Bioactive compounds in rye flours with different extraction rates

Rye flours with extraction rate of 100% (wholemeal flour), 95% (brown flour), 90% (brown flour) and 70% (light flour) were prepared in order to study the relation between flour extraction rates and content of bioactive compounds. The following compounds were analysed: total phenolic compounds (TPC), total flavonoids (TF), inositol hexaphosphate (IP6), reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione, tocopherols (T) and tocotrienols (T3). The reduced/oxidized glutathione status (GSH/GSSG) of the flours was examined as a potential index of flour resistance against oxidative stress. The following observations were made in relation to the flour extraction rates and bioactive compounds contents: (a) milling process caused decrease in content in TPC, TF, IP6, GSH and GSSG, T and T3, (b) the most resistant against oxidation processes were suggested a brown flours, then light and finally wholemeal flour, (c) the ratio of tocotrienols to tocopherols (T3/T) was the highest in rye flours with extraction rate of 100–90% whereas light flour was the poorest source of tocopherols and tocotrienols. The provided data support current trend to increase number of rye products from wholemeal or brown flours.     

Macromolecular structure of water-extractable arabinoxylans in endosperm and wholemeal rye breads as factor controlling their extract viscosities

Viscosity is one of the most important attributes of rye-based products related to some health benefits. To identify the factors affecting arabinoxylan-dependent extract viscosity (AX-EV) of rye bread, the structural features of water-extractable arabinoxylans (WE-AXs) and their ammonium sulphate precipitated subfractions were investigated in breads with varied viscosities. Also, an endoxylanase activity in the starting flours was examined. The HPSEC-RI profiles revealed the higher extent of AX depolymerisation in whole-meal bread (WMB) when compared to that in endosperm bread (EB), resulting in its lower AX-EV. This was mostly related to lower molecular weight of the parent WE-AX fraction with distinctly lower proportion of 2-Xylp in the chain. The AX-EV of rye bread decreased with decreasing proportion of AX-I, the major subfraction with 3-Xylp as only branching site. The endoxylanase activity was at least two times lower in endosperm flour than that in WM and negatively correlated with the AX-EV of WMB. The importance of densely substituted AX subfractions with exclusively 2-Xylp and 2,3-Xylp branches, protecting the AX-I from enzymic degradation during bread-making, has been evidenced.     

The effects of cereal additives in low-fat sausages and meatballs. Part 1: Untreated and enzyme-treated rye bran

Rye bran was added to frankfurter-type sausages and meatballs with the aim of producing low-fat products with increased dietary fibre content. The addition of untreated rye bran to sausages was detrimental, causing a substantial increase in frying loss (20% compared to 13.2%). The addition of rye bran treated with hydrolytic enzymes reduced the frying loss to 15.2–16.4%. The firmness was also improved by the treatments (12.8–14.2 N compared to 8.8 N). Enzymatic treatment of rye bran did not however improve the water-holding capacity or the texture of sausages compared to the rye bran that had only been soaked in water. The reason could be that enzymes degraded the solubilized fraction of the dietary fibre, leaving small fragments that cannot contribute to the water-holding capacity and the texture of the sausages. The benefits of treating rye bran in water were not seen in meatballs, probably due to the more particulate structure of meatballs, which is not as sensitive to additives.     

The influence of oxidizing agents on water extracts of rye flour

The main constituents of rye flour extracts are proteins and pentosans. After cross-linking under the action of oxidizing agents those components are able to bind much more water than in their native (prior to modifications) state. As a consequence rheological properties of extract are changed.It was observed that kinematic viscosity of water extract of rye flour decreases rapidly with time. The reason for this behavior could be high enzymatic activity of flour extract.It was also found that the addition of hydrogen peroxide in the absence of additional peroxidase (which is naturally present in 1:9 or 1:1 water extracts of flour) causes the greatest increase in viscosity, due to the cross-linking of soluble polymers. Moreover after the addition of H₂O₂ to water extracts strong gels were obtained, which were characterized by tan δ = 0.5 (tan δ < 1). Moreover G′ was independent of frequency, which also suggests cross-linking of the pentosans.The addition of ascorbic acid, which is known to act preferably on gluten proteins, to 1:9 or 1:1 flour extracts had only a little effect on viscosity. In this case the values of tan δ = 0.9 were close to 1, which is typical for a weak gel.The application of inactivated rye flour extract, containing mainly proteins and pentosans, proved stronger effect of H₂O₂ in comparison to ascorbic acid on polymer cross-linking, but only after the addition of peroxidase. The gel obtained with H₂O₂ and peroxidase was also characterized by low tan δ = 0.4.The results indicate, that pentosans are the main subject of cross-linking reactions in rye flour water extracts.     

Co-occurrence and evaluation of mycotoxins in organic and conventional rye grain and products

A study on the co-occurrence of Fusarium toxins in conventional and organic grain and derived products was carried out. A total of 117 samples were collected during the period 2009–2012. Eight mycotoxins were determined using the LC-MS/MS method. Among the investigated mycotoxins, four were of major importance: DON, ZEN, T-2 and HT-2. DON was present at the highest concentration in both the agricultural systems, with its maximum level of 254 ± 23 μg kg⁻¹ being present in conventional rye grain. The co-occurrence of two or more mycotoxins was observed in more than 50% of samples, with the most frequent combination being DON + ZEN. The correlation between the concentrations of T-2 and HT-2, DON and ZEN, as well as T-2 and ZEN was confirmed statistically. The concentration of DON, HT-2 and T-2 was significantly higher in conventional products. Also the higher level of ZEN in organic grain in comparison to derived products was significant. None of the samples contained DAS, while NlV, MAS and 3ADON concentrations were close to the detection limits.     

Comparison of deterioration of rye under two different storage regimes

Deterioration of stored rye samples was studied at different moisture contents and temperatures. Germination, presence of visible and invisible microflora, and free fatty acid values (FAV) were determined for samples at 10.0, 12.5, 15.0 and 17.5% moisture content (wet mass basis) stored at 10, 20, 30 and 40 °C for 16 weeks. Results of deterioration at constant moisture content (case 1) were compared with previously reported results for deterioration under declining moisture content (case 2). Germination rate was almost the same for all the moisture content samples stored at 10 °C for both cases, but a significant decrease was observed at other temperatures with high moisture content. Fatty acid values remained similar in both cases when rye was stored at 10 and 20 °C, whereas at 30 and 40 °C, FAVs of the rye samples in which the moisture content was maintained were high and increased with an increase in temperature and moisture content. Visible mould appeared early in the samples whose moisture content was maintained. Penicillium spp. and Aspergillus glaucus group were the predominant fungal species present in both the cases throughout the study. The rate of deterioration was significantly different between the two cases.     

Characterisation of traditional Albanian breads derived from different cereals

The long isolation of Albania and the scarcity of raw materials has traditionally led to the production of bread from crops other than wheat, like maize, which is the basic ingredient for maize bread (bukë misri), rye, which is used to prepare rye bread (bukë thekre), and chick-pea, used in chick-pea bread (bukë me qiqre). Today, these traditional breads are accompanied by other types, such as brown bread from soft wheat (bukë zize). In the present work, the traditional Albanian breads were characterised in order to assess their quality. The results obtained indicated that the protein content reflected the characteristics of the raw material used, being higher in the chick-pea bread and in bread made from high extraction rate wheat flour, while both fat and yellow pigment levels were higher in maize bread. A high humidity value was found in many of the breads examined, especially in maize bread, with consequent risks of moulds and a shortened shelf-life.     

Online measurement of water content in candidate reference materials by acousto-optical tuneable filter near-infrared spectrometry (AOTF-NIR) using pork meat calibrants controlled by Karl Fischer titration

Certified reference materials (CRMs) are prepared from a wide variety of matrices. Water removal is an excellent way of achieving increased matrix lifetime and hence CRM stability. High-speed acousto-optical tuneable filter near-infrared spectrometry (AOTF-NIR) has been implemented for measurement of water content in powder matrix reference materials in amber glass vials. Almost 50,000 spectra were collected from 1300 to 2100 nm with a 2 nm increment for powders of meat, rye grass, potato, cotton seed and sugar beet. The AOTF-NIR instrument was placed in a capping machine, with a measurement frequency of 10–15 vials/min and a trigger signal for reproducible collection of spectra. The calibrants comprised 19 pork meat powder samples equilibrated with different hygrostatic solutions or subjected to oven drying to achieve different water concentrations. Mixtures of powders with different water content were also prepared in order to obtain a calibration range from 0.5 to 8.3% water (m/m). All calibration samples were measured by volumetric Karl Fischer titration (V-KFT), accredited under ISO 17025. The calibrants were then measured by AOTF-NIR together with the samples. Multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) was applied to the absorbance spectra in order to correct for the scattering of light in the different powders and scattering effects from the vials. A partial least squares regression model (PLS) based on two principal components was created and applied for prediction of water content in the samples with a standard error of 0.5% water (m/m).     

Phenolic acids in caryopses of two cultivars of wheat, rye and triticale that display different resistance to pre-harvest sprouting

 This study confirmed the significant role of phenolics in the dormancy of cereal caryopses. Investigations were conducted on two cultivars of wheat (Elena and Alba), rye (Amilo and Dańkowskie Złote), and triticale (Ugo and Bogo), with characteristic deeper or shallow dormancy, respectively. In germination studies, cultivars susceptible to sprouting (Alba, Dańkowskie Złote and Bogo) displayed higher germination percentages than those resistant to sprouting (Elena, Amilo and Ugo). The phenolic acid contents (i.e. free, liberated from soluble esters, and liberated from soluble glycosides) in caryopses were determined by an HPLC method. Caffeic, p-coumaric, ferulic and sinapic acids were the dominant phenolic acids detected. The majority of phenolic acids were found in the form of soluble esters. For all species examined, the levels of phenolic acids liberated from soluble esters and the total phenolic acid contents in caryopses showing shallow dormancy were higher than in those showing deeper dormancy. Slight differences in the UV spectra of extracts of phenolic compounds from caryopses showing shallow or deeper dormancy were noted. Received: 6 April 1999     

Analysis of ochratoxin A in pig kidney and rye flour using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS)

A liquid chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometric (LC/MS/MS) method is described for analysis and confirmation of ochratoxin A in pig kidney and rye flour using derivatization of ochratoxin A to the methyl ester. Ochratoxin A methyl(d₃)ester is used as internal standard. The method works well, the detection limit is 0.02 μ g/kg and the repeatability (coefficient of variation) is between 6% and 16% in the contamination range 0.5 to 8 μ g/kg.