Chia Seeds Research Articles

Performance study of chia seeds, chia flour and Mimosa pudica hydrogel as polysaccharide-based superabsorbent polymers for sanitary napkins

This research reports the development and characterisation of three types of natural polysaccharide-based Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) for application in sanitary napkins, namely chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.), chia flour and Mimosa pudica hydrogel (MPH). Physical properties and performances of the materials were tested to determine the absorbing capacity, swelling capacity, absorbency under load and re-wet under load capacities. Antibacterial tests against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli and biodegradability tests were also carried out. Characterisation was carried out with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and thermo gravimetric analysis. The results reveal that MPH had the highest absorbing capacity, at 5.24 g/g and lowest re-wet value, at 1.58 g, indicating MPH is a better SAP compared to chia seeds and chia flour. Scanning electron images of MPH revealed the macroporous structure of MPH with hollow channels that allow quick transportation of liquid. Antibacterial tests and biodegradability tests results indicate that MPH has potential antibacterial properties and biodegradability. Results of this work indicate that MPH has the highest potential to be used as SAP in sanitary napkins when compared to chia seeds and chia flour.

Consumers’ attitudes towards functional dairy market in Croatia - a cross-sectional study

Modern consumers ask for foods that have beneficial effects beyond the traditionally known nutritional role. This is the core definition of functional foods, however, many consumers are confused with what functionality represents. Milk and dairy products stand out as the largest segment of functional foods. Given the diversity of Croatia’s functional dairy market, the aim of this study was to conduct market analysis and to analyse whether consumers’ attitudes towards functional foods in general, and specifically functional dairy products, changed throughout years (by comparing year 2011/12 to 2019). Market analysis was done according to the standardized methodology while for consumer’s attitudes an online, study-specific questionnaire was used. The same questionnaire was used for both study years. Total of 231 participants in 2011/12 and 221 in 2019 completed the questionnaire. In comparison to 2011/12, statistically less people are buying functional foods (44.3 % in 2019 vs 63.5 % in 2011/12, p=0.026) but the awareness improved over time, especially regarding probiotics. Within eight years, two new growing categories of functional dairy were identified; yoghurt with chia seeds and high-protein products, while the range of lactose-free products bloomed. Cross-sectional analysis showed that the only consistent independent indicator of consumer’s decision to buy a functional over a regular product is the self-care for health, which increases the likelihood by 50.2 %. Unlike eight years ago, pre-existence of a medical condition increases the likelihood to buy a lactose-free product (by 47.4 %), regardless of what the medical condition is. Despite some positive shifts observed, general awareness of what functionality represents and what is the intended purpose of a product is fragmentary. Our findings support the need for stronger, specifically targeted evidence-based communication towards the consumers.

Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Activities of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) Seeds

The genus Salvia L. (Lamiaceae) has been traditionally used for the treatment of various illnesses since ancient times. Salvia hispanica L., commonly known as Chia, is an annual herbaceous plant which was one of the most significant crops for pre-Columbian civilizations (Aztec and Maya) in America. Nutritional potential and beneficial effects of Chia seeds on human health have been previously reported. Therefore, this study aims to investigate anti(myco)bacterial, antifungal, and antiproliferative activities of Chia seeds. Ethanol extract of Chia seeds were tested against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25925), Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25923), Acinetobacter baumannii (ATCC 02026), Aeromonas hydrophila (ATCC 95080), Candida albicans (ATCC 14053), Candida tropicalis (ATCC 1369), and Candida glabrata (ATCC 15126) using broth microdilution method. Antimycobacterial activity was performed against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv using resazurin microtiter plate method. Ampicillin, Ethambutol, Isoniazid, and Fluconazole were chosen as reference drugs. Antiproliferative effect of the various concentrations (200, 100, 50, and 25 μg/mL) of ethanol extract was tested against A549 human lung cancer cell lines using MTT method. Ethanol extract was found to be more effective against A. baumannii (MIC: 62.5 µg/mL) than reference drug Ampicillin (MIC: 125 µg/mL). There was a correlation between increased doses and antiproliferative activity of extract against A549 human lung cancer cell lines (p <0.05).

Effect of chia seeds (<i>Salvia hispanica</i>) on postprandial glycaemia, body weight and hematological parameters in rats fed a high fat and fructose diet

Chia seeds (Salvia hispanica) are currently consumed by varied populations as superfoods due to their protective, functional and antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of ground chia seeds/extracts on postprandial glycaemia, body weight, hematological parameters and cellular morphology in rats. Twenty male Wistar rats were assigned into three experimental groups and a control (n =5). Each experimental group received 10 g/20 g fructose/lard. Additionally, 90 g rat pellet was fed to group 1 and 3 which was supplemented with 20 g chia seed extract, group 2 received ground chia seeds only. Control group received 90 g rat pellet only for 28 days. The results on body weight changes indicated a gradual increase in body weight of chia seeds/extract fed rats as compared to fructose/lard group. There was an increase in postprandial blood glucose levels in group 1 from week I to IV contrary to groups supplemented with chia seeds/extract. Complete blood counts showed a significant increase (p = 0.008) in mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, basophils (p = 0.035), platelets (p = 0.025) and red cell distribution width (p = 0.008) in experimental groups compared to control. These results pinpoint the benefits of chia seeds.Keywords: Blood composition, functional food, glucose concentration, metabolic diseases, omega-3 fatty acids

Chia: Host Status for Meloidogyne incognita and Activity of Plant Extracts.

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seeds are used for food, drinks, oil, and animal feed, and all plant parts are employed in traditional medicine. The growing demand for the seed has created a need for improved disease management. Plant-parasitic nematodes have been found on other Salvia spp., but none have been reported from S. hispanica. Chia has also not been tested for production of compounds active against these nematodes. Therefore, aqueous extracts from shoots and roots of six chia lines, Brad's Organic, Cono, E2, G3, G5, and W13.1, were tested in laboratory assays. Some concentrations of all extracts were nematotoxic, killing about one-third of Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood second-stage juveniles (J2s) in shoot extracts and up to nearly half of J2s in root extracts. Hatch was generally not affected by the extracts. In greenhouse trials, all six chia lines were hosts of M. incognita. Chia line G3 had approximately two times or more eggs per gram of root than Brad's Organic or Cono. When cucumber seedlings were transplanted into soil amended with chopped chia shoots (2.3 or 2.5% weight of fresh shoots/weight of dry soil), galling and egg production on cucumber roots were not suppressed. To our knowledge, this is the first report that chia is a host to M. incognita (or any phytoparasitic nematode) and that chia shoots and roots produce compounds active against a nematode.

Online information on chia seeds – A systematic content analysis

AbstractPurposeThere has been a recent increase in interest in chia seeds as a growing number of people try to observe a healthy lifestyle, particularly healthy eating habits. Given the increasing popularity of chia seeds in Hungary as well, we performed a study to examine what information on chia seeds is available on Hungarian websites.Materials and MethodsWe conducted a systematic, qualitative content analysis to examine the first 200 Hungarian results of a Google search on “chia seeds”.ResultsWe identified five main topics: 1. general information, 2. effects/side-effects, 3. modes of preparation, 4. target audience, and 5. tone of the article. Sometimes information (especially on the effects) was presented in a sensationalist manner, and some claims were not scientifically well-founded, but rather based on subjective opinion.ConclusionsIn the online media, chia seed consumption was mainly recommended for those who are trying to lose weight and for diabetics, even though there is currently no proof that it can improve the condition of such people. Further studies are needed to demonstrate and confirm claims related to the beneficial effects of the chia seed. Until this has been done, readers of Google-search results – especially those who have a health condition – should be cautious about certain statements published on non-scientific websites.

Safety of chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) subject to thermal processing in relation to the formation of process contaminants as a novel food for extended uses.

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on the safety of chia seeds in foods subject to thermal processing which may result in the formation of process contaminants. The safety assessment of this novel food (NF) is based on previous assessments of chia seeds by the EFSA NDA Panel, information received from a public call for data by EFSA and information retrieved from an extensive literature search performed by EFSA. In 2019, during the overall safety assessment of chia seeds, the NDA panel retrieved one reference which, among others, investigated the formation of process contaminants, i.e. acrylamide, hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural, in wheat flour‐based biscuits with added chia seeds flour. Based on this study, the Panel considers that there is a potential for substantial acrylamide formation in biscuits with 10–20% added chia seeds flour with low residual moisture contents (≤ 2%). The Panel is not aware of further scientific evidence corroborating these findings. The extensive new literature searches performed by EFSA did not show any relevant articles regarding either asparagine content or formation of process contaminants in chia seeds and products thereof. Information received from the call for data were either limited or inconclusive. The available evidence does not provide a basis to conclude whether or not the addition of chia seeds to foods undergoing heat treatment (at temperatures above 120°C) results in increased formation of acrylamide as compared to these foods without chia seeds. Reported concentrations of hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural in heat‐treated chia seeds do not pose a safety concern. No information on other process contaminants in chia seeds was found.

Mathematical modeling of an experiment for the growth of chia seeds sprouts (Salvia hispanica L.)

World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that more than 80% of the population in developing countries uses herbal medicine. Modern technologies open up the possibility of controlling the cultivation of medicinal plants for commercial use. The combination of various methods of controlled cultivation is a high-tech and capital-intensive direction for the development of the agricultural industry in Russia. This article considers the selection of optimal conditions for growing of chia seeds sprouts as a multifactor experiment with three incoming factors at two levels. For this study 100 grains of dark varieties of chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) purchased from Era Green were used. The 3 major incoming factors include moisture (3, 4 and 5 ml of added water), the temperature (20, 25 and 30 °C), and the light (expose duration for 0, 12 and 24 h) under LED lamps with peaks at 440-450 nm (blue spectrum) and 660 nm (red spectrum). Using different factors, we found that the speed of germination and the seedling vigor were considerably improved. This multifactor model helps to establish more reliable information on the rational ways for obtaining chia seeds sprouts in the conditions of controlled cultivation with high yield.

Outcome of a public consultation on the draft scientific opinion on the safety of chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) subject to thermal processing in relation to the formation of process contaminants as a novel food for extended uses

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) carried out a public consultation to receive input from interested parties on a draft scientific opinion on the safety of chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) subject to thermal processing in relation to the formation of process contaminants as a novel food for extended uses. This draft scientific opinion was prepared by the EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA Panel), supported by the Working Group on Novel Foods. The draft opinion was endorsed by the NDA Panel for public consultation at its plenary meeting on 11 June 2020. The written public consultation was open from 23 June until 4 August 2020. EFSA received a comment from one interested party. EFSA and its NDA Panel wish to thank this stakeholder for the contribution. The present report contains the comment received and explains the way it has been considered for the finalisation of the opinion. The opinion was adopted at the NDA Plenary meeting on 31 August and published in the EFSA Journal.

Flax and hempseed oil functional ingredient stabilized by inulin and chia mucilage as a butter replacer in muffin formulations

The addition of different amounts of a functional ingredient composed of water, inulin, chia seeds, and hemp or flaxseed oil was examined as butter replacer to improve the nutritional value of muffins. Nutritional, technological, and sensory characteristics of the reformulated products were assessed, as well as the stability under storage at room temperature. One control and six modified formulations with three levels of butter replacement (50%, 75%, and 100%) were analyzed. Modified muffins improved their nutritional profile, reducing up to 78% of fat and increasing fiber (up to 62.5%) and omega-3 fatty acids content (from 0.12g/100g of product to 0.62g and 1.55g in hemp and flaxseed oil samples, respectively). Sensory analysis revealed that flaxseed oil samples were indistinguishable from the control in all evaluated attributes, even in the highest level of replacement. During storage, texture of modified samples behaved similar to the control and no oxidation problems were observed in any of the formulations. Therefore, the functional ingredient proved to be a feasible alternative for replacing butter in muffins, preserving the quality attributes and making them healthier foods. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Functional ingredients including fiber and low amounts of good-quality sources of fat have a simple manufacturing process, do not require heating, and perform well once incorporated to the matrix. They are versatile and could be incorporated in other bakery products to substitute butter or even oil, to obtain a reduced calorie product and with an enhanced nutritional profile and good sensory properties.

Physiological Quality of Salvia hispanica L. Seeds at Differents Paraquat Application Moments

Chía (Salvia hispanica L.) seed contains more oil and protein than other grains, has a high content of omega-3 linolenic acid, essential for human nutrition. Paraguay is currently among the five largest chía producer countries in the world, with 80 000 ha planted in 2013. The experiments were carried out during the months of March and October of 2017, the field work was made in the district of Chore-San Pedro, Paraguay departament, and laboratory evaluations in the Seed Analysis and Quality Laboratory of Agrarian Sciences, National University of Asunción-Paraguay. The objective of this investigation was to determine the physiological quality effect on chia seeds with differents paraquat moments application. The variables study consisted in evaluate the seeds germinative power, calculate the vigor by measuring length of seedlings and accelerated aging, also estimate different harvest times yield. The randomized complete blocks design was used with 4 treatments with 4 repetitions. The obtained results were analyzed by ANOVA and the means were compared using the Tukey test at 5% probability. The Paraquat herbicide was applied as a desiccant to accelerate and standardize the chia harvest at different maturing times, called as early, middle and late. In all the analyzed variables it is shown that the early application obtained the best results concluding that the application of paraquat in early harvest favors the yield and the final quality of the seeds.

Functional yogurt with strawberries and chia seeds

Yogurt formulations with functional properties using strawberries and chia seeds were developed. A central composite design was used to evaluate the effect of the concentration of these products on the lipid, crude protein, dietary fiber, pH, acidity, apparent viscosity, fatty acid profile, minerals, lactic acid bacteria count, and Bifidobacteria during the yogurts’ storage as well as the sensorial analysis. The addition of chia seeds increased the levels of crude protein, lipids, dietary fiber, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially the omega-3, and mineral content. Yogurt acceptance among consumers was proportional to the addition of strawberries and inversely proportional to the addition of chia seeds. The formulation containing 6% chia and 12% strawberry had an acceptability index >70%. During storage, the yogurt had adequate amounts of lactic acid bacteria, at least 107 colony forming units (CFU) g-1, and Bifidobacteria, at least 106 CFU g-1. This allows it to qualify as a probiotic.

Identification of chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) peptides with enzyme inhibition activity towards skin-aging enzymes.

Chia (Salvia hispanica) seed peptides have drawn attention because of their antioxidant, antihypertensive and anti-inflammatory activities, making them ideal candidates for development of cosmeceutical skin products. However, there are no preceding reports that address their aging-related enzyme inhibitory activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro and in silico inhibitory activity of chia seed peptides towards the main aging-related enzymes. Enzyme-inhibition activity of < 3kDa chia seed peptides towards collagenase, hyaluronidase, tyrosinase, and elastase was evaluated. Further fractions were obtained by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and re-tested for enzyme inhibitory activity. Peptide sequences were identified from the most effective fraction and used for in silico analysis. The < 3kDa peptides exhibited inhibitory activities towards elastase (65.32%, IC50 = 0.43mg/mL), tyrosinase (58.74%, IC50 = 0.66mg/mL), hyaluronidase (26.96%, IC50 = 1.28mg/mL), and collagenase (28.90%, IC50 = 1.41mg/mL). They showed mixed-type inhibition patterns towards elastase and hyaluronidase, while a non-competitive inhibition pattern was observed towards collagenase and tyrosinase. Fraction II obtained by SEC, showed higher enzyme inhibitory activity. Seven peptides were identified in this fraction (APHWYTN, DQNPRSF, GDAHWAY, GDAHWTY, GDAHWVY, GFEWITF, and KKLKRVYV), which according to in silico analysis, possess 19-29 enzyme-peptide pair interactions towards elastase and three peptide sequences shared homology sequence (GDAHW). These results demonstrate that peptides from chia seeds may contribute in the improvement of skin health by offering protection against aging-related enzymes by preventing degradation of the protein matrix on the skin; however, further in vivo studies are needed to evaluate its actual capability.

Nutritional quality and phytochemical contents of cold pressed oil obtained from chia, milk thistle, nigella, and white and black poppy seeds

Cold pressed oils obtained from chia (Salvia hispanica L.), milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.), nigella (Nigella sativa L.), and white and black varieties of poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) seeds were character­ized. The nutritional quality was determined based on the analysis of fatty acids, tocochromanol and phytos­terol contents, as well as antioxidant activity and general physico-chemical properties. Among the oils analyzed the fatty acid composition most beneficial for health was found in chia seed oil, with 65.62% of α-linolenic acid and the n-6:n-3 fatty acid ratio of 1:3.5. Other oils studied were rich sources of linoleic acid (18.35-74.70%). Chia seed oil was also distinguished by high contents of phytosterols, mainly β-sitosterol (2160.17 mg/kg oil). The highest content of tocochromanols was found in milk thistle oil with dominant α-tocopherol (530.2 mg/kg oil). In contrast, the highest antioxidant activity was recorded for nigella oil (10.23 μM Trolox/g), which indi­cated that, in addition to tocopherols, other antioxidants influenced its antioxidant potential.

Extraction of Mucilage from Chia Seeds and its Application as Fat Replacer in Biscuits

Extraction of Mucilage from Chia Seeds and its Application as Fat Replacer in Biscuits - written by Sameera Nayani , Subba Rao D published on 2020/07/22 download full article with reference data and citations

CHIA (Salvia hispanica) THE WONDER SEEDS: A REVIEW

These days fascination towards novel nourishments has lengthened and numerous individuals are moving towards this new way to live healthy. This can be accomplished by good eating routine and it would be conceivable when potential medical or health advantages of their nourishment are known to the payer. In this review, an effort has been made to provide an overview of the potential health benefits and possible neutraceutical properties of the chia seeds. Salvia hispanica (chia) comes under one of the novel nourishments because of its health benefits. There are numerous assortments of chia accessible in the market and each has its own advantages. Moreover, chia is the rich source of alpha-linolenic acid which cannot be synthesized by the body. This dietary rich fibre source has various therapeutic uses and has made its place in modern diet style of people.

REVIEW ON THE MIRACLE ROLE OF CHIA SEEDS (SALVIA HISPANICA L.) NUTRITIONAL AND BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS IN THE TREATMENT OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISORDER

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) have growing research interest globally which determined it as functional food which acts as biochemical targets for the treatment of various cardiovascular disorder with reduced toxicological value. It is worldwide popular because of its nutritional, bioactive, and phytochemical compounds value, used as an ingredient in many food industries due to its high dietary fibre content value. Their consumption rate is higher in past years due to the presence of omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, amino acids (essential), and a good source of bioactive peptides. Many researchers focussed on α-linolenic acid which is the effective pioneer of maintenance of functioning of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Chia seed oil is investigated on different screening models either clinically or pre-clinically and demonstrate the levels of the serum lipid profile, diabetic severity changes. The review of the literature highlights the miracle values of the different nutritional composition, antioxidant values, phytochemical constituents, and the role of these in treatment of various cardiovascular disorder such as hypertension, inflammation, atherosclerosis, diabetes. The review highlights antioxidants values, which change the enzyme activities of the liver, blood. There is need to more focussed on the mechanistic approaches on the pharmacological aspects of the chia seeds with respective biological compounds in either clinical trial and animal screening trial before applied to it as a functional food for the therapeutic action in the treatment of diseases.&#x0D; Keywords: Salvia hispanica L. (Chia), Antioxidants, Biological properties of Salvia hispanica L. (Chia).

Methodology for germination test accomplishment in chia seeds

As sementes de chia são conhecidas por seus elevados teores nutricionais e por ser uma excelente fonte de energia. A chia ganhou notoriedade a partir da década de 90 com a crescente demanda por alimentos funcionais e saudáveis. Com o aumento expressivo da demanda por este produto, a produção de sementes de alta qualidade é imprescindível para alcançar elevados índices de produtividade. Além disso, existem poucos estudos sobre metodologias para análise de sementes dessa espécie, tornando este estudo relevante. Dessa forma, objetivou-se determinar a metodologia quanto à temperatura, substrato e fotoperíodo para o teste de germinação em sementes de chia. O experimento foi instalado em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com tratamentos em esquema fatorial triplo 7 x 3 x 2 (temperaturas x substratos x fotoperíodo), com quatro repetições. Foram realizados os testes de massa de 1000 sementes, teor de água e teste de germinação com variações de temperaturas de 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 e 40 ºC, nos substratos sobre papel, entre papel e entre areia, com presença ou ausência de luz. Os resultados foram expressos em porcentagem de germinação, índice de velocidade, tempo médio e velocidade média de germinação. Também foi obtida a curva de absorção de água em três temperaturas (20, 25 e 30 ºC). Nas condições testadas, concluiu-se que sementes de chia podem ser germinadas em substratos de papel e areia, com presença ou ausência de luz, nas temperaturas de 15 a 35 ºC, conseguindo assim, obter elevadas taxas de porcentagem de germinação.

Rheological and physical–chemical properties of yogurt with oat–chia seeds composites

Rheological and physical–chemical properties of yogurt with oat–chia seeds composites

Nutritional Composition and Qualitative Phytochemical Analysis of Chia Seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) Grown in East Africa

Background: Chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) is becoming one of the most popular plantbased foods that contain the greatest amount of nutrients particularly omega-3 fatty acid, α-linolenic acid. It is therefore considered a functional food with pronounced health benefits. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the proximate composition, minerals, fatty acid profiles and phytochemical contents of chia seeds grown in East Africa (Kenya and Uganda). Methods: Official methods of analysis, 2005 were adopted, minerals determined by Atomic absorption spectrophotometer, phytochemicals were determined by standard methods and fatty acid profiles were analyzed by Gas chromatography. Results: Proximate composition indicated high contents of protein, fat and fiber. The fatty acid profiles revealed great amounts of α-linolenic acid (45.29-56.99%) followed by linoleic acid (15.9- 20.28%) and oleic acid (6.88-11.58%). However, the difference in the content of α-linolenic acid between samples was not significant (p = 0.7391). Mineral determination (mg/100g) showed high contents of potassium (492.96-862.98), phosphorous (486.45-569.45), calcium (297.47-429.09) and magnesium (192.22-202.97) while considerable amount was observed for iron, zinc, manganese, and copper. There was a significant difference (p = 0.0001) in mineral content between black chia Molo and white chia Bukembo with the exception of phosphorus. Conclusion: Both black and white chia seeds grown in East Africa, observed to have high amounts of α-linolenic acid, proteins, fats, fiber, and minerals. These findings support the evidence that chia is rich in nutrients that are beneficial to human health. Therefore, we suggest its incorporation in diets as a healthy food ingredient.