Nutritional quality of yam (Dioscorea dumetorum and D rotundata) flours for growing rats

The digestibility and metabolism of diets based on flours prepared from raw, boiled or steamed tubers of the sweet yam (Dioscorea dumetorum) were evaluated in growing albino rats by the balance method in comparison with diets containing similar flours from the popular white yam (D rotundata). The results show that whatever their method of preparation, flours from D dumetorum promote higher growth rate and have higher nutritional value in the growing rat than corresponding D rotundata flours. This can be attributed to the good digestibility of D dumetorum starch which facilitates digestibility and absorption of nitrogen and other nutrients. Moisture-heat treatment of tubers before processing into flour improves the nutritional value, especially for D rotundata.     

Acid phosphatase in the tubers of Dioscorea species and its purification from the white yam (D. rotundata poir)

Acid phosphatase activity was determined in 15 cultivars from four species of yam. A 12-fold purification of the enzyme from Dioscorea rotundata (cv. chikakwondo) gave a homogeneous preparation as demonstrated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This enzyme preparation has an apparent molecular weight of 115 000 ±2000 and an optimum activity at a pH of 5·20 and a temperature of 50°C. The K_m of the enzyme is 3·81 mM with disodium p-nitrophenylphosphate (p-NNP) as a substrate. The energy of activation, heat of activation, energy of inactivation and heat of inactivation are 7·0, 6·4, 4·41 and 4·34 kcal M^?1, respectively. Although it has very little activity with most organic phosphoric acid esters, it is significantly inhibited by Ca²⁺, Hg²⁺ and EDTA and activated by Mg²⁺. The enzyme has a half-life of 50,17 or 13 days, respectively, when stored at 6-8°C, 0°C or room temperature (29±2°C).     

Improving the application of gibberellic acid to prolong dormancy of yam tubers (Dioscorea spp)

With the aim of reducing the cost and time needed to treat yam tubers with gibberellic acid (GA₃), this study compared several new methods of application with the established dipping procedure (150 mg kg^?1 for 1 h). Both GA₃‐containing soil paste (25 mg kg^?1) and gelatinized starch (860 mg kg^?1) were applied to tuber heads of Dioscorea alata and D cayenensis‐rotundata in the Ivory Coast. Soil paste, gelatinized starch and dipping consistently prolonged dormancy and reduced fresh matter losses by 23–39% in D cayenensis‐rotundata 3‐year means. Although dipping reduced the storage losses most efficiently, soil paste and gelatinized starch used considerably less GA₃. Both new treatments were easily prepared and quickly applied. Soil paste was most effective when the treatment was repeated before the end of dormancy. The third new method, spraying the tubers with a GA₃ solution (150 mg kg^?1), was not effective. In general, the optimal time of application was immediately post‐harvest. For D alata, treatment only 1 month after harvest was particularly ineffective, whereas D cayenensis‐rotundata tubers could be treated with some effect up to the end of dormancy. To achieve extended storage periods of healthy tubers of D cayenensis‐rotundata, GA₃ application may be recommended as post‐harvest practice. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Physico‐chemical characteristics of non‐irradiated and γ‐irradiated yams cultivars (Dioscorea rotundata,Dioscorea alata) and sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L) Lam)

Physico‐chemical (pasting) properties of non‐irradiated (fresh) and γ‐irradiated yam cultivars and sweet potato were determined using Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA). Generally, pasting characteristics of the commodities decreased significantly with increased γ‐irradiation dose. Non‐irradiated sweet potato showed significantly higher peak (45.79), trough (35.25), breakdown (10.54), final (75.21) and setback (39.96) viscosities (in RVU) than γ‐irradiated samples. Also, peak time (6.97 min) and pasting temperature (50.18 RVU) significantly reduced with increased γ‐irradiation dose of tubers. The pasting properties of non‐irradiated and γ‐irradiated sweet potato showed similar but clearer trend compared with yam flours. Also, non‐irradiated and γ‐irradiated Dioscorea rotundata and Dioscorea alata showed significantly higher values of each of the pasting characteristics than values noted in sweet potato. Aside from the TDr 03/00196, peak time did not vary significantly with γ‐irradiation dose.     

Effect of short-term storage on phenolic content,o-diphenolase and peroxidase activities of cut yam tubers (Dioscorea sp)

The effect of short-term storage on the protein, phosphorus and phenolic content as well as peroxidase and o-diphenolase activities of cut, harvested Jamaican yam (Dioscorea sp) tubers (D rotundata. D alata and D cayenensis) was studied. There was an initial increase in the total phenolic content up to the third week of storage followed by a gradual decrease to the sixth week. Phenolic content was found to be highest in D cayenensis followed by D rotundata and D alata. The activities of peroxidase (EC 1. 11. 1. 7) and o-diphenolase (EC 1. 10.3.1) increased steadily up to the third week of storage and thereafter decreased to the fifth week. The intensity and rapidity of browning in tubers when cut, correlated very closely with the tuber o-diphenolase and phenolic content levels while the onset of rotting correlated with the peroxidase activity levels in the species studied.     

Comparative evaluation of instant 'poundo' cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta) and yam (Dioscorea rotundata) flours produced by flash and cabinet drying

Cocoyam, an important staple crop especially among the low-income earners in tropical regions of the world, is highly underutilised for industrial applications. This study investigates the nutritional, colour and rheological properties of instant flours (‘poundo’) from two cultivars of Colocasia esculenta (white-NCe010 and purple-NCe003) and Dioscorea rotundata (var. Oginni), and sensory attributes of doughs prepared from reconstituted flours. Tubers were processed into instant flours using cabinet and flash drying methods. Significant differences (P < 0.05) in the proximate and mineral composition and pasting properties of flours were found. Sensory panellists rated reconstituted poundo yam (8.17–8.20) and white cocoyam (7.50–7.95) higher than purple cocoyam (6.60–7.10) meals. Influence of drying method on sensory characteristics of flours was not significant. Instant poundo cocoyam and yam flours could serve as novel convenience and ready-to-eat food products which could contribute to increasing the commercial and industrial application options for these underutilised tubers beyond their present basic use.     

Effect of phosphate source,rate and cadmium content and use of Penicillium bilaii on phosphorus,zinc and cadmium concentration in durum wheat grain

Field studies were conducted over 3 years at several locations in Alberta and Manitoba, Canada to evaluate the impact of phosphate fertiliser containing varying concentrations of Cd on grain yield and P, Zn and Cd concentration in durum wheat grain. The effect of a seed treatment with Penicillium bilaii, a phosphate‐solubilising fungus, was also examined. P bilaii had little effect on crop yield, nutrient concentration or the concentration of Cd in the grain under the conditions of this study. Fertilisation with monoammonium phosphate consistently increased Cd concentration and Cd/Zn ratio and decreased Zn concentration in durum wheat. Increases in Cd concentration in durum wheat were unrelated to Cd concentration in the fertiliser, although the concentration of Cd in the fertiliser sources varied from 0.2 to 186.0 µg g^?1. Increased Cd concentration with phosphate application may be related to high ionic strength, reduced pH and enhanced root proliferation in the microregion around the fertiliser granules. Enhanced root development in response to phosphate fertilisation may increase the accumulation of Cd. Reduction in Zn accumulation associated with phosphate application may also contribute to the increase in Cd concentration in durum grain, possibly through enhancement of Cd translocation to the grain. While reduction in Cd concentration in phosphate fertilisers will reduce long‐term Cd accumulation in soils, use of low‐Cd fertiliser at commercially practical levels of fertilisation is unlikely to reduce Cd concentration in durum wheat in the year of application. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Variability in starch physicochemical and functional properties of yam (Dioscorea sp) cultivated in Ivory Coast

An Erratum has been published for this article in Journal Of the Science of Food and Agriculture 85(5), 889 (2005). Native starches were extracted from 21 cultivars of four yam species representative of the yam population of Ivory Coast. They were first characterized for their proximate composition, starch physico‐chemical properties (amylose content, particle size distribution, crystallinity, thermal properties and intrinsic viscosity). Some functional properties (swelling, solubility and pasting behaviour and paste clarity) were then determined. Analysis of variance and principal component analysis showed that three homogenous groups could be distinguished, mainly based on starch physico‐chemical properties. The first group contained all yam starches of the D alata and the D cayenensis‐rotundata complex species. It was characterized by a large diameter grain (approximately 25 µm), a high amylose content (around 25% db), a high intrinsic viscosity (mean of 190 cm³ g^?1), and a high apparent viscosity and clarity of the paste. The second group contained the D esculenta varieties, characterized by a small granule size (diameter 6 µm), a low intrinsic viscosity (121 cm³ g^?1), a high gelatinization enthalpy change (19 J g^?1) and a low paste viscosity. The D dumetorum sample differed from the D esculenta group by having a pure A‐type crystalline form and an opaque paste. A multiple regression showed that the volume fraction of the dispersed phase and native granule size (or amylose content) could account for close to 80% of the variability of paste apparent viscosity. Gel clarity appeared mainly linked to granule size, small granules from D dumetorum and D esculenta giving the most opaque gels. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of explant source,culture medium: Strength and growth regulators on the in-vitro propagation of three Jamaican yams: (Dioscorea cayenensis,D trifida and d rotundata)

Explants of tuber, meristem and vines from three widely cultivated yam species in Jamaica—D cayenensis, D rotundata and D trifida—were examined for their responses to mineral media strength, inorganic ammonium and growth regulator supplements. Tuber pieces (5mm³) showed some positive growth responses but did not produce in-vitro plantlets on all the media tested. Meristem tips of D trifida grew rapidly on basal media (BM) supplemented with either 0.1 mglitre^?1 6-benzylamino purine (BAP) and 0.01 mg litre^?1indole butyric acid or 0.2 mg litre^?1 BAP and 1.0 mg litre^?1 naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) producing plantlets by 28 weeks. The nodal explants grew rapidly with plantlets obtained from all the cultivars within 4 weeks. Use of young, vigorously growing vines of 8 weeks or less, as explant source, gave low contamination levels (16–25%) in culture when sterilised for 30 min in 200 g litre^?1 NaOCl in the case of D trifida and 300 g litre^?1 NaOCl in the case of D cayenesis prior to culturing. Initiation of growth was optimal when explants were taken from monopodial vines grown in October or January and placed on BM supplemented with 0.5 mg litre^?1 BAP (BM0.5BAP). Addition of 0.5 mg litre^?1 kinetin to the BM or 0.05 mg litre^?1 NAA to BM0.5BAP depressed shoot production, while 5.0 mg litre^?1 kinetin increased swelling of the nodal region in explants from sympodial shoots and from vines grown in March. The results suggest that nodal segments excised from young, fast growing vines of these species are the best explant source for the purpose of commercial micropropagation.     

火焰原子吸收法测定大豆渣中铁铜锰锌

应用火焰原子吸收分光光度法同时测定大豆渣中铁、铜、锰、锌的含量、结果表明，本方法快速、准确，上述各元素的回收率分别为88．5％、93．3％、103．5％、93．0％。     

Effects of blanching, drying and extraction processes on the antioxidant activity of yam (Dioscorea alata)

The effects of blanching, drying and extraction processes on the antioxidant activities of one kind of Taiwanese yam peel, Darsan (Dioscorea alata), were investigated. The antioxidant measurements included total phenolic content, reducing power and α ,α‐diphenyl‐β‐pricryl‐hydrazyl (DPPH) radical‐scavenging activity. The 50% ethanolic, hot water and water extracts from the peel all had much higher antioxidant activities than those extracts from the flesh. Among three extraction methods, 50% ethanolic extraction resulted in the highest antioxidant activities in the peel, while hot water extraction was more appropriate for the flesh. Blanching by immersing the peel in 85 °C water for 30 s caused significant reductions in the antioxidant activities of all the extracts from the peel. Generally speaking, freeze‐dried peel maintained higher antioxidant activities than hot air‐dried peel.     

Effect of phosphoric acid treatment on physicochemical,functional, and structural properties of starch extracted from yam (Dioscorea rotundata)

This work was designed to elucidate selected physicochemical, functional, and structural properties of native and modified yam (Dioscorea rotundata) starch. The isolated starch was chemically modified using 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25% phosphoric acid solution at 50°C for 1 h, and yield, swelling power, gelation, water holding capacity, paste clarity, blue value, and amylose and amylopectin content of the native and modified yam starch were determined. Structural changes in the native and starch modified with 25% phosphoric acid were evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and optical microscopy. The result showed that the yield, swelling power, water holding capacity, paste clarity, blue value and amylose and amylopectin content of native yam starch was 33.38% (217 g), 3.84 g/g, 1.0 v/g, 10%, 0.52 and 25.96, respectively, whereas gelation study of the native and modified starch indicated that native starch was viscous and modified starch firm. However, yield, swelling power, water holding capacity, paste clarity, blue value, and amylose content of modified yam starch reduced in a dose dependent manner with phosphoric acid. The reduction in the values of the various functional properties could be associated with the effect of phosphoric acid on the starch granular structure. The result of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and optical microscopy revealed that the yam starch was modified by phosphoric acid with changes in functional groups spectra such as –OH stretch (3177 cm^?1), H₂O absorbed (1644 cm^?1) (amorphous region), C-H stretch (2923 cm^?1), CH₂O (1253 cm^?1), and C-O-C (1078 cm^?1) when compared to native starch. The morphology of native and modified yam starch granules ranged from oval to eliptical. However, modified starch granules were rough in surface. In conclusion, the characterized physicochemical and functional properties and structure exhibited by native and modified yam starch indicated that, yam could be a cheap and valuable source of starch for industrial application.     

微波消解ICP-AES法测定代用茶桂花产品中的铁锌铜锰

建立微波消解- 电感藕合等离子发射光谱(ICP-AES)测定代用茶产品桂花中铁(Fe)、锌(Zn)、铜(Cu)和锰(Mn)的方法,并对ICP-AES 工作参数及条件进行优化和选择。Fe 检出限为：1.6 × 10-3mg/L,Zn 检出限为：6.1 × 10-3mg/L,Cu 检出限为：2.5 × 10-3mg/L,Mn 检出限为：5.3 × 10-3mg/L;Fe 线性范围为：0.0～20.0mg/L,Zn、Cu、Mn线性范围均为：0.0～5.0mg/L;加标回收率为：95%～105%;方法的相对标准偏差为：0.88%～2.74%(n=12)。本法适用于代用茶产品桂花中的铁、锌、铜和锰含量的日常测定。     

Glutathione and β-amylase,peroxidase and o-diphenolase activities during sprouting of minisett yams (Dioscorea sp)

Glutathione, β-amylase, o-diphenolase (EC 1.10.3.1) and peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7) activities were assayed in minisetts derived from the head, middle and tail sections of sprouted Dioscorea alata (cv Sweet Yam) and D cayenensis (cv Round Leaf) yam tubers. In both tubers the head portions exhibited highest initial activities followed by the middle and tail, respectively. Minisetts obtained from the head, middle and tail sections of D alata sprouted uniformly whereas those obtained from D cayenensis tubers showed a much slower, sporadic sprouting pattern, with the head portions displaying dominant sprouting, The results revealed that sprouting initiation of the minisetts from both species correlated well with increased glutathione levels. High levels of peroxidase and reduced levels of o-diphenolase seemed to enhance the sprouting of the minisetts.     

FASS法测定苗族传统食品鱼酱酸中的锌、铜、镉、铅含量

对传统鱼酱酸及银鱼鱼酱酸中的锌、铜、镉、铅进行测定.以FASS法测定样品中的锌、铜、镉、铅,通过正交试验优化仪器最佳工作条件,采用湿法消解样品.传统鱼酱酸和银鱼鱼酱酸中锌的含量分别是5.7794mg/kg和4.4834mg/kg,铜的含量分别是0.7224mg/kg和1.2808mg/kg,2种鱼酱酸均未检出镉和铅.FASS法测定鱼酱酸锌、铜、镉、铅操作简便,灵敏度较高,检出限较低;鱼酱酸中有较高含量的锌和一定含量的铜,是具有较高营养价值的发酵调味品.     

Grappa quality from the Chianti and Montepulciano areas (Tuscany,Italy): monitoring the leaching of copper from distillation columns

The main aim of this work was to evaluate the leaching of copper in grappa from distillation plant that treats Cabernet and Sangiovese marcs (Montepulciano and Chianti, Tuscany). Copper content (determined by atomic absorption spectrometry, AAS) was 1.05 ± 0.03 mg L^?1 in industrial distillates (Cabernet marc, 82.3% alcohol, v/v), and 3.7 ± 0.2 μg L^?1 in artificial grappa (62.0%, Cabernet) obtained by distilling marc in a laboratory‐scale glassware plant. The artificial grappa distillate was refluxed over copper shavings, and copper content, C_Cu, was analysed in relation to reflux time and wear of the copper bell. The results showed that C_Cu trend was almost linear with increasing alcohol concentration and constant reflux time, and vice versa. The ratios of selected volatile components were not influenced by reflux on the shavings.     

γ-氯丙基三乙氧基硅烷改性纳米Si-HAP分离富集-火焰原子吸收光谱测定水样中痕量的锰、钴、镍

目的建立γ-氯丙基三乙氧基硅烷改性纳米Si-HAP分离富集-火焰原子吸收法测定痕量锰、钴、镍的新方法。方法研究γ-氯丙基三乙氧基硅烷改性纳米Si-HAP在不同p H、吸附温度和时间、洗脱条件及共存离子对锰、钴、镍分离富集的影响。结果在最佳吸附条件下,该方法检出限分别为锰0.21μg/L,钴0.18μg/L,镍0.24μg/L,相对标准偏差分别为锰0.90%(1μg/mL),钴0.78%(2μg/mL),镍0.18%(5μg/mL)(n=11),样品加标回收率在95.0%~108.0%之间。结论该方法适用于水样中痕量锰、钴、镍的测定。