Analysis of macro- and Microminerals Content in the Einkorn (Triticum monococcum L.) Samples Cultivated in Kastamonu, Turkey

Wheat is an important cereal product because of its nutritional value, economy, culture, and history. Einkorn (Triticum monococcum L.) assumed as the oldest wheat. Einkorn locally called “siyez” has recently become popular as a super grain with the thought of being very nutritious in Turkey. In this study, the contents of macrominerals (Na, Mg, Ca, and K) and microminerals (Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) in twenty-one einkorn samples collected from different cultivation areas in Kastamonu were determined by using an inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry following microwave-assisted acid digestion. The results were compared with those analyzed in einkorn and other wheat types in the literature. Average concentrations of K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cr and Cu analyzed in einkorn samples were found as 3712, 1303, 656, 53, 167, 34, 29, 0,7 and 0,6 mg kg-1, respectively. The literature comparison revealed that the investigated einkorn samples were richer in terms of Ca and Fe contents compared to einkorn, emmer, spelt, buckwheat, and durum wheat samples grown in our country and different countries.

Effect of Inoculated Lactic Acid Fermentation on the Fermentable Saccharides and Polyols, Polyphenols and Antioxidant Activity Changes in Wheat Sourdough

Inoculation of sourdough allows the fermentation medium to be dominated by desired microorganisms, which enables determining the kinetics of the conversion of chemical compounds by individual microorganisms. This knowledge may allow the design of functional food products with health features dedicated to consumers with special needs. The aim of the study was to assess the dynamics of transformations of fermentable oligosaccharide, disaccharide, monosaccharide and polyol (FODMAP) compounds from wheat flour as well as their antioxidant activity during inoculated and spontaneous sourdough fermentation. The FODMAP content in grain products was determined by the fructan content with negligible amounts of sugars and polyols. To produce a low-FODMAP cereal product, the fermentation time is essential. The 72 h fermentation time of L. plantarum-inoculated sourdough reduced the FODMAP content by 91%. The sourdough fermentation time of at least 72 h also positively influenced the content of polyphenols and antioxidant activity, regardless of the type of fermentation. The inoculation of both L. plantarum and L. casei contributed to a similar degree to the reduction in FODMAP in sourdough compared to spontaneous fermentation.

Current status of mycotoxigenic fungi in cereal grains in the central region of Botswana: a mini survey

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by fungi that can contaminate food, both human and animal feed at all stages of the food chain. A number of factors play a role in the proliferation of mycotoxins such as climate, humidity, harvest and storage conditions. This study was looking at the occurrence and identification of the fungi obtained from the cereal grains in the central district of Botswana. Samples collected were yellow maize (18), white maize (4), millet (10), cowpeas (11), sorghum (11) and china peas (1) each weighing about 500 g. Upon the arrival of samples, water activities of the samples were obtained. Seeds were sterilized in sodium hypochlorite, to be plated onto PDA for fungal extraction. The polymerase Chain reaction was used for the identification of the fungi and samples were sent to Inqaba laboratories for sequencing. The results showed that yellow maize was contaminated by Fusarium, A. niger and A. flavus; white maize was contaminated by F. proliferatum, F. fujikuroi and Gibberella moniliformis; red sorghum was contaminated by A. flavus, A.oryzae, Penicillium, Alternaria and Chaetomium muelleri; millet was contaminated by Epicoccum sorghinum and curvularia branchyspora and cowpeas were contaminated by Aspergillus and Alternaria species. Overall the most contaminated cereal product was millet, yellow maize, white maize, cowpeas and red sorghum at 40%, 37%, 27%, 10% and 4% respectively.

Chinese consumers' perceptions of food safety cues and maximising the effectiveness of food safety communications

PurposeFood safety is an issue of key concern for Chinese consumers. This study identifies intrinsic and extrinsic cues on product labels or websites that Chinese consumers use to assess a product's perceived safety.Design/methodology/approachFive structured focus groups (total participants n = 41) were run in Suzhou China, in Chinese, to gather consumers' perceptions towards food safety cues.FindingsA total of 18 safety cues were identified during the focus group discussions. Certifications, country of origin, production date and shelf life, ingredients and materials and nutritional information were the five safety cues consumers perceived to be the most important. The risks perceived by consumers differed based on: product category (e.g. meat, dairy, cereal); product form (e.g. fresh, chilled, frozen) and degree of processing. Interestingly, consumers used different food safety cues to assess a packaged product compared to the product shown on a website.Research limitations/implicationsWhile providing deep qualitative insights into perceptions of food safety cues, further studies which seek to conduct quantitative work within a wider demographic context are encouraged.Practical implicationsThis information will help to provide best practice advice for international marketers and government risk communicators on how and where to communicate the safety of food products so that they can maximise the effectiveness of their messaging within the appropriate information channels and thereby ensure that it resonates well with Chinese consumers.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the academic knowledge of consumer perceptions of cues related to food safety.

Characterization of Pediococcus acidilactici PFC69 and Lactococcus lactis PFC77 Bacteriocins and Their Antimicrobial Activities in Tarhana Fermentation

Tarhana is a traditional cereal product fermented by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeast strains that has gained special interest recently as an infant nutrition. Tarhana contains wheat flour, yogurt, and various vegetables that might create a microbiological toxicological risk, especially for Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, characterization of the metabolites responsible for antibacterial activity of Pediococcus acidilactici PFC69 and Lactococcus lactis PFC77 strains obtained from tarhana was performed, and antibacterial effects were detected against B. cereus ATCC 11778 and S. aureus ATCC 29213 during the fermentation. A total of 12,800 AU/mL antibacterial activity was observed for the supernatants of the PFC69 and PFC77 strains that were found to be stable at high temperature and in low pH conditions and sensitive to proteases, suggesting the antimicrobial metabolite is a bacteriocin. These bacteriocins were further purified and their molecular sizes were determined as 4.5 and 3.5 kDa, respectively. Importantly, inoculation of PFC69 and PFC77 to tarhana dough significantly decreased B. cereus ATCC 11778 and S. aureus ATCC 29213 amounts from the fifth day of fermentation compared to the control dough samples. P. acidilactici PFC69 and L. lactis PFC77 strains were concluded as bioprotective cultures for tarhana and these strains were offered for other cereal-based fermentations.

Carbohydrates intake preference among university students towards balanced intake practice

Food is necessary for our living since it helps in preserving our life in this world. Occasionally, we may have similar food preferences with our friends and families and sometimes we recognize the meals as the highlight for a celebration. Usually, people tend to choose their meals according to the availability of the meal in the market or the characteristics of the food itself such as the taste of the food. Students usually choose food based on their need, but it is vital for them to take care of their daily nutrient intake, especially carbohydrate (CHO) to give them more energy to facilitate productivity and healthy daily life. However, there is a possibility to practice imbalance intake due to surrounding factors that can cause an excessive intake of nutrient which later may contribute to obesity or inadequate intake that may cause lethargic and nutrient deficiency. This study determined the carbohydrate preferences among college students in UiTM Dungun, Terengganu, Malaysia. Data collection was done by convenience sampling from 160 students (bachelor’s degree student). A questionnaire that consisted of two sections; section A (socio-demographic profile) and section B (food preferences) was used to collect the data. Majority of the students chose rice (74.4%) as their most preferred carbohydrates, followed by 10.6% noodles, 7.5% bread, 3.8% cereal product, 2.5% biscuits and only 1.3% of the students preferred tubers. This can give some ideas and more room for improvement and monitoring on the CHO intake towards healthy eating practice among university students. This will also help the food provider in preparing and modifying healthy meal according to food preferences at the university’s cafeteria. In addition, this may also assist food manufacturer to get some ideas for proposing healthier food innovation in the future based on youth preference.

Formulation of a Multifunctional Plant Additive Based on the Interaction of its Components

Introduction. The research featured the physicochemical and functional properties of tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus), quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), and their mixes. The research objective was to study the effects of their interfacial interaction and the qualitative characteristics of meat model systems, as well as general opportunities for their use in meat products. Study objects and methods. The tiger nut is a traditional plant that grows in Egypt. It is often used in beverages and bakery. The quinoa is a cereal product that grows mainly in Peru and Colombia. A set of experiments was conducted to determine such colloidalchemical parameters as optical density, electrical conductivity, solubility, pH, and effective viscosity. The studied additives proved to be synergists. The research also included the organoleptic characteristics of meat model samples prepared with a mix of tiger nut and quinoa at different ratios as a partial replacement of raw meat. The mix substituted 5% of the meat system. Tiger nut and quinoa used as a substitute for raw meat positively affected such indicators of the finished product as taste, smell, color, and aroma. The obtained data were analyzed with the help of a specialized software package “Multimeat Expert”. The optimal ratio of tiger nut and quinoa in the mix was determined as 1:1. Results and discussion. The mix of tiger nut and quinoa “TiQi” contained 11.38% of dietary fiber, 14.35% of lipids, and 9.37% of protein. In addition, the mix contained a large amount of minerals: potassium – 636.61 mg/100 g, calcium – 68.54 mg/100 g, and vitamins C, E, and B. Its antioxidant activity reached 20.41 mg/g. Conclusion. The obtained mix of tiger nut and quinoa could be used as a functional ingredient in meat products to increase the content of dietary fibers, as well as vitamins and minerals. In addition, “TiQi” demonstrated good antioxidant activity and increased the shelf life of meat products.

The effectiveness of post-herbicides in soybean crops

The article presents the results of studies on the effect of postemergence herbicides and their tank compositions on soybean weeds. It was found that the use of Miura allowed to reduce the level of total weediness of crops, at the time of harvest by – 75 78 %, the raw weight of weeds – by 19– 46 %. It is established that the use of the tank mixture Harmony – 3 g on ha + surfactant Trend 0,2 l on ha + Bazagran – 1.5 l on ha, afte 8-10 days Harmony – 5 g on ha and the use of anticereal drug Miura – 0,4 l on ga. With the introduction of such a tank mix, the death of dicotyledonous species a month after application reached 93 %, and the death of cereal weeds was – 84 %. The weight of those weeds that remained in the agrocenosis was 52 g on m2, which is 87 % less than the control. The use of Harmony – 8 g on ha + Bazagran – 1.75 l on ha and the anti-cereal product – Miura – 0,6 l on ha helped to reduce the total weediness of crops by 86 % a month after the application of herbicides. The death rate of dicotyledonous weeds was 83 %. The total weight of weeds before harvest decreased by 91 % compared to the control and was 62 g on m2.The maximum soybean harvest – 2,45 t on ha provided the use of a mixture of Harmony – 3 g on ha + surfactant Trend – 0.2 l on ha and Miura – 0.4 l on ha. Comparing yield were absent, this indicates that soybean yields inherbicide variants were lower.The studies herbicides and their compositions showed high selectivity to soybean plants. By reducing the level of weeding, they contributed to an increase in yield by 0,57–1,11 t on ha. Under conditions of mixed weeding, the following mixtures of post-emergence herbicides were the best: Harmony – 3 g on ha + Bazagran – 1,5 l on ha in 8-10 days Harmony – 5 g on ha and Miura – 0,4 l on ha; Harmony – 8 g on ha + Bazagran – 1,5 l on ha and Miura – 0,6 l on ha.