Safety and quality assessment of street-vended barbecue chicken samples from Faisalabad, Pakistan

The current study was designed to assess the safety and quality status of street-vended barbecue chicken samples. The samples were collected from four regions of Faisalabad city: Ghulam Mohammad Abad (R₁), Jhang Road (R₂), Sargodha Road (R₃), and Satiana Road (R₄); and compared with the self-prepared barbecue chicken sample (R₀). Purposely, all the collected samples were subjected to assess the quality aspects by physicochemical analyses. The results of the physicochemical analysis showed that moisture content varied from 54% to 60%, crude protein 26.97% to 32.87%, crude fat 7.25% to 9.00%, crude ash 1.61% to 1.72%, pH 5.60 to 6.30, free fatty acid value 1.00% to 1.39%, and peroxide value 0.63 to 0.84 meq/Kg. Results pertaining to the enumeration of total microbial load and total coliform count exhibit 2.39-5.17 and 1.20-3.20 log cfu/g, respectively. The samples were assessed for heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cd, and Fe) by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The concentration of highly toxic metals Pb and Cd was found to be much higher than recommended value as they ranged from 1.90 to 3.70 mg/kg for Pb and 0.10 to 0.90 mg/kg for Cd. However, the level of essential metals (Fe and Zn) in barbecue chicken samples ranged from 67.10 to 180 and 8.30 to 35.80 mg/kg which was much higher than their safe limits for Fe (15 ppm) and Zn (5 ppm), respectively. The study concludes that the consumption of street-vended barbecue chicken possesses to be a serious public health risk for consumers.

Development of energy-rich protein bars and in vitro determination of angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory antihypertensive activities

Three energy-rich protein (ERP) bars were prepared to meet the daily recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for the protein of Pakistani athletes. The bars were developed using dates, cheddar cheese (CC), whey protein isolate (WPI), roasted chickpea flour, and rice flour in different proportions. Bar #1 contained 64 g dates, 16 g dried apricots, 12 g WPI, and 8 g ripened CC. Bar #2 contained the same proportion of these ingredients with an addition of 12.5 g roasted chickpea flour, while bar #3 contained 6.25 g roasted rice and 6.25 g roasted chickpea flour. All the ingredients were homogeneously mixed into paste to form bars weighing 100-110 g per serving size. These bars were studied for the compositional analysis (moisture, protein, and lipid content), protein characterization through sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and in vitro determination of the angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE-I) antihypertensive activity. Moisture and lipid content in bars were 22% and 0.057%-0.313%, respectively, while protein, fiber, and ash contents varied from 22.3% to 23.6%, 6.66 to 5.81, and 2.12% to 2.44%, respectively. The minimum energy content was recorded (272.70 Kcal/100 g) in bar #1 while bar #3 showed the highest energy content 274.65 Kcal/110 g with the addition of (5%) roasted chickpea and rice flour, respectively. Electrophoresis analysis of proteins in bar # 1 (cheese +WPI) showed the four bands at 62, 24, 20, and 12 kDa. Bar #2 (10% roasted chickpea flour) showed some additional bands at 40, 36, 34, and 28 kDa while relatively lower antihypertensive activity than bars #1 and 3. The study revealed that adding 10% roasted chickpea flour (bar #2) increased the protein content and diversity in proteins. It provided 40% proteins to athletes and could be helpful to meet their R.D.A. by consuming two bars/day.

Influence of guar gum and chitosan enriched with lemon peel essential oil coatings on the quality of pears

Pear is a typically climacteric fruit and highly perishable with a low shelf life owing to extreme metabolic activity after harvesting. The present study aimed to reduce weight loss and improve the firmness of pear during storage. The lemon peel essential oil (LPEO) has gained considerable attention due to being the richest source of bioactive compounds that behaved as a natural antioxidant agent, being cost‐effective, and being generally recognized as safe. Edible coatings equipped with a natural antioxidant agent and renewable biopolymers have gained more research fame owing to their involvement in the direction of biodegradability and food safety. In this work, edible skin coating materials (ESCMs) embedded by chitosan (1%) and guar gum (2%) were fabricated, and afterward, five concentrations of LPEO (1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3.0%) were incorporated individually into the ESCMs. Findings revealed that LPEO–ESCMs significantly reduced the weight loss and improved the firmness of pear up to 45 days of storage at 4 ± 2°C. Furthermore, the LPEO–ESCMs have enhanced the antioxidant capacity, antibacterial efficiency, and malondialdehyde level of pear during storage time. It was concluded that 3% of LPEO–ESCMs improved the overall acceptability of pear fruits. Taken together, the novel insights of guar gum and chitosan‐based ESCMs entrapped with LPEO will remain a subject of research interest for researchers in the future.

Proteomics as a promising biomarker in food authentication, quality and safety: A review

Adulteration and mislabeling have become a very common global malpractice in food industry. Especially foods of animal origin are prepared from plant sources and intentionally mislabeled. This type of mislabeling is an important concern in food safety as the replaced ingredients may cause a food allergy or toxicity to vulnerable consumers. Moreover, foodborne pathogens also pose a major threat to food safety. There is a dire need to develop strong analytical tools to deal with related issues. In this context, proteomics stands out as a promising tool used to report the aforementioned issues. The development in the field of omics has inimitable advantages in enabling the understanding of various biological fields especially in the discipline of food science. In this review, current applications and the role of proteomics in food authenticity, safety, and quality and food traceability are highlighted comprehensively. Additionally, the other components of proteomics have also been comprehensively described. Furthermore, this review will be helpful in the provision of new intuition into the use of proteomics in food analysis. Moreover, the pathogens in food can also be identified based on differences in their protein profiling. Conclusively, proteomics, an indicator of food properties, its origin, the processes applied to food, and its composition are also the limelight of this article.

Ultrasound based modification and structural-functional analysis of corn and cassava starch

In this study, the starch molecules were modified with ultrasonication at two different time intervals by using starch molecules from corn and cassava. This research aimed to examine the effect of the high power ultrasound of 40 kHz voltage and frequency with short time duration on structural and physical properties of corn and cassava starch. Morphology of ultrasonically treated starch granules was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FTIR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and compared with untreated samples. After the ultrasound treatment groove and notch appeared on the surface of the starch granules. The results showed that gelatinization temperature did not change with ultrasound treatments, but enthalpy value decreased from 13.15 ± 0.25 J/g to 11.5 ± 0.29 J/g and 12.65 ± 0.32 J/g to 10.32 ± 0.26 J/g for sonicated corn and cassava starches, respectively. The XRD results revealed a slight decreased in the crystallinity degree (CD) of sonicated corn (25.3,25.1) and cassava starch (21.0,21.4) as compared to native corn (25.6%) and cassava starch (22.2%). This study suggests that non-thermal processing techniques have the potential to modify the starch from different sources and their applications due to starch's versatility, low cost, and comfort of use after processing with altered physicochemical properties.

Thermosonication effect on bioactive compounds, enzymes activity, particle size, microbial load, and sensory properties of almond (Prunus dulcis) milk

The object of this research was to appraise the physicochemical characteristics of almond milk and consumer acceptability after the thermosonication (TS) processing. The almond milk was subjected to TS processing (frequency: 40 kHz; power: 600 W; Temperature: 30, 45, and 60 °C; Time: 10, 20, 30, and 40 min) and pasteurization (for 60 s at 90 °C). After treatments, all samples were analyzed for bioactive compounds, antioxidant activities, microbial, enzymatic, and sensory attributes. The results showed a non-significant difference in total soluble solids and pH while TS processing at 45 and 60 °C significantly increased the cloudiness, viscosity, browning index, and color properties. TS processing increased the bioavailability of total phenolic, flavonols, flavonoids, condensed tannin contents, and antioxidant activity as compared to untreated and pasteurized samples. TS processing also significantly reduced the particle size distribution through acoustic cavitation. Microbial inactivation with TS at 60 °C resulted in ≥ 5 log reduction oftotal plate count and ≥ 4 log reduction ofyeast & moldwas achieved. The highest inhibition of lipoxygenase (LOX) and peroxidase (POD) were observed at 60 °C for 30 min. Moreover, the best sensorial properties were observed after TS processing at 60 °C. Thus; TS processing can increase the almond milk quality and safety as a viable substitute for thermal processing.

Gastrointestinal transit tolerance, cell surface hydrophobicity, and functional attributes of Lactobacillus Acidophilus strains isolated from Indigenous Dahi

Strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus WFA1 (KU877440), WFA2 (KU877441), and WFA3 (KU877442) were isolated from indigenous Dahi (yogurt), screened, and selected based on acid and bile tolerance along with the antimicrobial activity. These selected strains were further assessed for their probiotic and functional attributes. Results for simulated gastric and intestinal tolerance/ resistance revealed that all three strains can resist and survive under the following mentioned conditions. To access cell surface hydrophobicity, bacterial adhesion to hydrocarbons (BATH), cellular auto-aggregation, and salt aggregation were performed. In BATH, adhesion of strains against three hydrocarbons namely xylene, dichloromethane, and hexadecane was conducted. The results show that strains showed the least adhesion to xylene (54.25%) as compared to dichloromethane (55.25%) and hexadecane (56.65%). WFA1 showed maximum adherence percentage (55.48%) followed WFA2 (55.48%) and WFA3 (51.38%). Cellular auto-aggregation varied from 21.72% to 30.73% for WFA3 and WFA1, respectively. In the salt aggregation test (SAT), WFA1, WFA2, and WFA3 aggregated at 0.6, 1.0, and 2.0 molar concentrations of ammonium sulfate, respectively. PCR amplification of bile salt hydrolase gene (bsh) was performed and sequences were submitted to the public database of NCBI and Gene bank under accession numbers, KY689139, KY689140, and KY689141. Additionally, a cholesterol-lowering assay was conducted and up to 26% reduction in cholesterol was observed by the strains. Regarding functional properties, exopolysaccharide (EPS) production, and antioxidant potential, strain WFA1 showed promising results EPS (1.027mg/ml), DPPH (80.66%), ABTS (81.97%), and reducing power (1.787). It can be concluded from the present study that the mentioned strains of L. acidophilus (WFA1, WFA2, and WFA3) are strongly hydrophobic; thus having an ability to survive and colonize under the gastrointestinal tract which confirms their probiotic nature. Regarding their functional properties, L. acidophilus WFA1 (KU877440) showed excellent properties of antioxidants and EPS production.

Chemical and molecular examinations of some cowpea genotypes using simple sequence repeat and intersimple sequence repeat DNA markers in relation to their cooking quality

Cowpea is a leguminous crop that has received widespread attention due to its high nutritional value. However, it is prone to losing some of its nutritional content due to the long cooking process. In this study, fourteen cowpea genotypes were evaluated for their chemical properties before and after cooking, along with the effect of different cooking treatments on the cooking time, considered as the main indicator of the cooking quality. Moreover, the correlation between molecular markers (simple sequence repeat (SSR) and intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR)) and the cooking time of cowpea genotypes was determined. The obtained results showed significant differences between all the investigated genotypes before and after the cooking procedure, reflecting significant genotypic and heritability estimates. Kareem 7 and Greenish Black Balady genotypes showed the shortest cooking time. Microwave's treatment manifested the shortest cooking time compared with the other treatments, which appeared as a new approach to improve the cooking quality of cowpea seeds. Spearman's rank correlation showed that the calculated values were smaller than the tabulated value at 0.05, reflecting the existence of a rank correlation between SSR/ISSR-PCR banding products and the cooking time of cowpea genotypes. Such a study appeared to be a new approach, particularly in Egypt for the proper selection of the optimal cowpea seed on the basis of its cooking quality.

Lotus seeds (Nelumbinis semen) as an emerging therapeutic seed: A comprehensive review

Nelumbinis semen is commonly known as lotus seeds that have been used as a vegetable, functional food, and medicine for 7,000 years. These are low caloric, a rich source of multiple nutrients and bioactive constituents, which make it a unique therapeutic food. N. semen plays an important part in the physiological functions of the body. Nowadays, people are more conscious about their health and desire to treat disease naturally with minimal side effects. So, functional foods are getting popularity due to a wide range of essential constituents, which are associated to decrease the risk of chronic diseases. These bioactive compounds from seeds are involved in anti-adipogenic, antioxidant, antitumor, cardiovascular, hepato-protective, anti-inflammatory, anti-fertility, anti-microbial, anti-viral, hypoglycemic, etc. Moreover, the relationship between functional compounds along with their mechanism of action in the body, their extraction from the seeds for further research would be of great interest.

Impact of thermal extrusion and microwave vacuum drying on fatty acids profile during fish powder preparation

The current study aimed to optimize the process for ready-to-eat extruded fish powder preparation and to ascertain the impact of two methods on fatty acid profiles. For the investigation, Labeo rohita (Rohu) fish was first minced, extruded, and microwave vacuum-dried. The results show that the yield for extruded fish powder (EFP) fluctuated from 22.32% to 29.07%. The maximum retention for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachidonic acid (AA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was 3.24 ± 0.08 g/100 g lipids, 2.74 ± 0.05 g/100 g lipids, and 1.24 ± 0.09 g/100 g lipids, by using different extrusion parameters. Moreover, nonsignificant changes were observed during 0 days, and 1 and 3 months of storage (at 4°C and 25°C) for DHA, AA, and EPA, whereas significant results were recorded for the samples stored for 6 months at 25°C. Also, the maximum peroxide value (PV) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance values (TBARS) were 1.72 ± 0.04 meq/kg fat and 0.135 ± 0.008 mg malondialdehyde/kg fat. It is anticipated from the outcomes that the study will be helpful to prepare value-added food products in future studies.

Efficient utilization of date palm waste for the bioethanol production through Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain

Dates (Phoenix dactylifera L.) are rich in nutritional compounds, particularly in sugars. Sugars offer anaerobic fermentation, used for bioethanol production. Recently, researchers and industrialists finding ways to produce low-cost bioethanol on large scale using agricultural wastes. Date palm residual is the largest agricultural waste in Pakistan, which can be the cheapest source for bioethanol production, whereas the current study was designed to explore the possible utilization and the potential of date palm waste for bioethanol production through Saccharomyces cerevisiae grown in yeast extract, Bacto peptone, and d-glucose medium. The fermentation process resulted in the production of 15% (v/v) ethanol under the optimum condition of an incubation period of 72 hr and three sugars (glucose, fructose, and sucrose) were found in date waste. The functional group of ethanol (C2H5OH) was also found via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Therefore, S. cerevisiae could be recommended for ethanol production due to short fermentation time at 25% inoculum in 30°C and reduced the processing cost. Common date varieties of low market value are a preferred substrate for the process of producing industrial ethanol. Additionally, proximate analysis of date fruit by near-infrared spectroscopy revealed moisture contents (16.84%), crude protein (0.3%), ash (9.8%), crude fat (2.6%), and neutral detergent fibers (13.4%). So, date fruit contains various nutrients for microbial growth for ethanol production.

Association of dietary calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D with type 2 diabetes among US adults: National health and nutrition examination survey 2007-2014-A cross-sectional study

Higher dietary intake of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and vitamin D has been associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), and a higher intracellular ratio of Ca to Mg leads to insulin resistance. Previous epidemiological studies did not examine the combined effects of dietary Ca, Mg, and vitamin D as well as ratio of Ca to Mg with T2DM. Therefore, we assessed the relationship between dietary intakes of Mg, Ca, and vitamin D (using 24-hr recalls) individually and in composite and T2DM in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2014, which involved 20,480 adults (9,977 men and 10,503 women) with comprehensive information on related nutrients, and anthropometric, demographic, and biomarker variables using multivariable logistic regression. The results indicated that dietary calcium at Q3 (812 mg/day) was significantly linked with T2DM in women (OR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.65). Dietary vitamin D at Q3 (5.25 μg/day) significantly reduced the odds of T2DM by 21% in men (OR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.64, 0.98). This is an interesting study that has important implications for dietary recommendations. It is concluded that US adults having dietary Ca below the RDA were associated with increased risk of T2DM in all population and women, while higher ratio of Ca to Mg was associated with increased risk of T2DM in all population and increased vitamin D intake is related to decreased risk of T2DM in men. Moreover, further research is needed to make more definitive nutritional recommendations.

Mode of action and determination of antioxidant activity in the dietary sources: An overview

Determination of antioxidant/capacity in the dietary, food, drugs, and biological samples is an interesting approach for testing the safety of these compounds and for drug development. Investigating the google searching engines for the words (measurement + antioxidant + capacity) yielded more than 20 million results, which makes it very difficult to follow. Therefore, collecting the common methods to measure the antioxidant activity/capacity in the food products and biological samples will reduce the burden for both the students and researchers. Nowadays, it is widely accepted that a plant-based diet with a high intake of dietary sources such as vegetables, fruits, and other nutrient-rich plant foods may decrease the effect of oxidative stress-related diseases. In this review article, we have provided the most recent advances in the most common in vitro methods used for evaluating the antioxidant potential of numerous food products, plant extracts, and biological fluids. We have also provided detailed procedures on how to perform them and analyze the results. This review article shall be a comprehensive reference for all techniques used in this area.

Probing the impact of conventional oil frying on the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in rabbit meat

The study estimates, for the first time, the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) concentration (pyrene, fluoranthene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluorene, and naphthalene) in rabbit meat samples. The study explores the effect of frying and the influence of cooking recipe (with or without condiments/additives) on different parts (hind legs, forelegs, and back), on PAH generation. A total of 36 meat samples on different parts from uncooked, cooked, chapli, and seekh kebabs were prepared and characterized by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). PAHs data in all the samples indicate that cooking recipes (with and without additives/condiments) greatly affected the PAHs concentration. Significant concentrations of phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and naphthalene were formed in all the samples after cooking (frying) but naphthalene was dominant in terms of its concentration formed. A higher concentration of naphthalene was detected in the foreleg (4.56 µg/g) as well as in the hind leg (4.08 µg/g) seekh kebab (with additives), while foreleg chapli kebab (with additives) contained 1.44 µg/g PAH concentration. Frying is the processing methodology that causes the highest impact on PAHs. Contents of anthracene were detected only in the back (raw sample and chapli kebab), foreleg (without additives and seekh kebab), and hind leg (seekh kebab). In all rabbit meat samples, fluorene and pyrene were not identified.

Effect of herbal formulation intake on health indices in albino Wistar rat model

Dyslipidemia management activity of ginger-, garlic-, and lemon-based herbal mixture was tested as paste and herbal extract in hypercholesterolemic adult male albino rats. Atherogenic diet-induced hypercholesterolemia in rats was treated by supplementing the diet with 2.5% herbal paste (4.2 g/kg b.w.) or 2.5 ml oral gavage (20 ml/kg b.w.) of liquid herbal extract daily for 42 days. Hematological and serological outcomes of herbal formulation feeding were compared with the cholesterol-fed positive control and normal control. The results suggest the significant (p < .05) inhibitory properties of herbal paste and liquid extracts against dyslipidemia showing 31%-37%, 62%-68%, and 40%-56% lower levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides (TGs), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), respectively. Treating cholesterol-fed animals with herbal paste and extract significantly (p < .05) increased total protein (5-5.5 g/dl) and serum albumin (3.7-4.2 g/dl) concentration as compared to the normal control. Contrary to significant hypocholesterolemic activity, higher serum total bilirubin levels, that is, 0.70 mg/dl, were observed in rats subchronically exposed to herbal paste and liquid extracts. Nonsignificant (p > .05) impact of herbal formula feeding was observed on hematological indices except lymphocyte counts, that is, 93% in rats fed on herbal paste. The results validate conventional hypocholesterolemic claims associated with ginger-, garlic-, and lemon-based herbal formulations; however, deeper insight into their dose-dependent response in hypercholesterolemia is necessitated to rule out the toxicological impact on the consumer.

Ethanolic extract of okra has a potential gastroprotective effect on acute gastric lesions in Sprague Dawley rats

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) has various bioactive components used for the treatment of different diseases such as gastritis and ulcers. This research aims to examine the anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcer attributes of okra extract against gastric lesions. Adult Sprague Dawley male albino rats were divided into five groups. The negative control (G1) received normal feed, positive control (G2) received ulcer-inducing drug aspirin 150 mg/kg of body weight (b.w), G3 group received reference drug omeprazole 20 mg/kg of b.w, G4 group received okra extract 250 mg/kg of b.w, and G5 group received 500 mg/kg of b.w. Acute gastric damage was induced in G1, G2, G3, and G4 using aspirin 150 mg/kg of b.w, during 14-day-long efficacy trials after that all the animals were sacrificed. Anti-ulcer parameters and histopathological analysis of stomachs were performed to evaluate the degree of recovery against tissue damage by the administration of okra extract. The obtained results indicated that the 500 mg/kg of b.w okra extract exerted a protective effect in aspirin-induced gastric ulcers by significantly (p < .05) reducing ulcer score, ulcer area, total acidity, and gastric volume, and significantly (p < .05) increasing gastric pH. Moreover, histopathological observation revealed that gastric mucosa was normal in G1, G3, G4, and G5; however, disruptions in the gastric epithelium were observed in G2. Congestion was observed in all groups except G1 and G5. Gastric pits and gastric glands were increased in size in G2 and G4. A higher concentration of okra extract (500 mg/kg of b.w) showed almost similar results when compared to the reference drug omeprazole.

Cysteine and homocysteine as biomarker of various diseases

Cysteine and homocysteine (Hcy), both sulfur-containing amino acids (AAs), produced from methionine another sulfur-containing amino acid, which is converted to Hcy and further converted to cysteine. This article aims to highlight the link between cysteine and Hcy, and their mechanisms, important functions, play in the body and their role as a biomarker for various types of diseases. So that using cysteine and Hcy as a biomarker, we can prevent and diagnose many diseases. This review concluded that hyperhomocysteinemia (elevated levels of homocysteine) is considered as toxic for cells and is associated with different health problems. Hyperhomocysteinemia and low levels of cysteine associated with various diseases like cardiovascular diseases (CVD), ischemic stroke, neurological disorders, diabetes, cancer like lung and colorectal cancer, renal dysfunction-linked conditions, and vitiligo.

Shelf life extension of wheat bread by alhydwan flour and Carboxymethylcellulose and improvement of their quality characteristics, dough rheological and microstructure

Alhydwan, has been used in bakery products for many years in South of Yemen. Alhydwan primary function in bakery products is to inhibit moisture content during storage, leading to improved shelf life. However, as a fresh strategy to bread staling, no extensive study has been conducted to evaluate its potential. The present study therefore examined the alhydwan as a comparison with Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) at 0.5% (w/w) level in dough rheology improvement, microstructure, quality parameters and delayed wheat bread staling. The CMC or alhydwan for farinograph characteristics comprising the dough's portrayed showed greater water absorption, while growth and stability time was significantly decreased. Staling of bread, the findings showed that in both alhydwan and CMC minimized crumb hardening frequency and enhanced freshness, quality and retention ability for moisture, making the bread softer and postponed staling. The microstructure of CMC or alhydwan supplemented formulation showed the distinguishable characteristics and constituents that could explain, to some degree, that the CMC and alhydwan had antistaling effect. The incorporation of alhydwan such as CMC into the formulation of bread could thus play a sustainable role in improving the quality of bread by having an extended shelf life.

Chemical composition, oxidative stability, and sensory properties of

This study investigated the effects of blending alhydwan seed oil and peanut oil as a way of enhancing the stability and chemical characteristics of plant seed oils and to discover more innovative foods of high nutraceutical value which can be used in other food production systems. Alhydwan seed oil and peanut oil blended at proportions of 10:90, 20:80, 30:70, 40:60 and 50:50 (v/v) were evaluated according to their physi­cochemical properties, including refractive index, relative density, saponification value, peroxide value, iodine value, free fatty acids, oxidative stability index, and tocopherol contents using various standard and published methods. At room temperature, all of the oil blends were in the liquid state. The physicochemical profiles of the blended oils showed significant decreases (p < 0.05) in peroxide value (6.97–6.02 meq O2/kg oil), refractive index at 25 °C (1.462–1.446), free fatty acids (2.29–1.71%), and saponification value (186.44–183.77 mg KOH/g), and increases in iodine value and relative density at 25 °C (98.10–102.89 and 0.89–0.91, respectively), especially with an analhydwan seed oil to peanut oil ratio of 10:90. Among the fatty acids, oleic and linoleic acids were most abundant in the 50:50 and 10:90 alhydwan seed oil to peanut oil blends, respectively. Oxidative stability increased as the proportion of alhydwan oil increased. In terms of tocopherol contents (γ, δ, and α), γ-tocopherol had the highest values across all of the blended proportions, followed by δ-tocopherol. The overall acceptability was good for all blends. The incorporation of alhydwan seed oil into peanut oil resulted in inexpensive, high-quality blended oil that may be useful in health food products and pharmaceuticals without compromising sensory characteristics.

Impact of pulsed electric field treatments on the growth parameters of wheat seeds and nutritional properties of their wheat plantlets juice

This study was designed to explore the impacts of the pulsed electric field (PEF; 2 to 6 kV/cm; a number of pulses 25 and 50) on wheat (Tritium aestivum L.) seeds before imbibition to improve the germination, growth, and their nutritional profile in juice form. It was observed that the PEF treatment at 6 kV/cm at 50 pulses increased water uptake, germination of seeds, and growth parameters of seedlings. A significant increase in total phenolic contents, DPPH, chlorophylls, carotenoids, soluble proteins, minerals, and amino acids in PEF-treated seeds plantlets juice as compared to the untreated seeds plantlets juice was observed. The results indicate that the PEF may effectively stimulate the growth of the wheat kernels and positively affect their metabolism, optimize the nutrients, and enhance the strength of the wheat kernels plantlets.

Novel processing techniques and spinach juice: Quality and safety improvements

In this study, the combined effect of ultrasound (US) and pulsed electric field (PEF) techniques was analyzed for the quality improvement and microbial safety of spinach juice. The spinach juice was treated with US at frequency of 40 kHz, radiating power of 200 W below 30 ± 2 °C temperature for 21 min in ultrasonic bath cleaner, and PEF treatment (pulse frequency: 1 kHz, flow rate: 60 mL/min, temperature: 30 ± 2 °C, time: 335 µs, electric field strength 9 kV/cm) was done. In results, the combined (US-PEF) treatment attained the highest value of minerals and total free amino acids as compared to US or PEF treatment alone. US-PEF treatment significantly reduced the total plate count (3.83 to 1.97 log CFU/mL), E. coli/Coliform (1.90 to 0.75 log CFU/mL) and yeast and mold (4.23 to 2.22 log CFU/mL). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectra showed that all nonthermal treatments led to a higher concentration of carbonyl compounds rather generate new carbonyl compounds. US-PEF treatment significantly reduced the particle size. The rheology of spinach juice was drastically changed by all nonthermal techniques, indicating non-Newtonian modal accompanied by a decrease of consistency index (K), apparent viscosity (η), and increase of flow behavior (n). Overall, the improved quality of spinach juice shows the suitability of both technologies for industrial applications despite the variations in rheological properties. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Nowadays, nonthermal technologies like US and PEF are being used to enhance the nutritional quality and stability of different fruits and vegetable juices. The current research shows that US-PEF application can enhance the free amino acids and mineral contents while significantly decrease microbial activities and particle size. The rheology of spinach juice can be dramatically changed, through the reduction of consistency index (K), apparent viscosity (η) and elevation of flow behavior (n). The results of this research proposed that US-PEF treatment can be a more suitable nonthermal application to enhance the quality of spinach juice at an industrial scale.

Purification, characterization, and identification of 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzal acrolein-an intermediate of synthesizing advantame

Advantame is a novel sweetener, and 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzal acrolein is an important intermediate to synthesize the sweetener. The aim of this study was to evaluate a new low-cost method to purify 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzal acrolein, and the crude intermediate was used as raw material. The intermediate was purified using a low-pressure column chromatography with a C18 column, using a methanol-water (6:4, v/v) at a flow rate of 6.0 ml/min, and the loading amount of the crude intermediate in solution was 10.0 mg in total. A method for the analysis of 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzal acrolein was established using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This method was validated in terms of its linearity, repeatability, accuracy, detection limit, and quantitation limit. The calibration curves of 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzal acrolein were linear (r > .999) over a wide concentration range of 0.005-0.08 mg/ml, by comparing the ratio of signal to noise, and the detection limit was 5.0 ng/ml and the quantification limit was 15.0 ng/ml. Good repeatability was obtained (RSD < 2%, n = 6), and the recoveries calculated using mixed sample previously quantified ranged from 94.5% to 106.37%. As long as, this method has been successfully applied to the analysis of 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzal acrolein; therefore, the method can be put into practical use during the industrial synthesis and real-time detection of the intermediate.

Influence of ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration on texture, bioactive compounds and metabolites analysis of plum

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration on texture, retention of bioactive compounds, nutritional quality and metabolites of plum. The osmotic dehydration was performed using 50% glucose and sucrose in ultrasound (25 kHz) for 30 and 60 min. After osmotic treatment samples were dried at 55 °C using hot air oven. In this study, the texture of the sample was determined by 20% compression of texture profile analysis and solute diffusion coefficient was calculated by Fick's law of diffusion. Further, the volatile compound and nutritional quality were determined. Furthermore, treatment difference of osmo-dehydrated plum on metabolites was measured by ¹H NMR. The results showed that the ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration increased water loss and solid gain. It also increases the reduction of moisture content from the plum. Textural result of osmo-dehydrated plum in glucose increases the softness of plum and decreases hardness. Moreover, the increased antioxidant and phenolics were obtained in plum treated in 50% sucrose for 30 and 60 min and also at 30 min of glucose. Color of ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydrated plum was also affected by treatment time and the osmotic solution used. Ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration reveals that water loss, solid gain, texture and bioactive compounds affected by treatment time and osmotic solution.

Effect of Pulsed Electric Field Pretreatment of Date Palm Fruits on Free Amino Acids, Bioactive Components, and Physicochemical Characteristics of the Alcoholic Beverage

This research is aimed to observe the impact of pulsed electric field (PEF) application on the free amino acids, physicochemical characteristics, and bioactive components of alcoholic beverages processed from date palm fruits. The fruits were treated by PEF (frequency: 10 Hz, treatment time: 100 µs, pulses number: 40 µs for electric field: 1.38, 2.02, and 2.92 kV/cm, respectively). A significant increase (P < 0.05) in the total free amino acids and phenolic and flavonoid contents (2.92 > 2.02 > 1.38 kV/cm) was observed. There was a minor significant difference among the treated samples in the total soluble solid, alcohol, and total sugar contents, while there were no significant changes in the other parameters, including the color attributes. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study observed whether PEF treatment has a positive impact on the processing of alcoholic beverages of date palm fruits. PEF was found to improve the bioactive components and nutritional value of alcoholic beverages processed from date palm fruits. This finding suggests that PEF can be a better technique to enhance the quality characteristics of date palm fruit alcoholic beverages.

Quality characteristics of the processed dates vinegar under influence of ultrasound and pulsed electric field treatments

This research aimed to evaluate the influences of the pulsed electric field (PEF), ultrasound (US), and combination between them (PEF + US) on the quality of vinegar processed from date palm fruits compared with untreated vinegar (UT). Physicochemical properties, free amino acids (FAA), volatile components, organic acids, total phenolics and flavonoids, and sensory analysis were determined. The results showed that there were no significant differences in pH, total titratable acidity, ethanol content, and total sugar in all treated vinegar compared with UT. However, the values were found to be decreased (PEF + US < PEF < US < UT). Twenty-eight compounds were identified in the vinegar treated by PEF + US as the highest number of components, followed by PEF and US (23 and 22 components, respectively), compared with 19 compounds identified in UT. Compared with UT, there was a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the total FAA in dates vinegar among all treated samples (UT < US < PEF < PEF + US). Total phenolic and flavonoids contents results indicated that there was a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the treated vinegar compared with UT. Sensory analysis results indicated that no significant difference (p < 0.05) in all the parameters, except for a quite significant difference (p < 0.05) in the overall acceptability between the treated vinegar. In this study, vinegar was successfully produced from date palm fruits. Therefore, PEF + US are capable not only in enhancing the extraction process but also in the production of vinegar with good quality.

Combined impact of pulsed electric field and ultrasound on bioactive compounds and FT-IR analysis of almond extract

The aim of this paper is to investigate the combined impact of pulsed electric field (PEF) and ultrasound (US) to evaluate the physicochemical, bioactive compounds and chemical structure of almond extract. Almond extract was first treated with PEF and then with US. Combined treatment (PEF-US) has attained the highest value of total phenolics, total flavonoids, condense tannins, anthocyanin contents and antioxidant activity in DPPH, reducing power and metal chelating activity than all other treatments. Among all those treatments, there was slightly visible difference in the color. Moreover, FT-IR spectra indicate that the effect of PEF-US on almond extract did not produce new carbonyl compounds, but led to the higher concentration of these compounds. This study demonstrated that the PEF-US could be useful for the extraction of bioactive compounds as well as improving the stability of volatile compounds.

Impact of pulsed electric field treatment on drying kinetics, mass transfer, colour parameters and microstructure of plum

The aim of the present study was to scrutiny the impact of pulsed electric field (PEF) as a pre-treatment method on the convective drying kinetics, cell disintegration, colours and microstructural changes of fresh plums. In this study, the PEF intensities of 1-3 kV/cm, pulses number 30 and 70 °C drying temperature was applied to detect the drying kinetics. The specific energy consumption generated by PEF treatment was 10-90 kJ/kg. It was explored that the cell disintegration index increased from 0.147 to 0.572 with increased electric field intensity from 1 to 3 kV/cm. Further, we found that high cell disintegration leads to increase in drying rate and shorten drying time. The rates of water diffusion coefficient also increase with increasing PEF intensity from 0.27 to 16.47 × 10^-9 m²/s. PEF pre-treatment followed by convective drying results in enhanced lightness and chroma as compared to untreated plum. Furthermore, the microscopic analysis by scanning electron microscopy at 200 × revealed that the PEF treatment at 3 kV/cm had caused shrinkage in the plum tissues which might be responsible for higher diffusion rate of water in the plum. In this work was investigated that drying kinetics and mass transfer after PEF treatment to improve quality of dried plum.

Proximate composition, functional properties, amino acid, mineral and vitamin contents of a novel food: Alhydwan (Boerhavia elegana Choisy) seed flour

Alhydwan (Boerhavia elegana Choisy) seed flour was evaluated for chemical and nutritional composition, and functional properties in a pursuit to identify an innovative plant with high nutraceuticals value which could be exploited in other food applications. The flour was found to be rich in dietary fiber (30.13%), protein (14.60%), crude fat (11.49%), carbohydrates (30.77%), and ash (6.88%) and encompassed adequate amounts of essential amino acids and minerals, whereas, sucrose constituted 71.3% of total sugar contents. Vitamins analysis revealed that flour is rich in water-soluble vitamins such as Thiamin (B1), Riboflavin (B2) and Niacin (B3), to the amounts of 19.3, 8.2 and 2.3mg/100g, respectively. Results on functional properties demonstrated high water and oil absorption capacities of 6.31 and 2.43g/g, respectively. Foaming capacity, foam stability and emulsion capacity were 9.35%, 6.90%, and 29.60%, respectively. It can be concluded that alhydwan is an excellent food material with a high nutritional value.

Oxidative stability, chemical composition and organoleptic properties of seinat (Cucumis melo var. tibish) seed oil blends with peanut oil from China

Seinat seed oil was blended with peanut oil for the enhancement of stability and chemical characteristics of the blend. The physicochemical properties (relative density, refractive index, free fatty acids, saponification value, iodine value and peroxide value) of seinat seed and peanut oil blends in ratios 95:5, 85:15, 30:70 and 50:50 proportions were evaluated, as well as oxidative stability index, deferential scanning calorimetric (DSC) characteristics and tocopherols content. Results of oil blend showed that there was no negative effect by the addition of seinat seed oil to peanut oil and also had decreased percentages of all saturated fatty acids except stearic acid, conversely, increased the levels of unsaturated fatty acids. As for the sensory evaluation, the panelist results showed that seinat seed oil blends had no significant differences (p < 0.05) in all attributes except the purity. The results indicated that the blending of seinat seed oil with peanut oil had also increased the stability and tocopherols content. As Sudan is the first producer of seinat oil, blending of seinat seed oil with traditional oil like quality, and may decrease the consumption of other expensive edible oils.