 (95% CI 0.831 to 0.931, AUC 0.961), equivalent to linear models. Discrimination relied mainly on the broadband absorbance level. At 95% confidence, class-conditional conformal prediction classified 56.2% of test samples with 98.9% accuracy and referred the remainder. Since the two states were scanned on different days, same-session validation is required before deployment. These results highlight the potential of handheld NIR spectroscopy for reliable on-site screening of freeze-thaw history in chevon.

Ensuring the authenticity of high‐value indigenous meats such as cattle ( Bos indicus ) and water buffalo ( Bubalus bubalis ) has gained heightened attention as a result of frequent adulteration in global supply chains. This study established a rapid, non‐destructive authentication framework comparing physicochemical profiling and portable near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) combined with machine learning (ML). Forty longissimus thoracis et lumborum samples ( n = 20/species) were analyzed for pH, color ( L *, a *, b *), water‐holding capacity, drip loss, cooking loss, and shear force. A total of 4000 NIR spectra (700–1100 nm) were acquired using a handheld spectrometer. Buffalo samples exhibited significantly higher shear force (77.82 N), cooking loss (32.56%), and redness ( a * = 20.92) than cattle ( p < 0.001). NIRS analysis revealed distinct absorbance peaks in buffalo in the O–H (900–980 nm) and C─ H/N─H (750–850, 1060–1088 nm) regions. ML models, including XGBoost and a 1D convolutional neural network, achieved 98.12% and 98.4% accuracy, respectively. SHAP analysis identified 1075.30 nm as a key differentiating wavelength associated with protein and moisture. However, further validation using larger and more diverse sample sets, external test datasets, and intentional adulteration scenarios is required before confirming its broader applicability for routine authentication and fraud detection.

Rabbit meat is increasingly valued for its high nutritional quality, driving growing interest in enhancing its production through phytobiotics like plant‐based flavonoid blend (PFB). So, this study looked at how a PFB at different doses influences the performance, digestibility, gut microbiota, blood biomarkers, liver health, and meat quality of growing rabbits. Sixty rabbits (body weight 552.63 ± 13.44 g) were assigned at random to five dietary groups, having twelve replicates per group. The rabbits were fed a basal diet as a total mixed ration having 17.02% crude protein and 11.60 MJ metabolizable energy/kg dry matter (DM), supplemented with PFB (g/kg diet) at 0.0 (control), 0.20, 0.40, 0.60, and 0.80. Following a 2 weeks adjustment period, the feeding trial was conducted for 5 weeks. When the trial was over, rabbits were sacrificed to collect digesta, blood, and meat samples for further analysis. Supplementation with PFB at 0.60 g/kg diet (range: 0.50–0.70 g/kg) showed a better final body weight ( p = 0.01), weight gain ( p < 0.001), and feed conversion ratio ( p < 0.001), while significantly improving DM, nitrogen‐free extract ( p < 0.001), and ether extract ( p = 0.02) digestibility. Besides, supplementation with PFB presented a linear reduction in Escherichia coli ( p = 0.003), accompanied by linear improvement in Lactobacillus spp. ( p < 0.001) and serum high density lipoprotein‐cholesterol (HDL‐C; p = 0.001). Broken‐line analysis indicated optimal PFB supplementation levels of 0.60, 0.47, and 0.60 g/kg diet for E. coli , Lactobacillus spp., and HDL‐C, respectively. However, feed intake, serum triglycerides, other cholesterols, total protein, albumin, globulin, and uric acid remained unchanged across the groups. Furthermore, supplementation with PFB with an estimated breakpoint of 0.55 g PFB/kg of diet effectively ( p ≤ 0.02) reduced serum liver enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase) indicating better liver health. In addition, PFB supplementation linearly reduced meat ether extract content and improved meat redness ( p < 0.001), with optimal responses at 0.58 and 0.60 g/kg diet, respectively, while having no impacts on meat protein, ash, lightness, or yellowness. Therefore, dietary inclusion of PFB at 0.55 g–0.60 g per kg diet optimized growth performance through enhanced weight gain, feed efficiency, and nutrient digestibility, while favorably modulating cecum microbiome, serum cholesterol, liver enzyme activities, and ameliorated meat quality.

Aim: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of butchers and beef handlers in Bangladesh, and to examine factors associated with their food safety knowledge. Methods: A two-stage stratified random sample of 160 respondents was drawn from 16 districts between January 2023 and December 2024. Data were collected using a structured KAP questionnaire. Scores were categorized into low, medium, and high knowledge groups. Descriptive statistics, chi-square (χ²) tests, and a partial proportional odds model (PPOM) were applied. Results: Findings showed high awareness of the importance of hygiene and willingness to adopt training (> 90%), yet actual practices were poor. Only 8.8% of butchers performed post-mortem examinations, 2.5% had chilling facilities, and < 1% reported using modern processing technology. Knowledge of GAP, GMP, HACCP, relevant regulations, and withdrawal periods was limited. In the PPOM analysis, higher profit per kilogram of beef (OR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.04–1.25; p = 0.004) and average practice level (OR = 3.26; 95% CI: 1.02–10.45; p = 0.047) were significantly associated with higher food safety knowledge. Demographic variables were not significant predictors. Conclusions: The results highlight substantial gaps between attitudes and actual practices in beef handling. Targeted training, infrastructure support, and regulatory enforcement are recommended to strengthen meat safety in Bangladesh.

BackgroundHorse husbandry in Bangladesh remains largely informal and poorly documented despite its importance for the livelihoods of marginalized communities.AimsThis study provides a national-level assessment of the socio-economic characteristics of horse keepers, management practices, and the utilization of horse milk and meat in Bangladesh.MethodsA six-month cross-sectional survey (January–June 2025) was conducted in 202 villages across 100 upazilas of 40 districts covering all eight administrative divisions of Bangladesh. Data were collected through structured interviews with 255 horse-owning households, documenting 485 horses (298 males and 187 females).ResultsHorse rearing was predominantly practiced by socio-economically disadvantaged groups with limited education and land ownership. Agriculture was the main livelihood, while horses provided supplementary or primary income through transport, tourism, draft power, traditional racing, and recreation, although economic returns were generally low. Management systems were largely traditional and resource constrained. Most horses were native “Deshi” types kept under semi-intensive or open housing systems with poor housing design, sanitation, and ventilation. Feeding relied mainly on natural forages and paddy straw, with minimal use of balanced concentrates and inadequate water provision. Nutritional deficiencies and prevalence of infectious and non-infectious diseases were observed. Preventive healthcare practices, including vaccination and deworming, were poorly adopted, and most owners depended on unqualified practitioners. Utilization of horse milk and meat was minimal due to cultural and religious constraints.ConclusionsSubstantial gaps exist in horse management, nutrition, and healthcare, highlighting the need for targeted policy support, extension services, and capacity-building interventions.