Nutrient contents,rumen protein degradability and antinutritional factors in some colour- and white-flowering cultivars of Vicia faba beans

Six colour-flowering (Scirocco, Alfred, Carola, Condor, Tina and Herz Freya) and six white-flowering (Caspar, Albatros, Gloria, Tyrol, Vasco and Cresta) cultivars of Vicia faba were studied. The crude protein contents of colour- and white-flowering cultivars were 267±13·6 and 283±18·8 g kg⁻¹, respectively, which did not differ significantly at P<0·05. The levels of lipids, crude fibre, starch and ash varied from 14 to 22 g kg⁻¹, 88 to 143 g kg⁻¹, 407 to 485 g kg⁻¹ and 32 to 42 g kg⁻¹, respectively. The calculated organic matter digestibility (OMD) and metabolisable energy (ME) of the white-flowering cultivars were significantly higher (P<0·001) than those of the colour-flowering cultivars (OMD: 889·1±26·6 g kg⁻¹ vs 797·5±17·1 g kg⁻¹; ME: 13·97±0·49 vs 12·30±0·34 MJ kg⁻¹). In all cultivars, sulphur amino acids were lower than adequate concentration when compared with recommended amino acid pattern of FAO/WHO/UNO reference protein for a 2–5-year-old child. The in vitro rumen nitrogen degradability of colour-flowering cultivars was significantly lower (P<0·01) compared to that of white-flowering cultivars (71·4±9·3% vs 88·0±11·1%). Amongst colour-flowering varieties, the contents of total phenols (TP), tannins (T) and condensed tannins (CT) were highest in Alfred (28·3, 21·0 and 35·4 g kg⁻¹, respectively). The contents of TP and T were similar (about 15 and 10 g kg⁻¹, respectively) in Carola, Tina and Herz Freya, and the CT were in the order: Condor>Herz Freya>Carola. The CT were not detected in white-flowering varieties, T were virtually absent and TP were extremely low (4·0–4·9 g kg⁻¹). The activities of other antinutritional factors (white- and colour-flowering cultivars, respectively: trypsin inhibitor activity 3·05±0·34 and 1·85±0·09 mg trypsin inhibited g⁻¹; lectin 27·2±9·4 and 27·1±5·1 mg ml⁻¹ assay medium producing haemagglutination; phytate 15·0±2·7 and 16·6±2·3 g kg⁻¹) were very low. A strong negative correlation (r=-0·92, P<0·001) between tannins and in vitro rumen protein degradability was observed which suggested that tannins have adverse effect on protein degradability. Similarly negative correlations between tannin levels and metabolisable energy (r=-0·89; P<0·001) and organic matter digestibility (r=-0·89; P<0·001) were observed. The correlation coefficient between trypsin inhibitor activity and tannins was negative and highly significant (r=-0·88, P<0·001), whereas between tannins and saponins it was significantly positive (r=0·96, P<0·001). ©1997 SCI     

Influence of heat–moisture treatment and annealing on functional properties of sorghum starch

Sorghum starch was annealed in excess water at 50 °C for 24 h. Starch was also modified under heat–moisture treatment at 110 °C after adjusting various moisture contents (20, 30 and 40%) for 8 h. Significant decrease in chain lengths of amylose fraction in HMT starches was observed. Heat moisture treated (HMT) and annealed (ANN) starches showed lower granule sizes, swelling power, peak and setback viscosity but higher retrogradation as compared to native starch. HMT starch with addition of 40% moisture showed a decrease in relative crystallinity. HMT and ANN starch gels were observed to be harder than native starch gel.     

Combined biological and ozone treatment of log yard run-off

Batch biological treatment of log yard run-off reduced biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and tannin and lignin (TL) concentration by 99%, 80%, and 90%, respectively. Acute (Microtox) toxicity was decreased over treatment, from an initial EC50 of 1.83% to a value of 50.4% after 48 h of treatment. Kinetics of biodegradation were determined using respirometry and fitted using the Monod and Tessier model. For the Monod model the maximum substrate uptake rate, and Ks values determined were 0.0038 mg BOD/mgVSS min, and 1.4 mg/L, respectively. The efficacy of ozone as a pre- and post- biological treatment stage was also assessed. During ozone pretreatment, TL concentration and acute toxicity were rapidly reduced by 70% and 71%, respectively. Pre-ozonation reduced BOD and COD concentration by < 10%, however a larger fraction of residual COD was non biodegradable after ozonation. Biologically treated effluent was subjected to ozonation to determine whether further improvements in effluent quality could be achieved. A reduction in COD and TL concentration was observed during ozonation, however no further improvement in toxicity was observed. Ozonation increased BOD by 38%, due to conversion of COD to BOD.     

Assessment of lectin activity in a toxic and a non-toxic variety of Jatropha curcas using latex agglutination and haemagglutination methods and inactivation of lectin by heat treatments

Lectin activity in a toxic (Cape Verde) and non-toxic (Mexico) variety of Jatropha curcas seed meal was investigated using latex agglutination and haemagglutination assays. Lectin activity expressed as reciprocal of the minimum quantity (in mg) of Jatropha meal per ml of the assay mixture which produced agglutination with the latex beads was 2·88 ± 0·57 and 1·71 ± 0·00 (mean ± SD, n = 3) for the toxic and the non-toxic varieties, respectively, which did not differ significantly (P > 0·05), while with the haemagglutination assay these values were 102 and 51, respectively, and differed significantly (P < 0·05). The lectins were inactivated by heating and moist heat was more effective than dry heat. The results suggest that lectins may not be responsible for short term toxicity caused by consumption of raw Jatropha meal. © 1998 SCI.     

Statistical optimization of hydrolysis process for banana peels using cellulolytic and pectinolytic enzymes

Dried and ground banana peels (BP) were pretreated and hydrolyzed using a combination of cellulolytic and pectinolytic enzymes. Central composite design (CCD) was used to optimize cellulase, β-glucosidase and pectinase concentrations and hydrolysis time for production of glucose and reducing sugars. Design expert software was used to analyze and evaluate the data. The interactions between filter paper cellulase and β-glucosidase concentrations were statistically significant at a 95% confidence level in production of glucose and reducing sugars from BP. The validation experiment was carried out with cellulase, β-glucosidase and pectinase at 8 FPU/g cellulose, 15 IU/g cellulose and 66 IU/g pectin, respectively, for 15 h in a laboratory fermenter. The glucose and reducing sugars concentrations of 28.2 and 48 g/l, respectively, obtained through the validation experiment were higher than the theoretical values for glucose and reducing sugars predicted by the software. Glucose, galactose, arabinose, xylose and galacturonic acid concentrations increased with time, but a significant increase in fructose concentration was not observed. Process optimization also led to about 40% savings in hydrolysis time, indicating scale-up potential for the process.     

Influence of pre-treatments on microbial load of stored dehydrated onion slices

Onions slices were pre-treated in potassium meta-bisulphite (KMS) and sodium chloride with different concentration levels to study the microbial load of tray and greenhouse-dried onion slices up to 6 months of storage. Data were analysed as per procedure of one-way classified anova using DMRT of AgRes statistical package for bacteria, yeast, fungi and Lactobacilli . Results revealed that in almost all samples, permissible levels of bacteria [18.33 × 10¹ colony-forming units (CFU) per gram], yeast (ND), fungi (0.5 × 10¹ CFU g⁻¹) and Lactobacilli (0.25 × 10¹ CFU g⁻¹) were observed after 5 months of storage. All the samples were also found to be free from Escherichia coli and no Mac Conkey growth was noticed. Onion slices pre-treated in 0.25% and 0.50% KMS and dried in tray and greenhouse, respectively, were found best after 6 months of storage period.     

Nanotechnology in fibrous materials-a new perspective

This issue reviews various areas where nanotechnology has come up predominately in fibrous materials, namely in electrospun polymeric nanofibers and polymer layered silicate nanocomposites. It includes synthesis, characterization, various methods of collecting nanofibers, factors affecting electrospinning, methods of increasing the productivity of the electrospinning process, and different electrospinning designs. It also covers synthesis and characterization of polymer nanocomposites. Various properties of nanocomposites are discussed. The rheological behavior and morphology of nanocomposites are covered. Different modeling and simulation methods applicable to electrospun nanofibers and polymer layered silicate nanocomposites are discussed. Some of the potential application areas of electrospun nanofibers, polymer layered silicate nanocomposites, and various products available in the market based on nanotechnology are also discussed. Some of the lacking areas and future prospects in nanofibrous structures (nanofibers and nanocomposites) are emphasized in this issue.     

Cell-Constituents,Tannin Levels by Chemical and Biological Assays and Nutritional Value of Some Legume Foliage and Straws

Twenty six straw and 15 foliage samples of Lathyrus sativus , Vicia narbonensis , V sativa and V ervilia were analysed for ash, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), extractable phenols (Pe), extractable tannins (Te), extractable condensed tannins (CTe), protein precipitation capacity (PPC) and in vitro characteristics predicted from Hohenheim gas test. The content of crude protein in the foliage was significantly higher than that of the straws (152·6 vs 64·5 g kg⁻¹), while ash (82·8 vs 116·8 g kg⁻¹), NDF (332·7 vs 523·5 g kg⁻¹) and ADF (205·2 vs 369·9 g kg⁻¹) were significantly lower. For straws of L sativus , V narbonensis and V sativa , there was no significant difference in the protein and ADF contents, whereas ash and NDF contents were significantly lower and higher respectively in L sativus as compared to V narbonensis or V sativa . Predicted from gas volumes, the organic matter digestibility (OMD: 70 vs 56%) and metabolisable energy (ME: 9·7 vs 7·3 MJ kg⁻¹) were significantly higher for the foliage compared to straws. The OMD of L sativus straws was significantly lower compared to the straws of V narbonensis and V sativa . The OMD and ME of the straws of second year was significantly lower than those of the first year. The CP, OMD and ME of V sativa foliage were higher than that of V narbonensis . There was no difference in the cell constituents, OMD and ME of foliage samples of V sativa harvested in May 1992 and June 1992. The contents of Pe, Te and CTe of straws were 1·08%, 0·43% and 0·33%, respectively, and those of foliage were 2·27%, 1·30% and 1·63%, respectively. PPC was not detected for any of the foliage and straw samples. The results suggested that the tannin levels of legume straws investigated are negligible and those of the legume foliage are very low. This does not appear to adversely affect their nutritive value since the maximum decrease in OMD by the tannins was about 3% units.     

In vitro release profile of anti-ulcer drug rabeprazole from biocompatible psyllium-PVA hydrogels

The present article discusses the synthesis, characterization and haemocompatibility behaviour of the psyllium-PVA hydrogels prepared by chemical method in the presence of N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide. These hydrogels have been characterized by Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy, thermo gravimetric analysis, swelling and drug release studies. The release of model drug rabeprazole sodium from the drug loaded hydrogels occurred through non-Fickian diffusion mechanism. Psyllium itself acts as anti-ulcer agent and release of rabeprazole from the drug loaded hydrogels may enhance the curing potential of the drug delivery device. The haemocompatibility was evaluated by studying the blood interactions with hydrogels with reference to thrombogenicity and haemolytic potential. Thrombogenicity results indicate that hydrogels are non-thrombogenic as the weight of clot formed and thrombus percentage for hydrogels was less than the positive control. The haemolytic index has been observed <5%. These observations indicate that these hydrogels are haemo-compatible and hence could be used for oral administration of antiulcer drugs.