Nutraceutical Properties in Flowers

Flowers are associated with human life since time immemorial. Beside aesthetic beauty, several flowers are used for edible purpose viz., rose, marigold, calendula, hibiscus, hollyhock, carnation, chrysanthemum, nasturtium, lotus, cosmos and pansies etc. These flowers have medicinal as well as nutritional values and are rich source of vitamins, antioxidants and mineral elements. The flowers are enriched with various pigments viz., chlorophyll, flavonoids, xanthophylls, carotenoids, betalains and anthocyanin that are generally used in coloring food, beverage, and textile and paper industries. Edible flowers have anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antimicrobial and antimutagenic properties too. The flowers are used as vegetables and other purpose since time immemorial, however, flowers for supplementary health products is comparatively a new concept and therefore needs further research to utilize flowers as nutraceuticals.

Management of Solid Waste Marble Powder: Improving Quality of Sodium Chloride Obtained From Sulphate Rich Lake/Subsoil Brines With Simultaneous Recovery of High Purity Gypsum and Light Basic Magnesium Carbonate

Marble industry worldwide produces large amount of non-degradable marble dust powder (MDP) waste during mining and processing stages. MDP mainly comprises of CaCO3 with small amounts of Mg, Fe or Si in various forms. In India, mainly in Rajasthan state, marble is quarried in huge amounts and MDP thus produced is collected improperly and dumped at any abandoned land or identified disposal sites leading to several environment hazards. On the other hand, the composition of sub soil/lake brines of Rajasthan is typical in nature as it does not have much Ca2+ and Mg2+ impurities but contains higher levels of SO42-. Therefore, the common salt (NaCl) produced from such brines is contaminated with Na2SO4 (8-30 wt%) depending upon SO42- concentration in the brine. Such a salt produced is neither suitable for edible purpose nor for industrial usage. Herein, we have reacted MDP with HCl, and the resulting solution (CaCl2 and MgCl2 slurry) is used in stoichiometric ratio of Ca2+ to SO42- in brines to produce high purity NaCl and gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O) via fractional crystallization. Remaining magnesium containing solution was reacted with Na2CO3 to prepare high purity light basic magnesium carbonate hydrate. Purity of crystallized NaCl, CaSO4·2H2O and MgCO3·6H2O has been ascertained through analytical and spectral methods (TGA, FTIR, P-XRD). Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) was used to elucidate morphology of crystals. The method reported for improving purity of NaCl along with CaSO4·2H2O and MgCO3·6H2O production from sulphate rich brines is simple and economic, and allow management of MDP generated in huge amounts, which poses problems of disposal and creates environment hazards.

Physicochemical Characteristics and Oil Keeping Quality of Two Cultivars of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) Seeds

The work was conducted on sunflower seeds of two cultivars namely ‘Kironi’ and ‘Hysun-46’. Proximate composition of the seeds, chemical characteristics and fatty acid composition of the oils, and its keeping quality at different storage conditions were studied. Moisture content of Kironi seeds was nearly twice than Hysun-46 (8.03 vs 4.46%). Crude fat in Hysun-46 seeds was somewhat higher than Kironi. Kironi had significantly higher crude protein whereas Hysun-46 contained significantly higher percent of starch than Kironi (7.05 vs 3.90%). Physical characteristics of oil such as viscosity, colour and transparency changed with time during storage; specific gravity and smoking temperature, however, remained unchanged. Acid values of the freshly extracted oil from Hysun-46 were unexpectedly high (98.75). Iodine values were found to be higher in Kironi than Hysun-46, so the former had greater proportion of unsaturation. Saponification values of the oils decreased with the time in open vessel, in amber coloured bottle at 4°C and also in boiled oil kept at room temperature. However, these values registered an increase in oils stored in closed vessel and amber coloured bottle at room temperature. Peroxide values increased in oils under all conditions except in amber bottle at 4°C. The ratio of linoleic acid to oleic acid in Kironi (2.3:1) was higher than that in Hysun-46 (1.9:1), indicating that Kironi had more semidrying capacity and suitable for edible purpose. The freshly extracted oil had attractive appearance. Between the two oil samples, Kironi seems somewhat superior to Hysun-46.

Nutritive Values of the Leaves of Crescentia Cujete (Ugbuba)

Mineral and proximate analysis of Crescentia Cujete (Ugbugba) leaves were examined using the methods recommended by Association of Official Analytical Chemist (AOAC). The leaves contained 51.00+1.05% moisture, 2.30+0.2% ash, crude protein 51.00+0.43%, crude lipid 1.90+0.08%, crude fibre 4.00+0.12%, carbohydrates 40.40+0.02%. The minerals ranges from mg/g dry weight K(30.02 + 0.03), Na (12.10+0.32), Ca (60.00+0.01). Mg (361.42+0.01), P(14.19 +0.42), Mn (6.32 + 1.01), Fe (2.43+0.01), Cu (13.04+0.10), Zn (1.20+0.43), Na/K (0.40) and Ca/P (2.14), K, Mg, Ca and Fe were found in significant concentrations. The findings showed that Crescentia Cujete leaves are source of nutrients for edible purpose, a good Na/K ratio for lowering blood pressure.

Nutritional Quality Evaluation of Indian Fish- Trichiurus Lepturus

Trichiurus Lepturus constitute one of the most important commercial fishes of India. Nowadays the major health problem arises due to malnutrition and lack of excellent sources for the nutrient food supply. Fisheries are one of the most promising healthy food sources that humans and other animals depend. Hence nutrient profiling is important to know the calorific value of food for the edible purpose. This study was aimed to find the nutritional quality evaluation of the fish Trichiurus lepturus collected from Cochin, Kerala and to suggest the calorific value of fish Trichiurus lepturus . It was found that the fish Trichiurus lepturus is a chief source of fats and proteins. The high concentration of fat may be an indication of high calorific value than compared to other fishes since the portion of calorific value lead by fat more.

Studies on changes in quality characteristics of Indian horse chestnut (Aesculus indica Colebr.) flour during storage

Indian horse chestnut (Aesculus indica Colebr.) is a rich source of starch but contains toxic compound known as saponins which makes it bitter and unsuitable for edible purposes. To exploit the starch source for edible purpose first of all the saponins were removed to a acceptable limit by pretreating the crushed mass of Indian horse chestnut as suggested earlier. Edible mass of Indian horse chestnut was dried and milled into flour and packed in different packaging materials and further stored under refrigerated (4-7°C) and ambient (18-25°C) storage conditions for 6 months. The flour packed in aluminium laminated pouches and stored under refrigerated condition showed minimum increase in physico-chemical and rheological characteristics like moisture content (6.49%), water activity (0.155), reducing sugars (1.72%) and retained highest amounts of total solids (93.50%), total sugars (3.75%), starch (63.89%), ash (2.36%), proteins (102.23 mg/100g) along with oil absorption capacity (1.54 ml/g), water absorption capacity (4.44 ml/g) and bulk density (0.635 g/ml). The sensory characteristics scores like colour (7.60), taste (7.25), aroma (6.88), texture (6.87) and overall acceptability (7.08) were retained highest in this packaging material as compared to others.