Pulses (Fabaceae) are an excellent source of nutrients with protein content equal to the protein of meats. Regularly choosing such meat alternatives as pulses can help minimize the amount of saturated fat and increase the amount of fibre in the diet. New pulse products could benefit vegetarians and people struggling with new diet changes. The aim of this study was to determine pulse consumption patterns of Latvian adults. An 11 question survey was developed on an online survey website www.visidati.lv to analyse consumer attitudes towards pulse consumption in Latvia. The questionnaire was completed by 780 respondents from September to December 2013. During the Baltics food industry fair ‘Riga Food 2013’ five question survey was carried out after vegetarian bean spread tasting. The questions were related to pulse consumption and preference; five questions survey consisted of overall preference and quality determination of the product. The results show that the majority of Latvian omnivore adults consume pulses about once a week or less; while pulse intake in vegetarian adults is significantly higher (p is less than 0.05). Latvian adults prefer green peas (Pisum sativum L.), navy and broad beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), lentils (Lens culinaris Medik.), chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.) and maple peas (Pisum sativum L. var. arvense). Overall preference of vegetarian bean spread with sun-dried tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is ‘like very much’ (4.5 – 4.6) and most of the respondents would purchase this product if it was available in a store.

There are different methods of egg yolk oil extraction, but still solvent extraction is commonly used. Due to the high cost of egg yolk powder production, extraction of lipids from liquid egg yolk remains very topical. Crude egg yolk oil obtained by solvent extraction from liquid egg yolk contains high amount of water which can decrease shelf life of egg oil promoting lipid oxidation. High concentration of residual solvents limits the usage of egg oil in food or in cosmetics due to the health risks. The aim of this study is to purify egg yolk oil obtained by solvent extraction from liquid egg yolk. Results show that it is possible to decrease the water content in egg oil from 14.26 ± 1.29% to 0.88 ± 0.13% by eliminating lecithin from egg oil. Solvent evaporation in the rotary film evaporator under the vacuum cannot remove solvents completely from the extract, but nitrogen streaming through the extract as a last step in evaporation process removes solvent residues, leaving behind high quality egg yolk oil suitable for food application.

The present study was undertaken to estimate enzymatically hydrolysed and non–hydrolysed wheat (Triticum aestivum) and rye (Secale cereale) bran microflora. Enzymatic hydrolysis was accomplished by α – amylase from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and by Viscozyme L which contain a wide range of enzymes responsible for the breakdown of carbohydrates into simple sugars. Wheat and rye bran samples were collected from native mills, namely Stock Company (SC) ‘Rigas dzirnavnieks’ wheat bran with large particle size (WLSR), SC ‘Jelgavas dzirnavas’ rye bran with small particle size (RSSJ), SC ‘Dobeles dzirnavnieks’ wheat bran with small particle size (WSSD) and wheat bran with large particle size (WLSD). Gained results indicate that before enzymatic hydrolysis all of the bran samples showed similar microbiological contamination with total plate count (TPC), yeasts and lactic acid bacteria. Enzymatic hydrolysis of bran gives the possibility to partially eliminate the microbiological contamination with TPC, yeasts and lactic acid bacteria. The amount of microorganisms after enzymatic hydrolysis (before storage) were decreased and ranged from 5.26 ± 0.04 to 5.45 ± 0.01 log CFU gE-1, from 4.81 ± 0.01 to 5.60 ± 0.05 log CFU gE-1, and from 4.09 ± 0.01 to 5.10 ± 0.05 log CFU gE-1, respectively. After eight weeks of storage (temperature – 20 ± 1 °C, relative humidity – 40 ± 1%) enumeration of microorganisms showed significant decrease of colony–forming units in all bran samples. The amount of TPC, yeasts and lactic acid bacteria in the control bran samples fluctuated in a range from 4.84 ± 0.04 to 5.49 ± 0.05 log CFU gE-1, from 4.86 ± 0.03 to 5.25 ± 0.03 log CFU g-1, 3.53 ± 0.03 to 4.21 ± 0.02 log CFU gE-1 respectively.

The purpose of the current research was to investigate the total protein content and amino acid composition of flour blend made from several types of whole grain flour for pasta production. Conventional rye, hull-less barley, triticale and wheat grain was used in the experiments. For the flour blend obtaining white wheat flour type 550 was used. Using standard methods the following quality parameters were analysed: protein content in grain and flour samples by using InfratecTM model 1241 Grain Analyzer, in flour blend – by AACC 46–20, amino acid content by LVS ISO 13903:2005. In the present research it was determined that it is possible to increase the total protein content in wheat flour type 550 by 11% if adding whole wheat or whole triticale flour, and by 7% if adding whole grain flour of hull-less barley. Higher total amino acid content was obtained for whole wheat flour sample; lower – for whole rye flour sample. Significantly lower total amino acid content was obtained in whole rye, hull-less barley and triticale flour comparing with whole grain wheat flour. No significant differences (p=0.779) were found in the analysed essential amino acid content made of different flour blend – the content of essential amino acids in the analysed flour blend samples was very similar.

Studies have been conducted to find out the effect of the feeding of calves (Bos Taurus) with Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) concentrate produced in Latvia containing the prebiotic – inulin. The study was performed on two groups of animals - a control group of 8 animals and test (prebiotic) group of 8 animals in summer (from June to August, 2013), and winter (from December, 2013 to February, 2014) in one of cow farm of Latvia, in the municipality of Bauska. Both groups were fed the whole milk, but the test group received additionally 12 g of Jerusalem artichoke powder (an average of 500 g kgE-1 inulin) per day. The overall health status and physiological parameters (temperature, heartbeat and breathing frequency) of both animal groups before the study were of the normal range. After the experiment, we found out that the calves of the test group during both winter (one case) and summer seasons (seven cases), had fewer cases of diarrhea than the control (winter months four cases and summer months nine cases) group animals, the average daily weight gain (control group 0.53 g, prebiotic group 0.75 g) and the total weight gain (control group 29.42 kg, prebiotic group 42.13 kg) during 56 test days was significantly higher ( p is less than 0.05) than that for the control animals. We concluded that the use of Jerusalem artichoke flour concentrate when fed to the calves generally gives positive impact on the development and growth of the calves, improves the status of the gastrointestinal tract and the morphometric indicators.

During the controls for Trichinella in wild boar meat, Alaria spp. mesocercariae in the examined samples are diagnosed. There does not exist a routine veterinary inspection for diagnosis of alariosis (Alaria spp.) in Latvia. The aim of the study was to determine Alaria spp. mesocercariae distribution in wild boar (Sus scrofa) meat in Latvia. Laboratory examination was performed in Latvia University of Agriculture Faculty of Veterinary Medicine laboratory of Parasitology, from 2010 to 2013. Meat samples were examined using artificial digestion method, which in regulation No 2075/2005 is considered an official detection method for Trichinella. In total, 1233 wild boar meat samples from different hunting regions of Latvia were examined. The territory of Latvia was divided into four regions – Kurzeme, Zemgale, Vidzeme and Latgale. For examination we used meat samples from wild boar pillars of diaphragm. Samples were taken from wild boars of different age and gender. The prevalence of infection in the examined wild boar meat samples from all regions was 8.2%, but the intensity of infection 2.8.

A prospective study was performed on 15 client-owned dogs to assess the clinical outcome after surgical excision of canine cutaneous mast cell tumors (MCTs) depending on histologic grade and completeness of surgical margins. The surgical margins were evaluated as complete, close or incomplete if they were more than 3 mm, from 1 to 3 mm or less than 1 mm wide, respectively. Survival time for dogs with low grade MCT (based on grading by M. Kiupel et al.) was 409 days compared with only 60 days for dogs with high grade tumor. Dogs with high grade tumors had significantly shorter survival time and worse prognosis than dogs with low grade tumors (p=0.013). Complete excision was associated with lower possibility and longer time to tumor recurrence, as well as longer survival, however, marginal surgical border status did not have a significant impact on time to tumor recurrence and survival. It was also found that tumor duration but not tumor size had a significant impact on surgical margin status (p=0.047). Tumor size significantly affected survival time with larger tumors being correlated with shorter survival (p=0.03). The results of our study suggest that grade, tumor size and recurrence are significant factors for MCT prognostication.

A lot of different EU directives and regulations set the targets to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, to increase the share of renewable energy, and to improve energy efficiency. Biofuel usage is directly linked to all of these problems. Since the first generation food-based biofuels should not receive public support after 2020, investigations of next generation biofuels are topical. Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is one of the most promising next generation biofuels in the near future. This article deals with the results of mathematical modelling to determine the main diesel engine operating parameters (power, torque and fuel consumption) running them on HVO and its blends with fossil diesel fuel. The modelling results of the car Opel Insignia 2.0 CDTi show that every 5% of HVO in fuel blend reduces maximum power and torque of around 0.38% while raising specific fuel consumption by volume of around 0.10%. Analyzing the most realistic scenario in the near future – 7% HVO and 93% fossil diesel blend, the predicted fuel consumption increase (0.14%) and power and torque decrease (0.54%) is inconsiderable for vehicle exploitation, and HVO seems to be a promising biofuel to replace biodiesel in fuel blends and to promote reaching the EU targets.

This experimental study assesses the influence of ignition timing on emissions from a production four cylinder port injection spark ignition engine. The aim of this research was to evaluate the necessity of ignition timing correction when the regular gasoline vehicle is being adapted for the use of E85 fuel. Tests were conducted in the Alternative Fuels Research Laboratory of Latvia University of Agriculture in December 2013. The engine was fuelled with the ethanol-gasoline blend E85 or the commercial gasoline A95. The engine was tested within a vehicle in a chassis dynamometer in steady state conditions, which resemble driving at 50 km hE-1 and 90 km hE-1. The original engine control unit was replaced with a programmable one. Engine-out and tailpipe exhaust gas samples were taken and analysed with a FTIR-type analyser AVL SESAM. Carbon monoxide (CO), unburned hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), acetaldehyde and unburned ethanol emission volumetric share is presented. CO, HC and acetaldehyde emissions were not affected by variation of the ignition timing within the tested range. NOx and ethanol emissions were reduced with the ignition timing retard. The emissions of CO, HC and NOx were reduced, when the engine was fuelled with the E85 fuel, comparing with the gasoline use. Ignition timing, optimized for the gasoline, was found suitable for the E85 fuel from the emission analyses point.

The paper discusses heat transfer and the step response of a low-power induction motor to no-load mode under fan cooled and naturally cooled conditions. In Latvia University of Agriculture (LUA) in the electric drive laboratory the experimental tests were performed on a 1.1 kW totally enclosed fan cooled three phase induction motor with a fan mounted on a shaft for fan cooled conditions and with a fan taken off for naturally cooled conditions. The transient temperatures are measured in nine points of the stator end windings and in two points of the stator frame using thermocouples. Temperature is measured by using K type thermocouples and Pico-Log TC – 08 data logger. The current and voltage are measured by using Simple Logger II L562 two channel data logger. Measurement data are processed and archived using data loggers Pico-Log Recorder, Simple Logger II and Data View software. The experimental test results show that ventilation plays an essential role in the heating process of small power induction motors. Mathematical and virtual models of induction motor windings heating are represented to simulate the heating process of induction motor under no-load mode and different cooling conditions.