Recent developments in sheep and beef processing in Australasia

Pasteurization is a widely employed thermal processing technique designed to enhance the safety and shelf life of perishable food and beverages. By subjecting products to specific high temperatures for controlled durations, this method effectively inactivates pathogenic microorganisms and spoilage enzymes without significantly compromising sensory qualities. The technique has been pivotal in food safety management, especially for consumables susceptible to microbial contamination such as milk,...

Upstream processing represents a critical phase in biomanufacturing, wherein biological systems such as microorganisms, mammalian cells, or insect cells are cultivated to produce therapeutic proteins, vaccines, enzymes, or other biologically derived products. This phase encompasses all steps from the selection and genetic manipulation of the production organism to the cultivation of cells in bioreactors under tightly controlled environmental conditions.Host Selection and Genetic OptimizationThe...

The first successfully cloned mammal was Dolly, a sheep, born on 5th July 1996 at Roslin Institute, Scotland. The cloned sheep was named after the American singer Dolly Parton. Dolly lived for seven years and died of respiratory complications, which is speculated to be due to the actual age of her DNA. Because the DNA in cloned cells belongs to an older individual,  the cloned individual’s life expectancy may be affected. Indeed, analysis of Dolly’s DNA revealed shorter telomeres than other...

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...

Downstream processing begins once fermentation is complete and involves a series of steps to recover and purify products such as acids, vitamins, antibiotics, or proteins.Cell HarvestingFor example, for intracellular protein-based products, the first step is harvesting the cells. This is typically achieved using centrifugation or filtration to separate the cells from the liquid phase.Cell Disruption for Intracellular ProductsIf the target product is intracellular, the harvested cells must be...

Food spoilage is caused by microbial growth or by chemical and physical changes, all of which affect the taste, texture, and safety of food.Temperature-Based PreservationRefrigeration at 0–4 °C slows microbial growth and enzyme activity, making it ideal for short-term storage. However, certain spoilage organisms—such as psychrotrophs like Listeria monocytogenes—can still proliferate at these temperatures. Freezing below -18 °C further slows biological processes by forming ice crystals, which...