scholarly journals An evaluation of the chemical content and microbiological contamination of Anatolian bee venom

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0255161
Author(s):  
Aslı Elif Tanuğur-Samanc ◽  
Meral Kekeçoğlu

Bee venom is a natural substance produced by worker bees. The aim of this research paper is to determine the characteristics of Anatolian bee venom by evaluating its chemical content and microbiological properties. Physical, chemical and microbiological analyses were performed on 25 bee venom samples from different areas of Anatolia, Turkey. Data obtained by 3-replicate studies were evaluated with normality and one-way and two-way ANOVA / Tukey tests. Chemical analyses of the bee venoms revealed average melittin, apamin, and phospholipase A2 contents of 40.57%, 2.12% and 13.67%, respectively. The results suggest that Anatolian bee venom has a high phospholipase A2 content compared to the previous literature. The results for apamin content were similar to those reported in other countries. Melittin content was within the range of standard values. Bee venom samples were also observed to have a high sugar content, associated with pollen and nectar contamination. Total aerobic mesophilic bacteria counts revealed no microbial development in 11 samples of bee venom. Staphylococcus aureus was not detected in any sample. A low microbial load was associated with a high phospholipase A2 content in the bee venom composition, thus contributing to its antimicrobial character. This study presents an examination of Anatolian bee venom in terms of chemical content and microbial quality. The examination of other components in addition to phospholipase A2, melittin and apamin in future studies, together with an analysis of antimicrobial properties will further our understanding of Anatolian bee venom.

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 452a-452
Author(s):  
Richard Buchner ◽  
Seeley Mudd ◽  
Bruce Carroll ◽  
Mark Gilles

Overall profitability is a major goal in successful prune production and a major component in any prune management system. Large prune crops in 1996 and 1997 have stimulated considerable interest in undersize fruit. Undersize prunes currently have marginal value and may represent a net loss because of costs to haul, dry, and to market order payments on low value prunes. One technique to control delivery size is to field size at harvest. Field sizing involves installing size-sorting devices on harvesters, which allow small prunes to fall out while valuable fruit is collected. Field sizing is considered a “risky” strategy because of the potential to remove prunes with economic value. During the 1997 harvest, 21 infield harvest sizing evaluations were made in prune orchards throughout Tehama county. The first evaluation occurred on 12 Aug. 1997, at the start of prune harvest. The final evaluation was done on 5 Sept. 1997, at the tail end of harvest. The objective was to sample throughout the harvest period to test field sizing under various sugar, size, and fruit pressure scenarios. The test machine was 1-inch bar sizer. Of the 21 sample dates, undersize fruit was clearly not marketable in 20 of the 21 samples. Discarded fruit averaged 133 dry count per pound. Only one sample out of 21 may have had market value at 86 dry count per pound. Although small in size, these prunes had very high sugar content contributing to their dry weight. In this evaluation, a 1-inch bar sizer did a good job of separating fruit with and without market value under the 1997 price schedule. As harvest date becomes later and soluble solids increase, the chances of sorting out marketable prunes also increases.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 565
Author(s):  
Nikolaj Kaae Kirk ◽  
Clara Navarrete ◽  
Jakob Ellegaard Juhl ◽  
José Luis Martínez ◽  
Alessandra Procentese

To make biofuel production feasible from an economic point of view, several studies have investigated the main associated bottlenecks of the whole production process through approaches such as the “cradle to grave” approach or the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis, being the main constrains the feedstock collection and transport. Whilst several feedstocks are interesting because of their high sugar content, very few of them are available all year around and moreover do not require high transportation’ costs. This work aims to investigate if the “zero miles” concept could bring advantages to biofuel production by decreasing all the associated transport costs on a locally established production platform. In particular, a specific case study applied to the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) campus is used as example to investigate the advantages and feasibility of using the spent coffee grounds generated at the main cafeteria for the production of bioethanol on site, which can be subsequently used to (partially) cover the campus’ energy demands.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Teresa Gontijo de Castro ◽  
Helen Eyles ◽  
Cliona Ni Mhurchu ◽  
Leanne Young ◽  
Sally Mackay

Abstract Objective: To assess trends in relative availability, sugar content and serve size of ready-to-drink non-alcoholic beverages available for sale in supermarkets from 2013 to 2019. Design: Repeat cross-sectional surveys. Data on single-serve beverages to be consumed in one sitting were obtained from an updated brand-specific food composition database. Trends in beverages availability and proportions with serve size ≤ 250 ml were assessed by χ2 tests. Sugar content trends were examined using linear regressions. The proportion of beverages exceeding the sugar threshold of the United Kingdom Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) was assessed. Setting: New Zealand. Results: From 2013 to 2019, there was (i) an increase in the availability of sugar-free/low-sugar beverages (n 25 (8·4 %) to n 75 (19·1 %); P < 0·001) and craft sugar-sweetened soft drinks (n 11 (3·7 %) to n 36 (9·2 %); P < 0·001), and a decrease in availability of fruit/vegetable juices/drinks (n 94 (31·8 %) to n 75 (19·4 %); P < 0·001); (ii) small decreases in sugar content (mean g/100 ml) of sugar-sweetened soft drinks (3·03; 95 % CI 3·77, 2·29); fruit/vegetable juices/drinks (1·08; 95 % CI 2·14, 0·01) and energy drinks (0·98; 95 % CI 1·63, 0·32) and (iii) slight reduction in the proportion of beverages with serve size ≤ 250 ml (21·6 to 18·9 %; P < 0·001). In 2019, most beverages were sugar-sweetened or had naturally occurring sugars (79·1 %) and serve size > 250 ml (81·1 %) and most sugar-sweetened beverages exceeded the SDIL lower benchmark (72·9 %). Conclusions: Most single-serve beverages available for sale in 2019 were sugary drinks with high sugar content and large serve sizes; therefore, changes made across the years were not meaningful for population’s health.


1997 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 171-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.M. Khalil ◽  
B.R. Henry

A fractional factorial design of four variables at two levels each was employed to assess the feasi bility and best parameter for extruding sweet potato solids (SPS) using a single screw extruder. It was determined that a high expansion ratio is a desired quality factor for this type of snack food, due to its contribution to textural perception. Preliminary trials on extrusion of sweet potato solids as the sole component in the feed resulted in brittle, dense, and burnt extrudate. The high sugar content (65% total sugar) of the sweet potato solids was cited as the cause of these attrib utes, consequently it was necessary to incorporate wheat flour into the feed to provide a starch matrix for expansion and to reduce sugar concentration. The controlled parameters were screw speed, barrel temperature, feed moisture content, and SPS level in the feed. Among all possible combinations of controlled parameters, the highest expansion ratio was obtained at a screw speed of 220 rpm, temperature profile of 110, 105, 115 and 105 °C, 13% feed moisture content, 50% sweet potato solids, and 0.5% leavening agent.


Author(s):  
N. V. Shmeleva ◽  

The article presents the results of field studies aimed at expanding the species composition of herbs and the search for adaptive cereals with a high sugar content in the Upper Volga region in 2015-2020.


2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 378-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco L.C. Oliveira ◽  
Raimundo A. Barrêto Júnior ◽  
Antonio H.H. Minervino ◽  
Marcondes Dias Tavares ◽  
Rodolfo Gurgel Vale ◽  
...  

Abstract: This study evaluated the effects of varying amounts of melon with high sugar content offered to sheep without prior melon experience and that were not adapted to consuming it. We used 12 eight-month-old, rumen-cannulated crossbred sheep weighing 25 kg each. The animals received a base diet of roughage, and then half were randomly selected to have 25% of their diet replaced with melon (G25%) and the other half had 75% of their diet replaced with melon (75%). Ruminal fluid was collected before administration of melon and at 0, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 h after the administration of the fruit. Sheep from the G25% group presented volatile fatty acid ruminal acidosis (sub-acute) between 3 and 6 h after consumption. This acidosis was characterized by a rumen pH slightly lower than 5.6, increased discrete L-lactic acid content, and increased redox potential (RP) and methylene blue redox (MBR) time of the ruminal fluid. The G75% group presented lactic ruminal acidosis at T6h, characterized by a rumen pH lower than 5.0, high lactate-L content, increased RP and MBR time, and increased ruminal fluid osmolarity. Therefore, offering large amounts of melon (75% of dry matter (DM)) is not recommended but 25% of DM of this fruit can be used safely.


2014 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mazura Jusoh ◽  
Noor Naimah Mohamed Nor ◽  
Nurul Aini Amran ◽  
Shafirah Syamsuri

A new concentration technique is required to eliminate portion of water from coconut water (CW) and reduce the cost of storage, handling and shipping. As Progressive Freeze Concentration (PFC) could retain the nutritional compounds, it was applied to concentrate CW and enhance its sugar content. In PFC system, only a single block of ice is formed as a layer on the cooled surface. A coil stainless steel crystallizer was used as FC unit to investigate the enhancement of sugar content in CW. The effect of initial concentration of CW was then investigated on the performance of the PFC system through the Effective Partition Constant (K) value and increment of sugar content. It was found that lower initial concentration yielded lower K, which is favourable and high sugar content. The best K achieved was of 0.3101 and the highest sugar content increment acquired was 53% with the range of initial concentration investigated (3 to 5%Brix).


1974 ◽  
Vol 52 (12) ◽  
pp. 2533-2538 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. Brewer ◽  
K. J. Collyard ◽  
C. E. Lott Jr.

Nectar produced by pistillate flowers of the dwarf mistletoe Arceuthobium abietinum Engelm. was analyzed by thin-layer and gas–liquid chromatography. The inconspicuous (0.5–1.5 mm) flowers produce relatively large (0.24 μliter) droplets of highly concentrated nectar (58–92% total solids, expressed as sugars). The major components were glucose (48%), fructose (39%), and sucrose (11%). Traces of other sugars were also present. It is suggested that nectar of this high sugar content is probably a strong insect pollinator attractant, and this, in turn, may be a major factor in the successful spread of the parasitic dwarf mistletoes.


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