The presence of Roman material in early Anglo-Saxon graves in England is well documented, and recent excavations at Scremby in Lincolnshire have revealed a complete copper-alloy enamelled drinking cup in a sixth-century ad female burial. Not only is such a Roman vessel a very rare find, but also its inclusion in an early medieval grave makes it a unique example of the reuse of an antique object in a funerary context. This article presents a typological and metallurgical analysis of the cup and selected comparative examples from England and France are discussed. The context of deposition and the role the cup played as a burial container for animal fat are examined, as are the mechanisms that lay behind the cup's continued life several centuries after its manufacture.

Over 120 prehistoric pottery sherds from mainland Finland and the Åland Islands in the north Baltic region were studied for their organic residue content. Preserved fat residues found in these vessels indicated that the food procurement pattern was broad during the Neolithic and Early Metal periods. Based on previous research and these results, it appears that animal husbandry came to Finland with the Corded Ware culture. Groups using the succeeding Late Neolithic Kiukainen Ware did not, however, practice animal husbandry to any great extent, as there is an indication of dairy fats in only a single sherd. In general, even after dairy farming arrived in the area, prehistoric groups in southern and south-western Finland continued or returned to a hunter-gatherer lifestyle. During the Early Metal period, animal husbandry increased in importance among the groups living in the area, and the level of dairying then intensified.

Introduction. Mature green vanilla pods accumulate 4-O-(3-methoxy-benzaldehyde)-β-D-glucoside (glucovanillin), which, upon hydrolysis by an endogenous b-glucosidase, liberates vanillin, the major aroma component of vanilla. Little is known on the spatial distribution of aroma-generating phenolics, and the enzymes responsible for their liberation (β-glucosidase) and oxidation (peroxidase). We report here quantitative data with respect to these three components in relation to the anatomy of the pod. Furthermore, the spatial progression of oxidation is shown. Materials and methods. Mature green vanilla pods were analyzed for their contents of phenolics (HPLC), and β-glucosidase and peroxidase activities by spectrophotometric techniques using p-nitrophenyl glucoside and vanillin as substrates, respectively. Lipids were examined under fluorescence microscopy after Nile red staining. Oxidation development was observed on transverse slices of pods. Results and discussion. Phenolics, and β-glucosidase and peroxidase activities showed gradients of increasing-decreasing concentrations from the stem to the blossom end of pods. The β-glucosidase activity is distributed in between the placentae, mesocarp, and trichomes in a [7 / 2 / 1] proportion while that of peroxidase shows a [38 / 1] ratio in the mesocarp and placentae, and was absent from trichomes. Oxidation begins from the blossom end in the placentae, progressively invading the mesocarp and moving towards the stem end. Conclusion. The green mature vanilla pod is spatially heterogeneous for its phenolics, and β-glucosidase and peroxidase activities, its placentae playing an important role in the liberation of vanillin and its subsequent oxidation.

Ceramics were subjected to organic residue analysis from two collections: a series of middle Copper Age (Bodrogkeresztúr) vessels hitherto known as ‘milk jugs’, curated in the Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum, Budapest, and a collection of early Baden (Boleráz) vessels from the recently discovered settlement of Gyo”r-Szabadrét-domb, in western Hungary. The aim of the analyses was to establish whether or not these vessels, often associated with milk based on typological criteria, were actually used to process, store or serve dairy products. The results of the analyses revealed that no dairy products could be securely identified in the so-called ‘milk jugs’. Nevertheless dairy products were identified in other vessel types.

Dans le but d'évaluer les perspectives de valorisation de l'algue verte Scenedesmus abundans Chlorophyceae, sa compositionbiochimique a été réalisée sur des cultures soumises à différentes conditions environnementales. Parmi les facteurs retenus, latempérature a le plus d'influence. Les teneurs en protéines sont maximales à 15°C, celles des composés lipidiques et glucidiquesà 25 et 35°C respectivement. L'intensité lumineuse n'affecte pas la composition biochimique globale, si ce n'est une baisse d'environ20 % des substances lipidiques, sous un éclairement de 300 µmol quanta.m-2.s-1. De même, la source azotée a peu d'effetsignificatif sur les teneurs des 3 constituants cellulaires. L'augmentation de la concentration en azote induit un accroissement desteneurs en protéines et en lipides avec cependant une réduction de la production de biomasse, au-delà de 400 mg.l-1 de KNO3.Des modifications de la composition biochimique de Scenedesmus abundans en fonction du stade de croissance ont égalementété observées. En phase de croissance stationnaire, ces modifications se résument en une réduction marquée de la teneur en protéineset, dans une moindre mesure, de la teneur en lipides, accompagnée d'une accumulation importante des hydrates de carbone.Les résultats sont analysés en tenant compte de la notion de rendement de production de chacun des trois types decomposé.

The biochemical composition of Daphnia magna Straus, the dominant planktonic crustacean of the waste stabilisation pond of Differdange (Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg), was quantitatively determined from October 1993 to July 1994. Over the sampling period, the average composition (mean ± S.D.) was 271 ± 64 mg proteins.g-1 dry weight (DW), 100 ± 28 mg lipids.g-1 (DW), 96 ± 58 μg carotenoids.g-1 (DW), 49 ± 14 mg chitin.g-1 (DW) and 125 ± 78 mg ash.g-1 (DW). The seasonal variations of the biochemical composition were related to several ecological variables (water temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration, pH, water transparency, chlorophyll a concentration and D. magna biomass). The chitin content was positively correlated to the water temperature as a result of the strong influence of this later variable on the moulting rate of the daphnids and, subsequently, on the chitin synthesis by these organisms. The carotenoid content was positively correlated to the water transparency as a result of their photoprotective role in daphnids. The fluctuations of the lipid, protein and ash levels in D. magna depended to the food availability. Despite a seasonal variation in the biochemical composition, D. magna appeared to have adequate lipid and protein levels to be used in aquaculture. Its carotenoid content is similar to fish meals used to color salmonid flesh and these organisms could be used for this purpose. The prospect of using D. magna for chitin extraction is worth considering with respect to its significant chitin content, especially if highly valuable applications are aimed.

The influence of gibberellic acid (GA3), a plant growth regulator (PGR), on the protein, total lipid, total carbohydrate, glycogen and trehalose contents of the banana fruit fly, Zaprionus paravittiger (Godbole and Vaidya) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), was investigated by feeding 63-h-old larvae on artificial diet containing 1000, 2000 and 4000 ppm GA3 for 30 and 50 h. The maximum increase in the protein content was recorded for the 1000 ppm GA3 treatment. Significant decreases in the total lipid and total carbohydrate contents were recorded at 1000 and 2000 ppm while the 4000 ppm treatment significantly increased their levels. Glycogen content was significantly decreased by all the tested GA3 concentrations. The possible reasons for the observed changes in these biochemical components are discussed.

Dans une optique de valorisation de l'algue verte Chlorella sorokiniana, la composition biochimique de cette espèce a été déterminée en fonction de la température d'incubation, de l'intensité lumineuse et du stade de croissance. A 35°C, sous un éclairement de 140 µE.m-2.s-1, et en phase exponentielle de croissance, les analyses effectuées ont révélé que la biomasse algale était composée d'environ 40 % de protéines, 30 % de glucides et 18 % de lipides (% de la matière sèche des cellules). Les résultats obtenus ont montré également que les teneurs de ces constituants dépendaient étroitement des conditions de culture. Ainsi, il est possible d'orienter le métabolisme cellulaire de cette espèce vers la production du ou des métabolites souhaités, en choisissant les conditions environnementales appropriées et le moment de la récolte de la biomasse algale.

The fatty acid profile of four different genetic strains of Clarias gariepinus: gold (G), Netherlands (N), RAU (K) and Wild (W) were evaluated. Fertilised eggs and larvae of the four strains were maintained under identical environmental conditions. After nine weeks, the two faster growing strains (G and W) had less total body lipid than the others (N and R). The total saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids of the four strains were: G – 32.1; 26.8 and 37.9%; N – 33.5; 27.8 and 35.5%; R – 32.7; 29.0 and 35.4%; W – 32.9; 27.7 and 36.8%, respectively. The major fatty acids that showed statistically significant differences between strains were: C16:0, C18:1ω9, C22:5ω3 and C22:6ω3. The G strain had a significantly higher ω3/ω6 ratio (2.2) compared to that of the other strains (N – 1.9; K – 1.9 and W – 1.9). In a second trial, juveniles of strain G were fed an artificial diet for 60 days containing no lipid (A, control), or the following lipids at 10% of the diet, sunflower oil (B. a high level of C18:lω9 and C18:2ω6), cod liver oil (C, a high level of 20 and 22 Cω3 fatty acids) and tallow (D, predominantly SFA and MUFA). Muscle total lipid composition was strongly influenced by diet and contained the following SFA, MUFA and PUFA percentages, and a ω3/ω6 ratio of: A – 35.9; 45.3; 15.0% and 0.5; B – 30.6; 33.4; 33.6% and 0.1; C – 33.2; 37.2; 23.6% and 1.8; D – 38.7; 45.3; 12.1% and 0.4, respectively.

The body components of female rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) reared in an experimental fish farm were studied during sexual maturation. For a period of 13 months, carcass, liver, gut and ovaries were sampled every month and their fat and non fat constituents analysed. In the trout, lipids are mainly stored in the carcass and to a less extent in the gut and ovaries. The distribution ranged from 68 to 73%, 31 to 6% and 0.1 to 20%, respectively from the beginning to the end of sexual maturation (March-November). Whatever the stage, carcass and visceral total lipids (TL) were mainly composed of neutral lipids (NL). The ovarian NL relative to TL content decreased from 90% during the first gonadal slow growth phase (SG. I from March to June) to 60% at ovulation in October or November while the proportion of phospholipids (PL) increased during the second slow growth phase (SG. II from July to August) and the rapid growth phase (RG from September until ovulation in October or November). This observation suggests that trout preferentially incorporate fatty acids into phospholipids in the oocyte during late ovarian growth.

During sexual maturation there was a large mobilisation of carcass and visceral lipid reserves, but non fat dry matter (NFDM) was only slightly changed. In our experimental fish (mean weight 1200 g) the loss of lipids averaged 76 g (42 and 34 g, respectively from the carcass and gut) versus 33 g for NFDM (from the carcass mainly). Loss of visceral lipids began during SG. I and ceased at ovulation in November, whereas loss of carcass lipids seemed to start during the RG phase and finished 1 month after ovulation.