The Glycemic Potential of White and Red Rice Affected by Oil Type and Time of Addition

Limited research exists on how different oil types and time of addition affect starch digestibility of rice. This study aimed to assess the starch digestibility of white and red rice prepared with 2 oil types: vegetable oil (unsaturated fat) and ghee (clarified butter, saturated fat) added at 3 different time points during the cooking process (“before”: frying raw rice in oil before boiling, “during”: adding oil during boiling, and “after”: stir‐frying cooked rice in oil). Red rice produced a slower digestion rate than white rice. White rice digestibility was not affected by oil type, but was affected by addition time of oil. Adding oil “after” (stir‐frying) to white or red rice resulted in higher slowly digestible starch. Red rice cooked using ghee showed the lowest amount of glucose release during in vitro digestion. The addition of ghee “during” (that is boiling with ghee) or “before” (that is frying rice raw with ghee then boiling) cooking showed potential for attenuating the postprandial glycemic response and increasing resistant starch content. This is the first report to show healthier ways of preparing rice. White rice with oil added “after” (stir‐fried) may provide a source of sustained glucose and stabilize blood glucose levels. Boiling red rice with ghee or cooking red rice with ghee pilaf‐style may provide beneficial effects on postprandial blood glucose and insulin concentrations, and improve colonic health. The encouraging results of the present study justify extending it to an in vivo investigation to conclusively determine the effect of time of addition of fat when rice is cooked on blood glucose homeostasis.     

Microwave and pulsed electric field assisted extractions of polyphenols from defatted canola seed cake

The incorporation of microwave and pulsed electric field (PEF) technologies in optimising the extraction of polyphenols from defatted canola seed cake was determined by Box‐Behnken response surface methodology, using three parameters of microwave treatment (power, time and liquid: solid (L:S) ratio) and four parameters of PEF (ethanol concentration, time, frequency and voltage). After microwave and PEF pretreatments, the polyphenols of defatted canola seed cake were extracted by ultrasound treatment under fixed variables (200 W of ultrasonic power, 70 °C of water bath and 20 min of extraction time). The measured responses were total phenolics, total flavonoids, the DPPH˙ scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). The maximum yields of all responses were achieved under optimum conditions of microwave processing (5 min, L:S ratio of 6.0 and 633.3 W) and PEF‐assisted extraction (30 V, 30 Hz, 10% ethanol concentration and 10 s).     

Effect of the defatting process,acid and alkali extraction on the physicochemical and functional properties of hemp,flax and canola seed cake protein isolates

The effect of the defatting process, acid and alkali extractions on the physicochemical and functional properties of hemp, flax and canola protein isolates was studied. The defatting process enriched the protein content from around 35 to 52–55 % in the defatted oilseed cakes. Further treatment with acid and alkali led to the highest enrichment (P < 0.05) in the protein content (>90 %). The defatting process produced the lightest (P < 0.05) colour compared to the parent oilseed cakes and the protein isolates. Alkali extraction produced protein isolates with the highest (P < 0.05) water holding capacity while the original oilseed cakes had the highest oil holding capacity. Acid and alkali extractions produced protein isolates with the highest emulsifying activity and emulsion stability. The alkaline soluble flax protein isolate and acid hemp protein isolate had the highest (P < 0.05) creaming stability and largest droplet size respectively. Amino acid profiles of protein isolates after acid and alkali extraction were improved, leading to a protein suitable for fortification in food products that meet human nutrition requirements.     

Chronic effects of dietary selenium on juvenile Sacramento splittail (Pogonichthys macrolepidotus)

The chronic effects of dietary selenium (Se) exposure in juvenile Sacramento splittail (Pogonichthys macrolepidotus) were investigated in the laboratory. A total of 960 (40 fish per tank, 3 tanks per diet) 7-month-old juvenile splittail were fed one of eight Purified-Casein diets supplemented with selenized yeast for 9 months in a flow-through system. These diets contained the following: 0.4 (control), 0.7, 1.4, 2.7, 6.6, 12.6, 26.0, and 57.6 mg of Se kg(-1) dry weight. Survival, Se tissue concentration, growth, gross morphology, and liver histopathology were assessed at 5- and 9-month of exposure. Mortalities occurred only in the two highest Se treatments and were accounted for 8.3 and 18.3% at 5-month and 10.0 and 34.3% at 9-month, respectively. Liver and muscle Se concentration were significantly correlated with dietary Se concentration. Fish exposed to 0.4-12.6 mg of Se kg(-1) diets had reached equilibrium in liver Se concentration by 5 month. Splittail fed diets at concentrations > or =26.0 mg of Se kg(-1) had not reached equilibrium in liver, and muscle Se concentrations and grew significantly slower (p < 0.05) at 5- and 9-month exposure. Se-induced deformities were observed in fish fed > or =2.7 mg of Se kg(-1) diets at 5-month and in fish fed > or =0.7 mg of Se kg(-1) diets at 9-month. Fish fed 26.0 and 57.6 mg of Se kg(-1) diets had higher liver lesion scores at 5-month while fish fed 6.6 and 57.6 mg of Se kg(-1) diet had higher liver lesion scores at 9-month. Results indicate that survivals, growth, changes of tissue Se concentrations, and histopathology of juvenile splittail were dose-dependent, but their response thresholds to dietary Se concentrations differed and depended on treatment concentrations and duration of exposure. Chronic exposure to 6.6 mg of Se kg(-1) diet induced deleterious health effects that can potentially impact survival of juvenile splittail.     

Global gene expression profiling of androgen disruption in Qurt strain medaka

Androgen disrupting chemicals (ADCs) are endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that mimic or antagonize the effect of physiological androgens. Microarray-based detection of altered gene expression can be used as a biomarker of EDC exposure. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify and compare gene expression profiles of the androgen 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT), the antiandrogen flutamide (FLU), and the antiandrogenic fungicide vinclozolin (VIN), on Qurt medaka (Oryzias latipes). Biologically effective concentrations for 11-KT (100 microg/L), VIN (100 microg/L), and FLU (1000 microg/L) determined in range-finding studies were used for exposures. The oligonucleotide microarray included 9379 probes for EDC-affected genes, medaka cDNAs, sequences from the medaka genome project, and the UniGene database. We found that treatment with FLU, VIN, and 11-KT caused significant (false discovery rate = 0.01) differential expression of at least 87, 82, and 578 genes, respectively. Two sets of responsive genes are associated to vertebrate sex differentiation and growth, and 50 genes were useful in discriminating between ADC classes. The discriminating capacity was confirmed by a remarkable similarity of the antiandrogenic expression profiles of VIN and FLU, which were distinct from the androgenic profile of 11-KT. Gene expression profiles characterized in this study allow for reliable screening of ADC activity.     

Solvent fractionation of petroleum pitch for mesophase formation

Petroleum pitch (Ashland A240) has been subjected to thermal treatment and solvent fractionation to produce refined pitches to be evaluated as impregnants for C-C composites. The solvent fractions were obtained by sequential Soxhlet extraction with solvents such as hexane, benzene, and pyridine. Thermal treatment to 408 °C produced a mesophase pitch (≈50% mesophase); an appreciable portion of the mesophase was soluble in strong solvents. There were substantial differences in chemical composition and in pyrolysis behaviour of the fractions. As the depth of fraction increased, the pyrolysis yield and bloating increased, and the microstructure of the coke became finer until glassy microconstituents were formed in the deepest fractions.     

Ernährung und Klimaschutz: Orientierung für Verbraucher

Zusammenfassung:  Als Ursache der globalen Klima?nderung wird vor allem der Energieverbrauch in Industrie, Haushalten und bei Transporten diskutiert. Erheblichen Anteil haben auch die Klimagase aus der Landwirtschaft und dem Ern?hrungssektor, doch fehlt es hier bislang an klaren Forderungen zu deren Reduzierung. Besondere Dramatik bekommt die Klima?nderung durch die Tatsache, dass historisch vor allem die Industriel?nder dafür verantwortlich sind, die L?nder des Südens aber st?rker beeintr?chtigt werden. Immer mehr landwirtschaftliche Fl?chen dienen nicht mehr direkt der menschlichen Ern?hrung, sondern der Produktion von Tierfutter, Energietr?gern und Rohstoffen – vorwiegend für die reichen Industriel?nder. Der Kampf gegen den Hunger in der Welt wird durch die Klima?nderung mit der Ausweitung von Wüsten und Ernteeinbu?en zus?tzlich erschwert. Deshalb müssen die Emissionen rasch und verbindlich zurückgeführt und die Klima?nderung begrenzt werden – auch im Sektor Landwirtschaft / Ern?hrung. Verbraucher in Deutschland und Europa sind grunds?tzlich über die Klima?nderung sehr besorgt und entsprechend motiviert, etwas für den Klimaschutz zu tun. H?ufig fehlen aber handlungsorientierte und alltagsad?quate Informationen und Empfehlungen. Für den Ern?hrungssektor sollen CO ₂-Labels, Energie- und ?kobilanzen solche Informationen liefern, führen aber oft zu widersprüchlichen Aussagen und tragen daher mehr zur Verwirrung als zur Orientierung der Verbraucher bei. Die Aussagen und Empfehlungen sollten leicht verst?ndlich und attraktiv formuliert sein, um zu motivieren. Sie sollten eine Bandbreite verschiedener Ma?nahmen er?ffnen, um individuelle Vorlieben zu erm?glichen. Und sie sollten eine grunds?tzliche Orientierung geben und dabei vermeintliche Widersprüche im Detail vernachl?ssigen. Zum Füllen dieser Lücke m?chten die Verbraucherzentralen mit der Ausstellung „Klimaschutz schmeckt“ beitragen. Eingegangen: 8. April 2009; angenommen: 14. April 2009