Industrial processing effects on chestnut fruits (Castanea sativa Mill.) 3. Minerals,free sugars,carotenoids and antioxidant vitamins

The major aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of industrial processing on the composition of minerals, free sugars, vitamins and pigments in fruits of chestnut cultivars at four stages of industrial processing (A–fresh; B–after 3 months storage at ± 0 °C and relative humidity = 90%; C–after flame peeling at 800 °–1000 °C for 1–2 s; D–after freezing in a tunnel with a CO₂ flow at ?65 °C for 15–20 min) from two harvest years. Potassium and phosphorous were predominant in the fruits of all cultivars for both harvest years. Calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and manganese were also present in the fruits. Fruits from both harvest years had a significant content of free sugars, with sucrose predominating, and these sugars were more affected by the processing stage. Significant levels of lutein, lutein esters, γ‐tocopherol and vitamin C were also found in the chestnut fruits. Fruit carotenoids and vitamin C significantly decreased during the industrial processing.     

Lipid stability during the frozen storage of fillets from silver catfish exposed in vivo to the essential oil of Lippia alba (Mill.) NE Brown

BACKGROUND: Lippia alba is effective in sedating and reducing stress to fish during transportation. Because some in vitro studies have demonstrated the antioxidant activity of L. alba, we hypothesized that its use in vivo could result in antioxidant effects post mortem. Therefore, in this study we evaluated whether the essential oil of L. alba (EO) used as sedative for fish transport would increase the lipid stability of fillets from silver catfish during frozen storage. RESULTS: The exposure to the EO in vivo did not affect conjugated diene values. However, EO (30 and 40 µL L^?1) delayed the peak formation of peroxides (from the third to the sixth month of storage) and thiobarbituric reactive substances (from the ninth to the twelfth month of storage) when compared to control fillets. After exposure to 40 µL L^?1 EO the free fatty acid content was higher than for control at the start of fillet storage, with no differences among groups thereafter. CONCLUSION: The essential oil of L. alba used as sedative in the water to transport silver catfish can delay lipid oxidation of fillets during frozen storage. Thus L. alba may be a promising source of natural active compounds for use in aquaculture and the food industry. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Mechanism of preventive action of Viburnum dilatatum Thunb (gamazumi) crude extract on oxidative damage in rats subjected to stress

The fruit of Viburnum dilatatum Thunb (gamazumi) has been shown to prevent oxidative injury induced by water immersion restraint stress (WIRS) in rats. In this study the effect of gamazumi crude extract (GCE) on antioxidant enzymatic activities in the plasma, liver and stomach of rats with WIRS was investigated to elucidate the mechanism of prevention of oxidative injury. Ulcer formation and lipid peroxidation were inhibited in rats supplied GCE for 2 weeks in comparison with rats supplied water. Although the activities of plasma, hepatic and gastric antioxidant enzymes in rats given water were decreased by WIRS, only slight changes were observed in rats given GCE. There was no difference in enzymatic activities between the water and GCE groups not subjected to WIRS. Furthermore, ferrous ascorbate‐induced oxidation in hepatic homogenate from rats given GCE was inhibited. These results suggest that ingestion of GCE does not induce antioxidant enzymes and that the absorbed antioxidant components of GCE have a direct effect on oxidative injury in the body. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry