Quality Attributes and Shelf-Life Estimation of Cassava Flour Incorporated Bakery Product (Biscuit)

Cassava (Manihotesculentacrantz) is not true cereals are largely grown all over the world. They are very important due to their excellent nutritional contents especially protein, crude fiber, and carbohydrates. Biscuits were prepared by mixing cassava and wheat flour. Six treatments were prepared by adding 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% cassava flour with wheat flour (Sample B, C, D, E, and F respectively) along with controlled treatment of 100% wheat flour (A). The proximate composition of flours was analyzed and prepared biscuits were subjected to sensory evaluation and shelf-life estimation. The obtained data was analyzed statistically by Genstat Discovery Edition 3 (DE3), for Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) at a 5% level of significance. Statistical analysis showed that sensory parameters and overall acceptability of 80 parts wheat and 20 parts cassava flour incorporated biscuit was significantly superior to all biscuits formulations. The proximate results of the best product showed that moisture content, crude fat, crude protein, crude fiber, total ash content, and total carbohydrate were found 3.44±0.25%, 13.80±0.33%, 8.13±0.13%, 1.29±0.19%, 2.41±0.06%, and 70.99±0.50 (g/100g) respectively. The shelf life of the best product was estimated by analyzing acid value and moisture content of the product by using three different packaging materials biaxially polypropylene (BOPP), high-density polypropylene (HDPE), and polypropylene (PP) respectively. The shelf life of the best product (80-20) wheat and cassava flours was found to be satisfactory for 8 weeks. The projected shelf life was found high in polypropylene (PP) and high-density polypropylene (HDPE) for 13.5 and 17.81 weeks for acid value and moisture content respectively.

Nutrient composition and bioaccumulation of an edible aquatic insect, Pantala sp. (Odonata: Libellulidae) from the rice field

Numerous edible aquatic insects have unanticipated nutraceutical potential and are consumed in a variety of Thai locations. The proximate composition, amino acid, fatty acid, mineral, and heavy metal content of Pantala sp. (Odonata: Libellulidae) aquatic edible nymphs were determined using standard analytical methods in this study. Pantala sp. had a proximate protein content of 445.14±0.04%, a fat content of 4.93±0.05%, an ash content of 5.24±0.03%, a moisture content of 35.11±0.09%, and a total carbohydrate content of 9.60±0.11%. Total energy was 263.25±0.20 kcal/100 g, with fat energy accounting for 44.37±0.43 kcal/100 g. Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analysis revealed that this insect was high in phosphorus, iron, and copper for human consumption. In comparison to other edible insects studied, they were also excellent calcium sources. Agilent 7890B Gas Chromatograph (GC) analysis revealed that it contains 236.67 mg/100g of omega-3 and 523.32 mg/100g of omega-6. While the amino acids examined using High Performance liquid Chromatography contained all essential amino acids. ICP-OES was used to determine the levels of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As). Pantala sp. had the highest concentration of As (average = 2.827 ± 0.289 mg kg -1 ), followed by Cd (0.164 ± 0.007 mg kg -1 ) and Pb (0.158 ± 0.015 mg kg -1 ). Although the insects have nutraceutical potential, they also have toxic heavy metals in trace amounts, with the exception of As. This work could serve as a nutritional reference for local consumers interested in entomophagy.

​Nutritional Value and Anti-nutritional Factor’s Analyses of Five Indigenous Spices used by the Karbi Group of Assam, India

Background: Uses of indigenous herbs and spices have become ubiquitous on modern culinary systems. But to date literatures on nutritional aspects of these group of plants are limited. Therefore the present study was done to evaluate the nutritional and anti-nutritional compositions of five indigenous spices commonly used in Karbi cuisines. The present study will help identify long forgotten multifunctional food resources which was previously neglected due to its low quantity in use. Methods: The nutritional compositions were determined according to procedures established by Association of official Analytical chemists 1990 and the anti-nutritive factors of the samples were determined according to the procedure described in the reported scientific publications. Result: The results showed appreciable amount of nutrients in Citrus macroptera Montrouz., Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers., Ocimum citriodorum Vis., Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton. and Zanthoxylum armatum DC. The energy value of these five spices showed remarkable values, with the highest value observed in Ocimum citriodorum Vis. (354.08 Kcal) and lowest in Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers. (108.67 Kcal). The moisture, ash, crude protein, crude fats, total carbohydrate and crude fibre content of the studied spices vary from 0.85-7.45%, 3.30-14.25%, 1.85-25.30%, 1.80-43.09%, 7.03-32.32% and 1.39-72.55% in range respectively. The vitamin C content was estimated highest in Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton. (34 mg/100 g) and lowest in Citrus macroptera Montrouz. (22 mg/100g). The phytate (17.22-18.85 mg/100 g), oxalate (10.15-12.42 mg/100 g), tannin (9.45-11.61 mg/100 g) and saponin (8.82-10.55 mg/100 g) contents were very low and hence these spices are less toxic for human consumptions.

Determination of carbohydrate accumulation and plant growth dynamics in snowdrop (Galanthus elwesii Hook.) response to moisture levels in different substrates

In terms of botany, geophytes are known by their own survival strategy due to have a swollen storage organs. Snowdrops (Galanthus, 20 spp.; Amaryllidaceae) are important type of wild-sourced ornamental bulb genus in all geophyte species. Also, have a great deal of potential for use on landscape designs. Whereas, not much study has been done regarding the growth dynamics of snowdrops at harsh environmental conditions. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of abiotic stress conditions on the performance of snowdrop (Galanthus elwesii Hook.) in soiless culture. Substrates and moisture were the variables. Peat + perlite and cocopeat were used as a substrate in pots. Moisture levels were applied; ML1, ML2 (well-watered and moderately tolerant treatments), ML3 (moderate stress) and ML4 (severe stress). Moisture had a statistically significant effect (P < 0.05) on circumference size, height and weight of the snowdrop bulbs. Plant height and carbohydrate accumulation were also affected by moisture levels in different substrates. The correlation between total carbohydrate (r = 0.95) and starch (r = 0.98) were positively determined. The reduced sugar, total sugar, starch and total carbohydrate values were increased by the severe stress treatment (ML4).

Development of technology for producing wheat bread enriched with soy ingredient

Nutritional supplements produced from soy and being rich in protein, fat and many other valuable substances have become a promising source of fortification of bakery products. This study aimed to develop a technology for producing wheat bread enriched with a protein-vitamin-mineral ingredient (PVMI) obtained from germinated soybeans. When kneading the dough, PVMI was added together with wheat flour and other dry components. Mathematical modeling of the wheat bread sensory evaluation showed the optimal content of PVMI in the recipe was 20% of the weight of wheat flour. As a result of the correlation-regression analysis, the most rational production characteristics for obtaining bread enriched with BVMI have been established. The amount of protein in the bread sample increased by 71.9%, dietary fiber - by 40.9%, vitamin E - by 34.7%, vitamin B1 - by 190%, vitamin B2 - by 80%, choline - by 186%. The fat quantity was 4.1 times more. At the same time, the total carbohydrate content decreased by 18.1% compared to the control sample. The improved chemical composition makes it possible to classify wheat bread with PVMI as an enriched food product.

Dietary Fibre Intake and the 10-Year Incidence of Tinnitus in Older Adults

Tinnitus is the phantom perception of sound in the ears or head that increases in prevalence as age increases. With strong evidence supporting the benefits of dietary fibre for vascular health and hearing loss, intake of dietary fibre may also have a role in the prevention of tinnitus symptoms. This longitudinal study aims to determine the association between the intake of dietary fibre and other carbohydrate nutrition variables including glycaemic index (GI), glycaemic load (GL) and total carbohydrate intakes, and incident tinnitus over 10 years. Of the 1730 participants (aged ≥50 years) from the Blue Mountains Hearing Study with complete baseline data on tinnitus symptoms and carbohydrate intakes, 536 (31%) cases of tinnitus were identified and excluded from further incidence analysis. Dietary data were collected using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire to determine intakes of total dietary fibre and fibre contributions from cereals, vegetables, and fruit. A purpose-built database based on Australian GI values was used to calculate mean GI. Lower versus higher intakes of fruit fibre (≤3.6 g/day vs. >3.6 g/day) and cereal fibre (≤4.2 g/day vs. >4.2 g/day) were significantly associated with a 65% (HR = 1.65; 95% CI: 1.15–2.36) and 54% (HR = 1.54; 95% CI: 1.07–2.22) increased risk of developing tinnitus over 10 years, respectively. Associations between intake of other carbohydrate nutrients and incident tinnitus were mostly non-significant. In summary, our study showed modest associations between intake of dietary fibre and incident tinnitus. The protective effects of fibre, particularly insoluble fibre, could underlie observed associations by reducing the risk of tinnitus via vascular risk factors such as cardiovascular disease. Further longitudinal studies evaluating different types and sources of fibre and tinnitus risk are needed to confirm our study findings.

The Feasibility of Utilizing Cultured Cordyceps militaris Residues in Cosmetics: Biological Activity Assessment of Their Crude Extracts

Solid-based residues (SBRs) left from harvesting the fruiting bodies of cultured Cordyceps mushrooms are a challenge to sustainability. Therefore, in this study, the SBRs from the cultivation of Cordyceps militaris (C. militaris) via solid-state fermentation (SSF) were employed to prepare crude extracts, with the aim of considering their possible use in cosmetics. The SBRs obtained from cultivation with solid media containing defatted rice bran mixed with barley, white rice, Riceberry rice, and wheat were named SBR-B, SBR-R, SBR-Rb, and SRB-W, respectively. They were extracted with solvents of differing polarity and then evaluated for their total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and total carbohydrate content (TCC). In addition, antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory activities, photoprotection, and cytotoxicity were also assessed. The results revealed that the total bioactive contents and biological capacities of crude SBR extracts were significantly influenced by the types of SBR and extraction solvent (p < 0.05). The SBR-B extracted with hot water exhibited the highest antioxidant activity (66.62 ± 2.10, 212.00 ± 3.43, and 101.62 ± 4.42 mg TEAC/g extract) when assayed by DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP methods, respectively, whereas tyrosinase inhibitory activity (51.13 ± 1.11 mg KAE/g extract) with 90.43 ± 1.96% inhibition at 1 mg/mL was excellently achieved by SBR-Rb extracted by 50% (v/v) ethanol. Correlations between bioactive contents in the crude extracts and their biological activities were mostly proven at a strong level (p < 0.01). The capability of the crude extracts to absorb UV over the range of 290–330 nm disclosed their potential roles as natural UV absorbers and boosters. Cytotoxicity analysis using fibroblast cell lines tested with hot water and 50% (v/v) ethanolic SBR extracts demonstrated safe use within a concentration range of 0.001–10 mg/mL. Interestingly, their fibroblast proliferative capacity, indicating anti-aging properties, was highly promoted. The chemical composition analyzed via LC–MS/MS techniques showed that seven phenolic acids and four flavonoids were identified in the crude SBR extracts. Furthermore, the other compounds present included nucleosides, nucleobases, amino acids, sugars, phospholipids, alkaloids, organic acids, vitamins, and peptides. Therefore, it is emphasized that SBRs from C. militaris can be a prospective source for preparing crude extracts employed in cosmetics. Lastly, they could be further utilized as multifunctional ingredients in cosmetics and cosmeceuticals.

Characterization and analysis of the antidiabetic activities of sulphated polysaccharide extract from Caulerpa lentillifera

Caulerpa lentillifera is a type of green seaweed that is cultivated in tropical and subtropical areas. The objectives of this study were to determine the characteristics of the sulfated polysaccharides from C. lentillifera and evaluate its antidiabetic activity. In the initial process of this study, samples were macerated with ethanol (1:10). Then, the maceration residue was extracted with an accumulator at 75 °C for three hours. The crude extract yield was 4.16% based on weight seaweed. Ion chromatography purification with DEAE-Sepharose resin provided a yield of 14.8% of crude extract. The monomer analysis of C. lentillifera from the crude extract and purified extract revealed that galactose monomers were dominant and glucose was a minor component. The total carbohydrate and sulfate contents of purified C. lentillifera were higher than those of crude C. lentillifera. Bioactivity tests revealed that purified polysaccharides had higher antidiabetic activity against α-glucosidase enzyme than crude ones with IC50 values of 134.81± 2.0 µg/mL. Purified sulfated polysaccharides of C. lentillifera could potentially be used as an antidiabetic medication.

Association between carbohydrate quality index and general and central obesity in adults: a population-based study in Iran

Introduction: To determine whether dietary carbohydrates quality index (CQI), glycemic index, and glycemic load is associated with general and abdominal obesity. Methods: 850 participants, 20 to 59 years old, were enrolled in a cross-sectional study from five Tehran districts through health houses. The 168 items in the semi--quantitative food frequency questionnaire were used to assess dietary intake. The CQI was calculated by using the following four components: glycemic index, total fiber, solid carbohydrate to total carbohydrate ratio, and whole grains: total grains ratio. Results: After adjusting for confounding factors, the chance of obesity in men (OR=0.38, 95% CI 0.15to 0.95; P=0.04) measured by waist circumference (WC) was significantly lower in the fourth quintile of CQI in comparison with the first quintile. In addition, OR for obesity in men (OR=2.53, 95% CI0.52 to 1.37; P=0.04) was significantly 2.5 times higher among those in the fourth quintile of glycemic index compared with those in the lowest quintile. There was no significant association between dietary carbohydrates with general obesity in men and women. Conclusion: In summary, dietary CQI is significantly inversely related to central obesity in men,according to this study. Additionally, adherence to a diet with a higher glycemic index in men is positively associated with central obesity.

Monitoring transformation of two tropical lignocellulosics and their lignins after residence in Benin soils

Thermally assisted Hydrolysis and Methylation (THM), and 2D-heteronuclear single quantum coherence nuclear magnetic resonance (2D HSQC NMR) spectroscopy were used to monitor the transformation of ramial chipped wood (RCW) from Gmelina arborea and Sarcocephalus latifolius, together with their organosolv lignins, following soil incubation in Benin (West Africa). Mesh litterbags containing RCW were buried in soils (10 cm depth) and were retrieved after 0, 6, 12 and 18 months of field incubation. Chemical analysis showed that total carbohydrate content decreased, while total lignin content increased as RCW decomposition progressed. Ash and mineral content of RCW increased significantly after 18 months of decomposition in soil. Significant N-enrichment of the RCW was determined following 18 months incubation in soils, reaching 2.6 and 1.9 times the initial N-content for G. arborea and S. latifolius. Results of THM showed that the S + G sum, corresponding to lignins, increased with RCW residence time in the soils, in contrast to the response of compounds derived from carbohydrates, the sum of which decreased. Remarkably, lignin interunit linkages, most notably β-O-4′ aryl ethers, β-β′ resinol, β-5′ phenylcoumaran and p-PCA p-coumarate, survived after 18 months in the soil, despite their gradual decrease over the duration of the experiment.