Nutritional Evaluation of Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc) From Lapai, Nigeria

The nutritional constituents of seeds of Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean) were analyzed for their nutritional compositions using standard analytical methods. Results of proximate analysis obtained were moisture content (9.20±0.12 %), ash (3.40±0.09 %), carbohydrate (21.10±0.05 %), crude fibre (4.60±0.07 %) and calorific value (185.79±0.03 kcal/100 g). Mean concentrations of mineral elements were the order: zinc (139.00±0.04 mg/100 g) > potassium (31.50±0.12 mg/100 g) > copper (30.00±0.01 mg/100 g) > phosphorus (17.40±0.11 mg/100 g) > magnesium (3.90±0.07 mg/100 g) > calcium (3.50±0.17 mg/100 g) > sodium (0.11±0.03 mg/100 g) > iron (0.10±0.01 mg/100 g). Measured values for bulk density, water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity, foaming capacity and foaming stability were 0.85±0.07 g/cm3, 1.65±0.13 %, 0.70±0.03 %, 16.00±0.12 % and 7.50±0.22 % respectively. The amino acid profile revealed that glutamic acid had the highest value (12.56 g/100 g) while tryptophan had the lowest concentration (0.87 g/100 g). Results obtained indicate that the consumption of V. subterranean can contribute to the nutritional requirements of the body.

Bioactive Compounds and Nanodelivery Perspectives for Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases

Bioactive compounds are comprised of small quantities of extra nutritional constituents providing both health benefits and enhanced nutritional value, based on their ability to modulate one or more metabolic processes. Plant-based diets are being thoroughly researched for their cardiovascular properties and effectiveness against cancer. Flavonoids, phytoestrogens, phenolic compounds, and carotenoids are some of the bioactive compounds that aim to work in prevention and treating the cardiovascular disease in a systemic manner, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, and heart failure. Their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties are the most important characteristics that make them favorable candidates for CVDs treatment. However, their low water solubility and stability results in low bioavailability, limited accessibility, and poor absorption. The oral delivery of bioactive compounds is constrained due to physiological barriers such as the pH, mucus layer, gastrointestinal enzymes, epithelium, etc. The present review aims to revise the main bioactive compounds with a significant role in CVDs in terms of preventive, diagnostic, and treatment measures. The advantages of nanoformulations and novel multifunctional nanomaterials development are described in order to overcome multiple obstacles, including the physiological ones, by summarizing the most recent preclinical data and clinical trials reported in the literature. Nanotechnologies will open a new window in the area of CVDs with the opportunity to achieve effective treatment, better prognosis, and less adverse effects on non-target tissues.

Some wild fruits from amazon biodiversity: composition, bioactive compounds, and characteristics

Brazil is one of the countries that share a part of the Amazon region that has been called Legal Amazon. Amazon forest offers the most extraordinary biodiversity of flora and fauna on the planet and, on its surface, can cohabit 50% of the total existing living species. According to some botanists, it would contain about 16-20% of the species that exist today. This region has native fruits with antioxidants and antiproliferative activities already reported by some authors. Consumption of these fruits would be an alternative because they are good sources of nutritional constituents, such as minerals, fibre, vitamins, water, and caloric content. However, the number of scientific studies related to their health benefits is still low. Eugenia stipitata, Myrciaria dubia H. B. K. (Mcvough), Endopleura uchi (Huber) Cuatrecasas, Eugenia punicifolia (Kunth) D.C and Garcinia madruno. Among the main compounds reported are the most interesting groups: phenolic compounds, unsaturated fatty acids, carotenoids, phytosterols, and tocopherols, flavonoids, vitamin B, vitamin A, and vitamin C, and carotenoids. The main beneficial effect of the Amazon fruits is the antioxidant effect; other functional properties as medicinal, antimicrobial, antimutagenic, antigenotoxic, antigenotoxic, and antiinflammatory, antinociceptive, antidiabetic, and gastroprotective, are also reported. Therefore, these fruits can be considered a valuable source of functional foods due to their phytochemical compositions and their corresponding antioxidant activities.

Chemical Evaluation of Mumu Formulated from Pearl Millet, Irish Potato and Sesame Flour Blends

An investigation into anti¬-nutrient compositionof mumu, a traditional dish in Benue State, Nigeria, was carried out. Formulation of blends was based on different levels of roasted pearl millet flour (RPMF), boiled Irish potato flour (BIPF), and roasted sesame seed flour (RSSF). The three ingredients were combined in the following ratios: RPMF 100 (control), 70:20:10, 65:25:10 and 65:20:15 of RPMF: BIPF: RSSF, respectively. Mineral bioavailability was evaluated by [Oxalate]/[Ca], [Phytate]/[Ca], [Phytate]/[Fe] and [Phytate]/[Zn] molar ratios of the different blends of mumu were investigated, to which only Fe showed limited absorption. The anti-nutritional constituents showed that concentration of phytates>alkaloids>oxalates>total phenols, with values ranging from 24.22-24.93 mg/100 g Phytates, 4.15-4.81 mg/100 g alkaloids; 0.39-0.78 mg/100g oxalates; 0.00-0.01 mg/100g total phenols. The consumption of mumu is encouraged as it contains minerals important to the body, nonetheless, Fe supplementation is suggested.

Dynamic high pressure microfluidization (DHPM): Physicochemical properties, nutritional constituents and microorganisms of yam juice

Dynamic high pressure microfluidization (DHPM) is considered an emerging and promising technique for the continuous production of fluid foods. This study measured the effect of DHPM on yam juice. After DHPM processing, the content of total soluble solids (TSS), turbidity, flavonoid and non-enzymatic browning was significantly decreased, with the biggest drops being 35.5, 86.2, 20.7, and 66.7%, respectively. Moreover, the average particle size was decreased from 1 944 nm to 358 nm, which showed a strong positive correlation with turbidity. The reduction coefficients and electric conductivity of Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus plantarum were increased significantly after DHPM processing. Combined with morphological analysis, DHPM processing had good bactericidal effects on E. coli and S. cerevisiae. These results provided reference values for the application of DHPM technology in the development of yam juice.

The Effect of Processing on Bioactive Compounds and Nutritional Qualities of Pulses in Meeting the Sustainable Development Goal 2

Diversification of plant-based food sources is necessary to improve global food and nutritional security. Pulses have enormous nutritional and health benefits in preventing malnutrition and chronic diseases while contributing positively to reducing environmental footprint. Pulses are rich in diverse nutritional and non-nutritional constituents which can be classified as bioactive compounds due to their biological effect. These bioactive compounds include but are not limited to proteins, dietary fibres, resistant starch, polyphenols, saponins, lectins, phytic acids, and enzyme inhibitors. While these compounds are of importance in ensuring food and nutritional security, some of the bioactive constituents have ambivalent properties. These properties include having antioxidant, anti-hypertensive and prebiotic effects. Others have a deleterious effect of decreasing the digestibility and/or bioavailability of essential nutrients and are therefore termed antinutritional factors/compounds. Various processing techniques exist to reduce the content of antinutritional factors found in pulses. Traditional processing of pulses comprises soaking, dehulling, milling, germination, fermentation, and boiling, while examples of emerging processing techniques include microwaving, extrusion, and micronization. These processing techniques can be tailored to purpose and pulse type to achieve desired results. Herein, the nutritional qualities and properties of bioactive compounds found in pulses in meeting the sustainable development goals are presented. It also discusses the effect of processing techniques on the nutritional and non-nutritional constituents in pulses as well as the health and environmental benefits of pulse-diet consumption. Major challenges linked to pulses that could limit their potential of being ideal crops in meeting the sustainable development goal 2 agenda are highlighted.

Valorization of Cereal By-Products from the Milling Industry as a Source of Nutrients and Bioactive Compounds to Boost Resource-Use Efficiency

Cereal by-products (wheat germ, maize bran–germ mixture, rye bran, and wheat bran) from the flour milling industry were characterized for their nutritional value and chemical composition, as well as for antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Carbohydrates (including sucrose) were the major nutritional constituents (56.35–78.12 g/100 g dw), followed by proteins (11.2–30.0 g/100 g dw). The higher energy value (432.3 kcal/100 g dw) was presented by the wheat germ. This by-product also presented the highest citric acid content (0.857 g/100 g dw), the most abundant organic acid detected. Unsaturated fatty acids predominated in all samples given the high content of linoleic (53.9–57.1%) and oleic (13.4–29.0%) acids. Wheat germ had the highest levels of tocopherols (22.8 mg/100 g dw) and phenolic compounds (5.7 mg/g extract, with a high apigenin-C-pentoside-C-hexoside content). In turn, while the wheat bran extract was particularly effective in inhibiting the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), the rye bran extract was the only sample capable of protecting erythrocytes from oxidative hemolysis. Regarding antibacterial properties, in general, the lowest minimum inhibitory concentrations were observed against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. These results highlight the characterized by-products as sustainable ingredients for the development of novel bakery and functional food products and contribute to a better bioresource-use efficiency and circularity.