Combined Effects of Electron-Beam Irradiation and Storage Time on the Chemical and Antioxidant Parameters of Wild Macrolepiota procera Dried Samples

Mushrooms are very perishable foods due to their high susceptibility to moisture loss, changes in color and texture, or microbiological spoilage. Drying is considered as the most appropriate method to prevent these alterations, but it has some limitations, such as shrinkage, enzymatic and non-enzymatic browning reactions, and oxidation of lipids and vitamins. According to previous studies, irradiation might effectively attenuate the undesirable changes caused by drying process, ensuring also higher shelf-life of mushrooms and their decontamination. Electron-beam irradiation presents some technological advantages, since it allows higher dose rates and the possibility to be used in most foods/or thin products in a short period. Herein, the combined effects of electron-beam irradiation (0, 0.5, 1 and 6 kGy) and storage time (0, 6 and 12 months) were evaluated by measuring changes in nutritional parameters, namely, free sugars, tocopherols, fatty acids and antioxidant activity. As indicated by linear discriminant analysis, storage time had a higher effect on all the evaluated parameters, except fatty acids, which suffer significant changes with both factors. Overall, the obtained results indicate that electron-beam irradiation might be considered as a suitable technique, allowing long-lasting conservation periods while reducing changes induced by drying treatment.     

中国白酒微量健康成分分析

中国白酒丰富的香味物质中蕴含了诸多微量的健康成分,包括吡嗪类化合物、芳香族化合物、萜烯类化合物等,该文综述了这些微量成分在白酒中的种类、含量、活性成分、功效及生成机理,阐述适量饮酒对调节、改善体内生化代谢、预防心血管疾病以及糖尿病的作用,为科学地认识中国白酒微量健康成分提供参考。     

Exploring the anticancer properties of essential oils from family Lamiaceae

Lamiaceae is among the largest families of flowering plants with about 250 genera and over 7,000 species distributed around the world. It is considered as the important source of essential oils, for example, menthol, geraniol, eucalyptol, camphor and thymol. Therefore, it is imperative to study these economically important compounds under in vitro conditions for their sustainable and enhanced production. In addition to proven biological activities, essential oils from this family have recently been evaluated for anticancer activities and considered as a source of anticancer drugs. Mechanisms involved in the essential oils-mediated antiproliferative activity include cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and DNA repair mechanisms. Essential oils also act in the reduction of tumors, inhibiting metastasis and as anti-multidrug resistance molecules. The aim of this review is to assess the anticancer properties of essential oils obtained from different members of family Lamiaceae. The available reports on active components of essential oils and their effect on cancer type and cell line have been discussed. Biotechnological studies to improve the production of essential oils have also been highlighted. Various methods have been adopted to obtain essential oils under in vitro conditions from different plant species of family Lamiaceae, and their production is affected by culture conditions, cultivation mode, utilization of nutrient media and plant growth regulators. The literature survey suggests that essential oils obtained from family Lamiaceae have perspective for the development of new alternatives for disease treatment and prevention.     

Evaluation of Sample Preparation Procedures for Trace Element Determination in Brazilian Propolis by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry and Their Discrimination According to Geographic Region

Propolis is a complex mixture of substances collected by honeybees from buds or exudates of plants, beeswax, and other constituents, as pollen and sugars. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate two digestion procedures for determination of major, minor, and trace elements (Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in natura propolis samples by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). The first procedure studied was an open-vessel digestion using HNO₃ + H₂SO₄ + H₂O₂ in a heating block and the second one was a microwave-assisted concentrated acid digestion using HNO₃ + H₂O₂. Both digestion procedures led to similar results and quantitative recoveries. The residual carbon contents (RCCs) for propolis sample digests were 0.269?±?0.012 % when using the first procedure with conventional heating and 0.458?±?0.023 % by microwave-assisted closed vessel digestion, demonstrating high efficiency of both procedures. Accuracy of the results was demonstrated using a certified reference material and by comparison with a recommended official method. The t test (unpaired) at 95 % confidence level showed that there was no significant difference between determined and certified values of all analytes under investigation, except Ca concentration employing conventional procedure. The optimized microwave-assisted digestion procedure led to recoveries around 89–103 % and precision better than 5 % for most samples. The second procedure was faster, safer, and more accurate than the one based on conductive heating. Additionally, principal component analysis (PCA) was applied for checking if there was correlation between inorganic composition and source of propolis samples collected around Bahia State in the Northeast of Brazil.     

Optimisation of the extraction of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity from aerial parts of Bidens pilosa L. using response surface methodology

Response surface methodology was used to find the optimum ethanol concentration and temperature which maximises the antioxidant activity (AA) of hydroalcoholic extracts from aerial parts of Bidens pilosa L. A rotatable central composite design was used, and the extracts were characterised by the determination of solid concentration (SC), total flavonoid (TFC) and total polyphenol content (TPC). AA was determined through 2,2′‐azinobis (3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulphonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) and 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐pycrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity. Mathematical models showed the significant effects of each variable and allowed to select the optimum conditions of ethanol concentration (62.7%) and extraction temperature (66.2 °C). The optimised extract presented an AA of 804.9 ± 12.2 Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) dry base (d.b.) for DPPH and 515.8 ± 31.8 TEAC d.b. for ABTS. It was observed that both TFC and TPC showed a good correlation with AA of the extracts.     

红枣粉添加量对面团特性及馒头品质的影响

研究红枣粉对面团特性及馒头品质的影响,确定适宜的红枣粉小麦粉配比.探讨了添加不同比例红枣粉(0、5％、10％、15％)对混合粉理化性质、色差、面团的微观结构和粉质拉伸特性,以及对馒头比容、色差、质构和感官品质等的影响.结果表明:随着红枣粉添加量的增加,混合粉中的水分、蛋白质和脂肪含量逐渐降低,灰分和还原糖的含量逐渐升高...     

小尾寒羊不同部位挥发性风味物质和脂肪酸分析

为了研究小尾寒羊不同部位挥发性风味物质和脂肪酸组成的差异,并初步评价4个部位脂肪酸的营养价值。对4月龄小尾寒羊后腿、里脊、上脑和羊排4个部位的脂肪含量、蛋白质含量、挥发性风味物质和脂肪酸组成进行了对比分析。结果表明:小尾寒羊主要风味化合物为辛醛、壬醛、辛醇、1-辛烯-3-醇、辛酸和癸酸。里脊部位所含醛类、醇类和酯类化合物种类及相对含量均较高,对羊肉风味形成起主要作用。上脑部位的不饱和脂肪酸/饱和脂肪酸比值显著高于其他部位,多不饱和脂肪酸/饱和脂肪酸比值大于0.4,单不饱和脂肪酸和多不饱和脂肪酸的含量均较高。因而上脑部位的脂肪酸组成更符合人体对脂肪酸营养价值的需求。     

Short communication: Effect of washing method,grinding size,and the determination of an indigestible fraction on in situ degradation of starch in mature corn grain

The objectives of this study were to determine (1) the effect of grinding size (1, 2, 4, and 6 mm) to determine effective ruminal disappearance (ERD); (2) the most adequate method to estimate the rapidly degradable fraction (A); (3) a time point to measure the indigestible fraction (C); and (4) the viability of using fewer time points to estimate starch fractional disappearance rate (k_d) of mature corn grain. Fraction A was determined by rinsing in a bucket or washing machine, rumen immersion followed by bucket or washing machine, and water immersion for 30 min followed by bucket or washing machine. Ruminal in situ incubations were performed at 48, 72, 96, and 120 h to determine fraction C, and at 0 (washing machine), 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, and 48 h to determine the kinetics of starch disappearance. Models were used with either 2 or 3 pools and k_d was determined by the linear slope of the log-transformed bag residues as a proportion of incubated samples over time. The ERD was calculated as A + B [k_d/(k_d + kp)], where kp is the ruminal fractional passage rate = 16.0% h^?1. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC) with the fixed effects of run (for fraction A analysis only) method (either washing or model), grinding size, and method by grinding size interaction, with cow as a random effect. Correlation between estimates calculated using all time points or combinations of 2 and 3 time points were determined using PROC CORR. Fraction A was reduced as grinding size increased, but was not altered by washing method. Samples ground at 6 mm had greater fraction C than other grinding sizes at 48, 72, or 96 h, but not at 120 h. Model affected the slowly degradable fraction (B) values solely, but the difference was minor (0.5 percentage units). Greater fractions B and C but reduced k_d and ERD were observed as grinding size increased. Based on correlation analysis the 2-pool model, incubation times of 0, 3, and 48 h were suitable to evaluate ruminal starch degradation kinetics in mature corn. Ruminal in situ incubation at 120 h highlighted the lack of a fraction C of starch (0.13% of starch). Washing method did not affect determination of fraction A of starch. Ruminal in situ incubations of 0, 3, and 48 h for starch degradation kinetics using a 2-pool model were adequate for mature ground corn, but 120 h of incubation is suggested to confirm the existence or absence of a fraction C. Grinding size affected starch degradation kinetics and fraction A determination.