Effect of Christmas Melon (Laganaria Breviflorus) extract on toxigenic Mycoflora Isolated from Stored Unpolished Rice sold in major Markets in Abeokuta, Nigeria

Study on toxigenic mycoflora and potential mitigation effect of Christmas Melon (Laganaria Breviflorus) extract in unpolished rice sold in Abeokuta Ogun state of Nigeria was carried out. Unpolished rice gotten from markets in Abeokuta were aseptically transported to the laboratory, serial dilution to reduce the fungal load was carried out and were plated on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) and Methyl Red Dessicated Coconut Agar (MRDCA) respectively. Microscopy, macroscopy, toxigenicity test and inhibition studies with the peeled and unpeeled fruit of Laganaria breviflorus fermented for seven days was carried out. Results reveal the predominance of Aspergillus as the major genera, specifically, A. niger, A.flavus, A. parasiticus, A. fumigatus, A. terreus, A. nidulans. Other fungi genera isolated include Penicillium, F`usarium, Mucor, Alternaria and Rhizopus . Of the 11 fungi genera isolated, 9 were toxigenic of which the zones of inhibition of unpeeled whole fruit extract of Laganaria breviflorus range from (3 - 28mm) where A. nidulans shows the highest susceptibility to the whole fruit extract of Laganaria breviflorus while the zone of inhibition of peeled fruit extract of Laganaria breviflorus ranges from (3 - 22mm) where A. parasiticus, Fusarium specie and P.chrysogenum showed the highest susceptibility . As the day progresses the zone of inhibition becomes wider. Unpeeled LB extract exhibited more zones of inhibition than the peeled LB extract. Laganaria breviflorus fruit extracts in the study demonstrates a potential in reducing toxigenic fungi, consequently a means to reducing mycotoxins in staple foods in Nigeria.

Environmental Health Risk Assessment of Fe, Zn, As, Cd and Pb Concentration in Selected Asian Rice Grain (Oryza sativa)

This study was carried out to determine the concentration of chemical elements in food grains (Oryza Sativa). A total of eight brands of rice grains was selected which are commonly sold in major hypermarkets in Malaysia. The selection was based on the countries of origin (COO) namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Japan and Taiwan. A total of 16 rice grain samples included both polished and unpolished rice grains in order to determine the concentration of Fe, Zn, As, Cd and Pb. From the laboratory result, it was found that the concentration of Fe, Zn, As, Cd and Pb was ranged from 0.067-14.446 mgkg‑1, 0.308-12.335 mgkg‑1, 0.000-0.048 mgkg‑1, 0.000-0.604 mgkg‑1 and 0.000-0.418 mgkg‑1 respectively. The rice grains samples from Vietnam, China and Cambodia showed that carcinogenic cancer risk for both adults and infants’ group (Cumulative lifetime cancer risk, CLCR >1x10-4).

Optimization of pressure parboiling conditions and pre-conditioned moisture content of brown rice (unpolished rice) for microwave puffing and its comparison with hot sand bed puffing

Brown rice puffing (unpolished rice) gives a more nutritious product compared to traditional puffed polished rice and reduces the cost of the product significantly, even though, the rice bran layer resists expansion during puffing. In the present study, brown rice was puffed in a microwave and hot-sand-bed after its pressure parboiling. Pressure parboiling parameters, steam pressure (196, 294, 392, 490 kPa) and steaming time (5, 10, 15 min), along with pre-conditioned moisture content (8, 10, 12 % wb) were studied and optimized for puffing characteristics (puffing percentage, expansion ratio, whiteness index, bulk density and hardness). All the experiments were carried out using a full factorial design. Statistical analysis showed there was a significant effect of processing variables on puffing characteristics. Optimized steam pressure, steaming time and pre-conditioned moisture content for microwave puffing were found to be 303.6 kPa, 14.25 min and 11.6% (wb) respectively, and for hot-sand-bed puffing to be 260.7 kPa, 15 min and 8% (wb) respectively.

Rice Novel Semidwarfing Gene d60 Can Be as Effective as Green Revolution Gene sd1

Gene effects on the yield performance were compared among promising semidwarf genes, namely, novel gene d60, representative gene sd1 with different two source IR8 and Jukkoku, and double dwarf combinations of d60 with each sd1 allele, in a Koshihikari background. Compared with the culm length of variety Koshihikari (mean, 88.8 cm), that of the semidwarf or double dwarf lines carrying Jukkoku_sd1, IR8_sd1, d60, Jukkoku_sd1 plus d60, or IR8_sd1 plus d60 was shortened to 71.8 cm, 68.5 cm, 65.7 cm, 48.6 cm, and 50.3 cm, respectively. Compared with the yield of Koshihikari (mean, 665.3 g/m2), that of the line carrying Jukkoku_sd1 allele showed the highest value (772.6 g/m2, 16.1% higher than Koshihikari), while that of IR8_sd1, d60 and IR8_sd1 plus d60, was slightly decreased by 7.1%, 5.5%, and 9.7% respectively. The line carrying Jukkoku_sd1 also showed the highest value in number of panicles and florets/panicle, 16.2% and 11.1% higher than in Koshihikari, respectively, and these effects were responsible for the increases in yield. The 1000-grain weight was equivalent among all genetic lines. Except for the semidwarf line carrying Jukkoku_sd1, semidwarf line carrying d60 was equivalent to line carrying IR8_sd1in the yield of unpolished rice, and yield components such as panicle length, panicle number, floret number /panicle. Therefore, the semidwarfing gene d60 is one of the best possible choices in practical breeding.

Fortification of Rice Grain with Gac Aril (Momordica Conchinchinensis) Using Vacuum Impregnation Technique

The objective of this research was to improve functional property of rice by fortification with gac aril using vacuum impregnation (VI) process. Effects of rice variety, preparation method and VI condition on gac aril fortified rice quality were investigated. Sao Hai (SH) and Khaw Dok Mali 105 (KDML 105) were prepared to achieve polished and unpolished rice. The samples were impregnated with 30% gac aril solution under VI condition (vacuum pressure 500 mmHg), 0% gac solution was used as a control. After drying, the samples were analyzed for physicochemical property i.e. texture, color L*, a* and b*, total fiber, lycopene, β-carotene and total phenolic (TPC) content and antioxidant activity (DPPH assay) as well as sensory quality (9-point hedonic scale). The results showed that both varieties of unpolished rice had higher hardness and darker colour than polished samples. Unpolished SH impregnated with gac aril showed the highest content of β-carotene (22.10±0.83 mg/g), lycopene (8.38±0.11 µg/g), and TPC (0.24±0.03 mg GAE/g) while antioxidant activity of all gac aril fortified samples were not significantly different (p>0.05) (DPPH value ranged 1.39-1.72 mmol TE/ g) and higher than control. However, sensory evaluation showed that gac fortified unpolished KDML 105 had the highest score of the overall acceptability. Based on all properties, unpolished KDML 105 was chosen for studying the suitable VI condition in further step. Unpolished KDML 105 was soaked in 30% gac aril solution under different vacuum pressures (0, 300 and 500 mmHg) and pressurizing techniques (single and pulse pressure). The dried samples were analyzed and it was found that the high vacuum pressure at 500 mmHg and pulse pressure gave the highest β-carotene (41.41 ± 4.53 mg/g), lycopene (25.07 ±1.74 µg/g) and TPC (0.21±0.03 mg GAE/g) content and DPPH value (2.91±0.90 mmol TE/ g), while physical properties, texture and sensory were not significantly different (p>95%). In addition, glycemic index (GI) of rice after VI process was decreased from 84.24 to 72.04. Finally, it can be concluded that non-polishing process, high vacuum pressure and pulse pressurizing are the suitable condition to prepare gac aril fortified rice. The health benefits of rice are improved with high antioxidant activity and lower GI.