Dietary nutrient composition is an important factor influencing the ultimate properties of poultry carcass and meat quality. This study investigated the effects of varying dietary apparent metabolizable energy (ME) and crude protein (CP) levels on the slaughter performance, meat quality, and amino acid profiles in native Danzhou chickens aged from 120 to 150 days. A total of 720 120-day-old female Danzhou chickens were randomly assigned to six experimental diets with two ME levels (11.70 and 12.50 MJ/kg ME) and three CP levels (13, 14 and 15% CP). The results showed that dietary ME and its interaction with CP had a significant impact on the semi-eviscerated carcass percentage and eviscerated carcass percentage of the chickens (P < 0.05). Irrespective of ME level, the dietary 14% CP reduced (P < 0.05) the drip loss and shear force of thigh muscle than those in the 15% CP group, increased (P < 0.05) the intramuscular fat (IMF) content in both breast and thigh muscles compared to 13% CP, and enhanced (P < 0.05) L-arginine and L-ornithine levels in breast muscle relative to both 13% and 15% CP groups. A significant interaction between dietary ME and CP levels were observed for L-threonine and L-proline content in the breast muscle, as well as for L-glutamic acid in the thigh muscle (P < 0.05). In summary, a dietary metabolizable energy level of 12.50 MJ/kg paired with a 14% crude protein content can enhance the slaughter performance and meat quality in native growing Danzhou chickens. Appropriate dietary energy and protein levels will provide a scientific support for the precise formulation of diets for Danzhou chickens in the future.

Heat stress (HS) greatly impacts broiler performance via impaired intestinal barrier function and physiological homeostasis disruption. Mint leaf powder (MP) holds bundle of bioactive components linked to health benefits like essential oils (menthol and menthone) and polyphenolic (rosmarinic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol), promoting medicinal attributes besides antioxidant potentiality. The objective of this study was to examine the potential of dietary supplementation with 18 g MP/kg to ameliorate HS-induced intestinal permeability in broilers. A total of 80 one-day-old male Cobb broiler chickens were randomly assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial design with four treatments: in thermoneutral conditions (25 °C), with 0 or 18 g/kg MP (LMP0, LMP1) and in HS conditions (35 °C), with 0 or 18 g/kg MP (HMP0, HMP1). Experimental periods were from 15 to 42 days (d) of age. Overall, HS reduced final body weight (12–14 %), average daily feed intake and average daily gain compared to broilers in thermoneutral conditions (P < 0.01). Dietary supplementation with 18 g MP/kg diet reduced physiological HS metabolic responses, reducing breathing frequency over the HS period, leg temperature, and cloacal temperature of HS birds (P < 0.01) during days (d) 29–35. Molecular analysis showed HS induced a decrease in tight junction proteins, including Claudin-5, ZO-1, and NFκB while also inducing an increase in the expression of heat shock proteins, HSP70 and HSP90 (P < 0.01). Furthermore, MP supplementation partially restored Claudin-5 and NFκB expression of HS birds which may demonstrate improvements in intestinal barrier integrity among HS broilers. In addition, MP modulated the expression of thermosensitive TRPM8 channels and hypothalamic neuropeptides that play key roles in appetite regulation, including AGRP and GLP-1. HS elevated plasma cortisol (P < 0.01), but MP reduced it back to baseline (P < 0.01). Collectively, these results highlight that dietary MP supplementation at 18 g/kg provided protective effects against HS induced intestinal barrier dysfunction by preservation tight junction protein expression, modulation of thermosensory pathways, and reduction in stress responses and suggests the potential use of MP as natural feed additives in managing HS in broiler production.

Out of the 100 chemicals analyzed, 16 pesticides (7 insecticides, 2 fungicides, and 7 herbicides) from 10 chemical families were found in 55.2% of the surface water samples. Insecticides constituted the most frequently detected class of pesticides (45.3%) across all contaminated samples, a finding that was statistically significant. The organophosphate family was the predominant chemical class, present in 45.3% of the total contaminated surface water samples. Glyphosate was the specific pesticide detected most often (13.2%), and it also exhibited the highst mean concentration among all detected compounds (0.117 µg/L). Examination of the spatial distribution indicated that the River Nile samples had both the greatest cumulative pesticide concentration (0.299 µg/L) and the highest contamination frequency (56.3%). The temporal diversity revealed that the highest summation of mean concentrations was detected for six pesticides in spring (1.156µg/L). The highest total pesticide concentrations in summer (0.71 µg/L), autumn (0.33 µg/L), and spring (0.452 µg/L) were observed in River Nile samples; however, agricultural drainage samples recorded the maximum total concentration during winter (0.371 μg/L). Less than half of our total samples were over the limit established by European legislation (0.1µg/L). Regarding compliance with other regulatory limits, chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, diazinon, ethoprophos, lambda-cyhalothrin and metalaxyl should be regulated in water bodies in Assiut. A significant portion (68.8%) of the detected pesticides are categorized under the high hazard classification by the PAN (2021). This group includes compounds posing risks of acute human toxicity (27.3%), chronic human hazards (81.8%), and environmental toxicity (54.5%).

Onion, Allium cepa L. is an economically and nutritionally important vegetable crop. Onion is one of the principal export crops in Egypt to various overseas markets. In this work, onion samples were collected from different locations in Assiut Governorate, Egypt. The occurrence of pesticide residues was analyzed by applying the Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) extraction method followed by LC-MS/MS analysis. Pesticide residues as many as 11 pesticide residues were common to all, such as spinosad (Spinosyns), acetamiprid (Neonicotinoids), deltamethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin (Pyrethroids), pendimethalin (Herbicide) and propamocarb, and fludioxonil (Fungicides). The most frequently found residue was pendimethalin, which was detected in samples from the Assiut, Abu Tig, and Manfalut regions, among others. Maximum residue levels (MRLs) were exceeded in several instances, most notably in multiple samples for pendimethalin (0.7 mg/kg), clethodim (0.7 mg/kg), and lambda-cyhalothrin (0.3 mg/kg) in El-Badari. In order to ensure food safety and compliance with international standards, the results emphasize the significance of strict monitoring, raise farmer awareness, and enhance pesticide management.

In Egypt, okra is a major and commercially significant vegetable crop.  However, its future consumption and safety face serious challenges due to the problem of pesticide residues. This problem stems from the indiscriminate and irresponsible use of pesticides by farmers, which puts food safety and consumer health at risk. Okra samples taken from important marketplaces and agricultural hubs in the Assiut Governorate, Upper Egypt specifically, El-Badari, Sahel Selim, Manfalout, El Qusiya, Dairut, and Assiut City—were subjected to a precise quantitative evaluation of the residues of these compounds as part of the study's framework.  The researchers employed a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) equipment for analysis, a very sensitive approach to guarantee the correctness of data and relied on the sophisticated QuEChERS process to prepare samples. The findings showed that seven distinct kinds of pesticide residues were present. Most significantly, the evaluation showed that none of these residues exceeded international guidelines for maximum permitted limits (MRLs) and that no negative health effects were linked to the residues found. Considering these results, the study suggests that a national program be established to monitor and analyze pesticide levels in okra to maintain food safety, especially in Upper Egypt. This program should be sustainable and effective.