Effect of High Temperature‐High Humidity Treatment of Germinated Unkilned Barley on Malt Quality and Extract Characteristics

The effect of a high temperature‐high humidity treatment (HT‐HHT) of germinated unkilned barley on malt quality and extract characteristics was studied. Two samples of six‐row barley were steeped to 42% moisture and germinated, with and without gibberellic acid, at 15°C for 5 days. The germinated barley was placed in a high humidity (75–80%) atmosphere maintained at 45, 55, and 65°C, respectively. For each temperature, treatments were carried out for 30, 60 and 90 min, respectively. At 45°C for 30–60 min, the malts developed high diastatic power and proteolytic activity. The high values for cold water extract and reducing sugars in the extracts indicated extensive amylolysis of starch granules during HT‐HHT of the germinated barley at 55–65°C. The worts were light in colour, with a pH of 5.3–5.8 and titratable acidity was in the range of 0.09‐0.23%. A consistent increase in soluble nitrogen and Kolbach index was observed in the malts treated at 45–55°C for 30–90 min. Free α‐amino nitrogen of the malts was in the desirable range of 120–150 mg L^?1. Therefore, HT‐HHT can be useful for improving malt modification and wort characteristics and to shorten the germination time for malts from poor quality barley.     

Textural and pasting properties of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) as affected by storage temperature

Fresh tubers from five potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars were stored at different temperatures (4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 °C) and 80–90% relative humidity for 18 weeks after harvest to examine the effect of storage temperature on their textural and pasting properties. Texture profile analysis was performed on raw and cooked potatoes using an Instron universal testing machine to measure textural parameters such as fracturability, hardness, cohesiveness, adhesiveness and springiness. Both raw and cooked potato tubers showed a considerable reduction in all textural parameters upon storage, irrespective of the storage temperature employed. Raw potatoes showed a decrease in fracturability and hardness with increasing storage temperature, whereas their cooked counterparts showed the opposite trend. The extent of change in the textural properties of both raw and cooked potatoes also varied among the different cultivars. Fresh and stored tubers from all cultivars were freeze‐dried, ground into flours and analysed for amylose content and pasting properties. The amylose content of flours prepared from potatoes stored at 4 and 8 °C was observed to be considerably lower than that of flours prepared from potatoes stored at 16 and 20 °C. Pasting characteristics such as peak viscosity, setback and final viscosity increased with increasing storage temperature, while the reverse was observed for pasting temperature, when studied using a rapid visco analyser. Breakdown in viscosity of the flour pastes from all cultivars was considerably reduced during storage, irrespective of the storage temperature employed. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Physicochemical,cooking and textural characteristics of some Indian black gram (Phaseolus mungo L) varieties

Physicochemical, cooking and textural properties of black gram varieties were studied and related to each other using Pearson correlation. Different varieties showed significant variation in their physicochemical, cooking and textural properties. Varieties having higher seed weight and seed volume had higher values of cooking time, swelling capacity, hydration capacity and hardness. The relationships between textural parameters of cooked grains from different black gram varieties showed a significant positive correlation of hardness with cohesiveness (r = 0.472), gumminess (r = 0.938) and chewiness (r = 0.859). Swelling index, cohesiveness and gumminess of black gram varieties were observed to be related to their fibre content. Swelling capacity and swelling index correlated well with cooking time, hardness and gumminess. Cooking time had a positive correlation with hardness (p < 0.05) and gumminess (p < 0.05) and a negative correlation with springiness. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Physicochemical characterisation of corn extrudates prepared with varying levels of beetroot (Beta vulgaris) at different extrusion temperatures

This study examines the effect of beetroot powder (BRP) incorporation (0%, 5%, 10% and 15%) at different extrusion temperatures (125, 150 and 175 °C) on the physicochemical, antioxidant and sensory properties of corn grit (CG) extrudates. BRP showed higher values of total phenolic content (TPC = 9095 μg GAE g^?1) and free radical inhibition (ABTS = 6.5 μm trolox mg^?1 and DPPH = 7.9 μm trolox mg^?1) than CG (1346 μg GAE g^?1, 1.5 μm trolox mg^?1 and 2.2 μm trolox mg^?1, respectively). Pasting viscosity (peak, breakdown and final) decreased, while pasting temperature of CG increased with the level of BRP incorporation. Analyses of the extrudates showed an increase in redness, bulk density, hardness, TPC, free radical inhibition, total dietary fibre (TDF) and a decrease in water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), expansion ratio and oil uptake with the increase in the level of BRP incorporation. On the other hand, higher extrusion temperature increased porosity, WAI, WSI, oil uptake but decreased redness, bulk density, hardness and TPC.     

Dietary flaxseed lignan or oil combined with tamoxifen treatment affects MCF‐7 tumor growth through estrogen receptor‐ and growth factor‐signaling pathways

This study aimed to elucidate which component of flaxseed, i.e. secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) lignan or flaxseed oil (FO), makes tamoxifen (TAM) more effective in reducing growth of established estrogen receptor positive breast tumors (MCF‐7) at low circulating estrogen levels, and potential mechanisms of action. In a 2×2 factorial design, ovariectomized athymic mice with established tumors were treated for 8 wk with TAM together with basal diet (control), or basal diet supplemented with SDG (1 g/kg diet), FO (38.5 g/kg diet), or combined SDG and FO. SDG and FO were at levels in 10% flaxseed diet. Palpable tumors were monitored and after animal sacrifice, analyzed for cell proliferation, apoptosis, ER‐mediated (ER‐α, ER‐β, trefoil factor 1, cyclin D1, progesterone receptor, AIBI), growth factor‐mediated (epidermal growth factor receptor, human epidermal growth factor receptor‐2, insulin‐like growth factor receptor‐1, phosphorylated mitogen activated protein kinase, PAKT, BCL2) signaling pathways and angiogenesis (vascular endothelial growth factor). All treatments reduced the growth of TAM‐treated tumors by reducing cell proliferation, expression of genes, and proteins involved in the ER‐ and growth factor‐mediated signaling pathways with FO having the greatest effect in increasing apoptosis compared with TAM treatment alone. SDG and FO reduced the growth of TAM‐treated tumors but FO was more effective. The mechanisms involve both the ER‐ and growth factor‐signaling pathways.     

Rapid detection and quantification of soya bean oil and common sugar in bovine milk using attenuated total reflectance–fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, along with chemometrics, were used to detect and quantify soya bean oil (SO) and sugar (CS) adulteration in milk. Bovine milk was artificially adulterated with SO (0.2–2.0%; v/v) and CS (1–10%; w/v) separately. Spectra revealed significant differences in specific wavenumber regions (SO: 1450–1250 cm^?1; CS: 1200–900 cm^?1). Soya bean oil adulteration was best predicted in wavenumber range of 1262–1164 cm^?1, using partial least square regression (coefficient of determination (R²: 0.90 and 0.88 for calibration and validation, respectively). Common sugar adulteration was best predicted in wavenumber range of 1010–910 cm^?1 (R²: 0.99 for calibration and validation) using partial least square.