scholarly journals Boron Biofortification of Portulaca oleracea L. through Soilless Cultivation for a New Tailored Crop

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 999
Author(s):  
Massimiliano D’Imperio ◽  
Angelo Parente ◽  
Francesco F. Montesano ◽  
Massimiliano Renna ◽  
Antonio F. Logrieco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sugar Content ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Mineral Elements ◽  
Portulaca Oleracea ◽  
Nitrate Content ◽  
Edible Plant ◽  
Hydroponic System ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Edible Parts

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) is a wild edible plant, traditionally consumed in the Mediterranean area and recently proposed as a new ready-to-eat vegetable; it is also called the “vegetable for long life” because of the high contents of several healthy compounds. Although boron (B) is not considered to be essential for humans, a daily intake of about 2 mg to obtain positive effects on aging in adult men and women has been suggested. In this study, two genotypes of purslane (wild collected and commercial variety) are grown by using a hydroponic system with three boron (B) levels in the nutrient solution (NS) (0.3 mg/L—control, 3 mg/L—low level of biofortification, and 6 mg/L—high level of biofortification) in order to increase the B content in the edible parts of the plant. The crop yield, color traits, and content of glucose, fructose, total phenols, chlorophylls, carotenoids, mineral elements (Al, B, Ca, Cr, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, and Zn), nitrate, and oxalate are analyzed. Independent of the genotype, the B content in edible purslane was successfully increased in comparison with the control, obtaining 1.8- to 10.7-fold higher values of B tissue concentrations by using, respectively, 3 and 6 mg/L of B in the NS without affecting crop performances. From a nutritional point of view, the average daily intake of B could be satisfied by consuming about 75 or 48 g of purslane, grown by using 3 and 6 mg/L B level in the NS, respectively. Apart from B and Fe, the content of mineral elements in edible parts of purslane was not strongly influenced by different B levels in the NS but it was affected by genotypes. A lower sugar content was found in wild purslane grown with the highest B level. A higher content of both chlorophylls and carotenoids was found in the control but only for the commercial genotype. No differences in oxalate content were observed among B levels in the NS, while only in the case of wild genotype, we found a lower nitrate content when a B concentration of 3 mg/L was used in the NS. In conclusion, we demonstrated the possibility of using the floating hydroponic system, combined with specific B concentrations in the NS composition, as a method to calibrate the B uptake in edible parts of purslane.

scholarly journals Alleviation of Cd-induced growth improvement by exogenous melatonin pre-treatment in Abutilon theophrasti Medicus

2021 ◽  
Vol 293 ◽  
pp. 01010
Author(s):  
Tianpeng Gao ◽  
Jingwen Fu ◽  
Mingbo Zuo ◽  
Haoming Wang ◽  
Xiao-Xiao Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Production ◽  
Abutilon Theophrasti ◽  
Cd Accumulation ◽  
Hydroponic System ◽  
Plant Yield ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Mda Content ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
Edible Parts ◽  
Harmful Effects

The present work was aimed to study the effect of melatonin pre-treatments on oxidative stress modulation, cadmium (Cd) accumulation, and tolerance in Abutilon theophrasti Medicus under the hydroponic system. Application of substances that can modulate the harmful effects of Cd on plant yield and reduce its accumulation in the edible parts is of particular importance. Therefore, the Abutilon pre-treated with 0.1mM melatonin were exposed to 200μM, 400μM, 800μM Cd. Our results showed that 0.1mM melatonin led to positive effects on 200μM and 400μM Cd tolerance, including a significant increase in root activity andperoxidase (POD) activity and a significant decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Withthe help of melatonin, the enrichment factor (BCF) significantly decreased, reducing the content in the ground and roots. At least in our experiment conditions, this information appears to be useful for healthy food production.

scholarly journals Enhancing the Quality of Two Species of Baby Leaves Sprayed with Moringa Leaf Extract as Biostimulant

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1399
Author(s):  
Stefania Toscano ◽  
Antonio Ferrante ◽  
Ferdinando Branca ◽  
Daniela Romano
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Extract ◽  
Foliar Application ◽  
Sugar Content ◽  
Nitrate Content ◽  
Specific Response ◽  
Yield And Quality ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Moringa Oleifera Lam

Natural biostimulants obtained by plants are intensively used nowadays to improve crop yield and quality. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of leaf extract of moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.) (MLE) in modifying baby leaf characteristics of two genotypes of Brassica. The trial was started in October 2020 in a greenhouse; a cultivar of kale ‘Cavolo Laciniato Nero di Toscana’ (CL) and a Sicilian landrace of sprouting broccoli ‘Broccoli Nero’ (BN) were used. The plants, after 15, 30 and 40 days from sowing, were treated with MLE, while the control plants (C) with distilled water. Treatment with MLE modified morphological and nutritional value, but with different behavior in the two genotypes. In fact, in BN the treatment reduced the antioxidant activity (2.2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)) by 54%, while in CL the treatment increased this parameter by 40%. For the phenolic concentration and the sugar content the values recorded were significantly increased by MLE compared to control plants in CL, where in BN a significant reduction was registered. The CL plants treated with MLE showed a significant reduction (−70%) in nitrate content compared to the control plants; a negative effect was, instead, observed in BN, where the plants treated with moringa showed an increase of 60%. Results of this study showed how the foliar application of MLE was effective in improving various nutraceutical parameters, in particular in kale, because it appears to be a species-specific response.

scholarly journals Study of nitrate levels in fruits and vegetables to assess the potential health risks in Bangladesh

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rayhan Uddin ◽  
Mostak Uddin Thakur ◽  
Mohammad Zia Uddin ◽  
G. M. Rabiul Islam
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Risk Index ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Point Estimate ◽  
Nitrate Content ◽  
Nitrate Accumulation ◽  
Health Risk Index ◽  
Potential Health

AbstractNitrate is a chemical compound naturally present in fruits and vegetables. This study aims at assessing the nitrate levels and health risks arising from high consumption of fruits and vegetables in Bangladesh. Sixteen species of fruits and vegetables were examined for nitrates using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Photo Diode Array (PDA) detector. Ward’s hierarchical cluster analysis was carried out to identify the cluster of tested fruits and vegetables for the nitrate contents. A point estimate of the daily intake was applied to find the health risks that arise due to elevated levels of nitrate in fruits and vegetables. The results show that root and tuber vegetables accumulate significantly higher levels of nitrate in comparison to fruits and fruit vegetables (P < 0.05). In cluster analysis, the nitrate accumulation of fruits and vegetables show four clear clusters contributing to 29.54%, 7.17%, 4.42%, and 58.57% of the total nitrate content in the entire sample. The risk assessment of the Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) and Health Risk Index (HRI) of almost all the tested samples was in the acceptable range, except for radish, thereby indicating the acceptance of risk due to nitrate intake in Bangladesh. As nitrate may have had risk factor for health, during cultivation and storing the product should be properly monitored.

scholarly journals Diversity and Utilization of Edible Plants and Macro-Fungi in Subtropical Guangdong Province, Southern China

Forests ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juyang Liao ◽  
Linping Zhang ◽  
Yan Liu ◽  
Qiaoyun Li ◽  
Danxia Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Food Supply ◽  
Southern China ◽  
Guangdong Province ◽  
Forest Products ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Edible Plants ◽  
Edible Plant ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Edible Parts

Food supply from forests is a fundamental component of forest ecosystem services, but information relating to suitability for human consumption and sustainable utilization of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in developing countries is lacking. To address this gap in knowledge, diverse datasets of edible plants and macro-fungi were obtained from field collections, historical publications, and community surveys across seven cities in Guangdong Province (GP), southern China. Seven edible parts and five food categories of plant species were classified according to usage and specific nutrient components. Edible plant species were also categorized into different seasons and life forms. Our results show that at least 100 plant species (with 64 plant species producing fruit) and 20 macro-fungi were commonly used as edible forest products in subtropical GP. There were 55 and 57 species providing edible parts in summer and autumn, respectively. Many edible plants had multiple uses. Tree and herbaceous species made up the majority of the total. Our study provides evidence that both edible plants and macro-fungi can enrich the food supply for residents in rural and urban areas by acting as supplemental resources. We therefore suggest that, in spite of the prevalence of imported foods due to modern infrastructure, edible NTFPs from subtropical forests might be leveraged to support the increasing demand for food in an era of rapid urbanization and global change.

scholarly journals Potential Human Health Risks of Tannery Waste-contaminated Poultry Feed

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (9) ◽  
pp. 68-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Latiful Bari ◽  
Hasina Akhter Simol ◽  
Nusrat Khandoker ◽  
Rokeya Begum ◽  
Ummay Nasrin Sultana
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Poultry Feed ◽  
Tannery Waste ◽  
Cr Content ◽  
Edible Parts ◽  
Potential Human Health

Background. For over a decade, solid tannery waste has been converted into protein concentrate and used as a feed ingredient because of its cheap availability. However, as chromium sulfate is commonly used in the tanning process, the chromium (Cr) content of tanned skin-cut wastes (SCW) may enter the edible parts of poultry through feed. Therefore, there is a chance that Cr and other heavy metals may be present in the edible portion of poultry and consequently transfer to humans upon poultry consumption. Objectives. In this study, skin-cut wastes (SCW)-based poultry feed and the edible parts of chicken fed with this feed were analyzed to understand the potential health risks of their use as poultry feed. Methods. In the present study, the presence of heavy metal content in SCW, poultry feed, and edible portions of different kinds of chicken was determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer methods and the associated health risk estimation was calculated by comparing the target hazard quotient (THQ) value and reference daily intake value. Results. The results revealed the presence of Cr content ranging from 0.12–3.11 mg/kg and lead (Pb) content ranging from 8.06–22.0 mg/kg in SCW. In addition, Cr and Pb were present in the range of 0.27–0.98 mg/kg and 10.27–10.36 mg/kg, respectively, in poultry feed. However, no cadmium (Cd) was found in SCW, but the presence of Cd ranged from 0.03–0.05 mg/kg in feed. When contaminated poultry feed was fed to live poultry, the presence of Cr, Pb and Cd was observed in the edible portions (i. e. skin, liver, gizzard, and meat). Irrespective of the edible parts and chicken type, Cr values ranged from 0.1–2.440 mg/kg; Pb values ranged from 0.257–1.750 mg/kg; and Cd values ranged from below detection limit (BDL) to 0.037 mg/kg. Conclusions. The estimated daily intake value, THQ, along with the aggregate hazard index value, indicated a potential risk to consumers through consumption of contaminated chicken. Therefore, the study results clearly demonstrate heavy metals accumulation in chicken due to feeding SCW-based feed. The contaminated chicken further transfers these heavy metals to humans through ingestion. Hence, there is a potential human health risk through consumption of contaminated chicken meat.

scholarly journals Effect of Gluten-Free Bakery Products on Serum Levels of Mineral Elements in Healthy Consumers

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 41-50
Author(s):  
M. Gažarová ◽  
J. Kopčeková ◽  
J. Mrázová ◽  
P. Chlebo
Keyword(s):  
Daily Intake ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Free Food ◽  
Mineral Elements ◽  
Bakery Products ◽  
Gluten Free ◽  
Free Products ◽  
Mineral Status ◽  
Healthy Nutrition ◽  
Average Serum

AbstractHealthy nutrition requires the intake of all macronutrients and micronutrients in optimal ratio and quantity. Nowadays, many people tend to gluten-free food without health and medical reasons. Many gluten-free products are nutritionally poorer than gluten-containing analogues. Although in many cases gluten-free products are nutritionally rich (either naturally or as a result of fortification), the bioavailability of nutrients is limited. The study focused on the influence of a six-week consumption of gluten-free bread and bakery products on mineral status in thirty healthy people without coeliac disease and the impacts eight weeks after the end of the consumption. Since the recommended daily intake for phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and iron was satisfied at only 84–88% for our volunteers, we consider the increase in the average serum levels of the monitored parameters to be positive (except for calcium). The six-week consumption of gluten-free bakery products had a positive effect on the mineral status of the monitored group of healthy consumers. We found a significant increase in phosphorus (P < 0.001) and magnesium (P < 0.01) levels, a certain increase in iron (P > 0.05), whereas the level of calcium insignificantly lowered (P > 0.05).

Wild Edible Plants of Dhankuta, Eastern Nepal

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 100-109
Author(s):  
Saugat Shrestha
Keyword(s):  
Hot Spot ◽  
Wild Edible Plants ◽  
Edible Plants ◽  
Wild Edible Plant ◽  
Edible Plant ◽  
Vegetation Zone ◽  
Floral Diversity ◽  
Sal Forest ◽  
Whole Plants ◽  
Edible Parts

The Dhankuta district, situated in the Eastern part of the country, is a hot spot for floral diversity. The vegetation zone ranges from sub tropical Sal forest to cool temperate alpine forest. The study of wild edible plant of this area was an attempt to highlight the types of wild edible plants found and their mode of use in local people. Present study records 132 species of wild edible plants belonging to 63 families and 103 genera. Fruits are the most common edible parts of the wild edible plants followed by leaves, young shoot, root or tuber, seeds, flower, whole plants, bark, nectar, nuts, inflorescence and buds.

scholarly journals Do Different LED Colours Influence Sand Fly Collection by Light Trap in the Mediterranean?

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriella Gaglio ◽  
Ettore Napoli ◽  
Francesca Arfuso ◽  
Jessica Maria Abbate ◽  
Salvatore Giannetto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Light Trap ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Sand Fly ◽  
Sand Flies ◽  
Light Traps ◽  
Trap Design ◽  
Phlebotomine Sand Flies ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Uv Led ◽  
The Mediterranean

Light traps represent the most used attractive system to collect and monitor phlebotomine sand flies. Recent studies have suggested that light traps can be easily upgraded by the use of light-emitting diode (LED) with positive effects on trap design, weight, and battery life. However, scant data on the effect of different LED colours on the attractiveness to phlebotomine sand fly species are available in literature. In this study, the capture performances of light traps equipped with different LED colours on phlebotomine sand fly species indigenous in the Mediterranean area were evaluated. Phlebotomine sand fly collections were performed using a classical light trap (CLT), equipped with a traditional incandescent lamp, and five Laika 4.0 light traps supplied, each with LED of different colours and wavelengths: (i) white; (ii) red; (iii) green; (iv) blue; (v) UV. Light traps were set for three consecutive nights fortnightly from May to October 2017 and climate data recorded using a meteorological station. A total of 411 phlebotomine sand flies (191 males and 220 females), belonging to three different species, namely, Phlebotomus perniciosus (n= 298, 141 males and 157 females), Sergentomyia minuta (n=110, 48 males and 62 females), and Phlebotomus neglectus (n=3, 2 males and 1 females) were collected. Abundance of capture was influenced by colours of LED and time. The highest number of phlebotomine sand flies was captured on June (P<0.01) and by UV LED (P<0.01). As regard to species, P. perniciosus was mainly captured by UV LED on June (P<0.01). No effect of time (P>0.05) or LED colour (P>0.05) was recorded for S. minuta and P. neglectus. According to the results of the present study light trap equipped with UV LED can represent an effective tool for the capture of sand fly species in the Mediterranean area.

Effects of menu labelling on students′ food choice: a preliminary study

2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (2) ◽  
pp. 479-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greta Krešić ◽  
Nikolina Liović ◽  
Jelka Pleadin
Keyword(s):  
Positive Impact ◽  
Food Selection ◽  
Sugar Content ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Nutrition Knowledge ◽  
Grocery Store ◽  
Nutrition Label ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Menu Selection ◽  
Selection Of

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess the relationship between nutrition knowledge and grocery store nutrition label use, with using nutrition information disclosure on menu selection in a group of hospitality management students, who shall be responsible for menu labelling in their future careers.Design/methodology/approachA between-subject design included 324 students, who were randomly assigned to choose from a menu labelled as follows: unlabelled; kcal label only; graphical label providing information on the per cent of the recommended daily intake of energy and four nutrients. Their nutrition knowledge and habit of reading grocery store nutrition labels were tested using an additional questionnaire.FindingsThe results showed that the provision of energy value information resulted in the selection of less energetic, less fat and less salted food, while a graphical label additionally led to the selection of food having a lower saturated fatty acid (SFA) and sugar content. Multiple regression analysis showed that the habit of packaged food nutrition label reading was a significant predictor of choosing food having a lower energy (p<0.001), fat (p<0.001), SFA (p<0.001), sugar (p<0.001) and salt (p=0.003) content, while the influence of nutrition knowledge on food selection was proven insignificant.Originality/valueGiven the established positive impact of menu labelling, these findings support the future European policy mandating energy and nutrient content disclosure on menus, but also point to the need for more-intense consumer education.

scholarly journals Physiological and Phytochemical Responses of Spinach Baby Leaves Grown in a PFAL System with LEDs and Saline Nutrient Solution

Agriculture ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 574
Author(s):  
Filippos Bantis ◽  
Mariangela Fotelli ◽  
Zoran S. Ilić ◽  
Athanasios Koukounaras
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Solution ◽  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Sugar Content ◽  
Soluble Sugar ◽  
Maximum Yield ◽  
Photosynthetic Apparatus ◽  
Salinity Level ◽  
Carotenoid Content ◽  
Nitrate Content ◽  
Red Led

Spinach is a leafy vegetable containing a plethora of bioactive compounds. Our study aimed to evaluate the physiological (i.e., JIP-test) and phytochemical response of spinach baby leaves grown with regular or mildly saline (40 mM NaCl) nutrient solution and irradiated by four light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with broad spectra. T1 (highest red and far-red, low blue) and T3 (high red, balanced blue, green and far-red) led to a better developed photosynthetic apparatus compared to T2 (red peak in 631 nm) and T4 (highest blue and green), highlighted by PIABS and its structural components: RC/ABS, φP0, ψE0, and ΔVIP. Elevated salinity only affected the latter parameter. T1 induced the maximum yield production but also the highest nitrate content which was far below the maximum level permitted by European legislation. Regardless of salinity level, T3 enhanced total phenol, chlorophyll, and carotenoid content. T2 and T4 led to inferior nutritional quality. Non-saline nutrient solution promoted the chlorophyll and carotenoid contents and the antioxidant potential, regardless of light treatment. By contrast, soluble sugar content was enhanced by saline nutrient solution. Our study shows that physiology and nutritional quality of spinach baby leaves can be manipulated by small interplays in the light spectra and salinity level.

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