Food Source In Many Countries Research Articles

Variations on the chemical compositions of chestnut fruits collected at different locations

Chestnut is an essential food source in many countries. Nutritional quality and potential health benefits of Anatolian chestnut trees (Castanea sativa Mill.) have led to increased concern and interest in chestnut production. However, knowledge of the factors that influence the chemical content of chestnut fruits still needs to be improved. Thus, the chemical compositions were evaluated for Anatolian chestnut fruits collected at 14 different locations in northern Türkiye, which is one of the biggest chestnut producers in the world. The effects of latitude, longitude, altitude, aspect, mean annual temperature (°C) (TMA), and mean annual precipitation (mm) (PMA) of the study locations on the chemical compositions of chestnut fruits were monitored. The effects of these parameters on several chestnut characteristics were examined using a mixed-effects multiple regression model. Latitude, longitude, TMA, and PMA were correlated with the mean concentrations of sucrose, free amino acid, glycine betaine, nitrogen (N) (%), and total carbon (C) (%) of the chestnut samples. The moisture content of the fruits was affected by longitude. The antioxidant and mineral content of the chestnut samples also varied by location. These findings may be helpful in site selection, production, and conservation of chestnut cultivars.

Willingness to Consume and Purchase Food with Edible Insects among Generation Z in Poland.

The consumption of insects (entomophagy) is attracting attention for economic, environmental and health reasons. The wide range of edible insect species, rich in protein, fat, minerals, vitamins and fibre, can play an important role in addressing global food insecurity. However, consumer acceptance remains a major barrier to the adoption of insects as a food source in many countries, including Europe. The aim of this study was to determine whether health and environmental concerns, attitudes and intentions towards purchasing edible insects and foods containing edible insects are associated with willingness to consume edible insects and foods containing edible insects among young consumers (Generation Z) in Poland. An empirical study was carried out in 2023, using a questionnaire with an indirect interview method via an online platform. On the basis of surveys conducted among Generation Z in Poland, it can be concluded that health and environmental concerns determine the willingness to consume selected products containing edible insects. At the same time, it should be noted that the more positive the respondents' attitudes towards health and environmental concerns are, the greater their willingness to consume foods containing edible insects is. Attitudes and intentions towards purchasing foods containing edible insects were positively correlated with willingness to purchase and consume this type of food. The results obtained can contribute to efforts to promote the legitimacy of the production of new foods with edible insects in their composition.

Unravelling the nutritional and health benefits of marketable winged termites (Macrotermes spp.) as sustainable food sources in Africa.

Termites are widely distributed globally and serve as a valuable food source in many countries. However, information on the myriad nutritional benefits of processed termite products in African markets remain largely unexploited. This study evaluated the phytochemicals, fatty acids, amino acids, minerals, vitamins and proximate composition of the edible winged termites (Macrotermes spp.) from three major Counties of Kenya. A total of 9 flavonoids, 5 alkaloids, and 1 cytokinin were identified. The oil content varied from 33 to 46%, exhibiting significant levels of beneficial omega 3 fatty acids, such as methyl (9Z,12Z,15Z)-octadecatrienoate and methyl (5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z,17Z)-eicosapentaenoate, ranging from 82.7-95.1 to 6.3-8.1µg/g, respectively, across the different regions. Four essential and cereal-limiting amino acids lysine (1.0-1.3mg/g), methionine (0.08-0.1mg/g), leucine (0.6-0.9mg/g) and threonine (0.1-0.2mg/g), were predominant. Moreover, termites had a rich profile of essential minerals, including iron (70.7-111.8mg/100g), zinc (4.4-16.2mg/100g) and calcium (33.1-53.0mg/100g), as well as vitamins A (2.4-6.4mg/kg), C (0.6-1.9mg/kg) and B12 (10.7-17.1mg/kg). The crude protein (32.2-44.8%) and fat (41.2-49.1%) contents of termites from the various Counties was notably high. These findings demonstrated the promising nutrients potential of winged termites and advocate for their sustainable utilization in contemporary efficacious functional food applications to combat malnutrition.

Endophytic fusarium solani exhibiting potential stress tolerance and enhances growth of maize in South Africa

New technological approaches harness the potential of endophytic fungi as growth promoters, utilizing their bioactive compounds to protect against herbivores, insects, and various unfavourable abiotic stresses, including temperature, salinity, drought, and heavy metals. Zea mays (L.) is considered as a staple food source in many countries including South Africa. Endophytic fungi are natural growth promoters without causing any disease or symptoms of diseases. In the current study, nine endophytic fungi were examined for abiotic stress tolerance and were inoculated in the maize seeds prior to plantation. The construction of the phylogenetic tree was based on consensus sequences (ITS) using endophytic fungi produced three clades with four subgroups. Among the 9 endophytic fungi, only 3 fungal isolates (END 15, MHE 55, RNK 4) grew on 3% and 6% salinity PDA. Boeremia exigua was the only isolate that could withstand 6%. Fusarium solani (MHE 55) survived at low pH. Furthermore, Neurospora sp. (GG 9) and Fusarium solani (MHE 55) grew at 37 ºC. Greenhouse experiments were conducted to establish the growth promoting properties. The highest plant height was observed in the treatment which was inoculated with Fusarium oxysporum (GG 8) followed by Fusarium solani (MHE 55), reaching 46 cm and 44 cm respectively. The significant enhancement in plant height, root weight, fresh weight and leaf size, demonstrate the potential use of the selected isolate as a growth promoter for maize. In contrast Chaetomium (PG 9) and Alternaria (MHE 68) displayed none to limited growth promoting properties. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the potential use of F. solani isolated from South African geranium as a growth promoter. As the world is aiming at a more sustainable and eco-friendly agriculture, the use of such endophytes will contribute to better crop production and protection, hence more food availability. Key words: Fusarium solani, Endophytes, Growth promotion, Maize, Stress tolerance, Boeremia exigua, Chaetomium, Alternaria

Assessment of potentially toxic and mineral elements in paddy soils and their uptake by rice (Oryza sativa L.) with associated health hazards in district Malakand, Pakistan

Rice, a primary food source in many countries of the world accumulate potentially harmful elements which pose a significant health hazard to consumers. The current study aimed to evaluate potentially toxic and mineral elements in both paddy soils and rice grains associated with allied health risks in Malakand, Pakistan. Rice plants with intact root soil were randomly collected from paddy fields and analyzed for mineral and potentially toxic elements (PTEs) through inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP‒OES). Through deterministic and probabilistic risk assessment models, the daily intake of PTEs with allied health risks from consumption of rice were estimated for children and adults. The results of soil pH (< 8.5) and electrical conductivity (EC > 400 μs/cm), indicated slightly saline nature. The mean phosphorus concentration of 291.50 (mg/kg) in soil samples exceeded FAO/WHO permissible limits. The normalized variation matrix of soil pH with respect to Ni (0.05), Ca (0.05), EC (0.08), and Mg (0.09), indicated significant influence of pH on PTEs mobility. In rice grains, the mean concentrations (mg/kg) of Mg (463.81), Al (70.40), As (1.23), Cr (12.53), Cu (36.07), Fe (144.32), Mn (13.89), and Ni (1.60) exceeded FAO/WHO safety limits. The transfer factor >1 for K, Cu, P and Zn indicated bioavailability and transfer of these elements from soil to rice grains. Monte Carlo simulations of hazard index >1 for Cr, Zn, As, and Cu with certainties of 89.93% and 90.17%, indicated significant noncarcinogenic risks for children and adults from rice consumption. The total carcinogenic risk (TCR) for adults and children exceeded the USEPA acceptable limits of 1×10−6 to 1×10−4, respectively. The sensitivity analysis showed that the ingestion rate was a key risk factor. Arsenic (As) primarily influenced total cancer risk (TCR) in children, while chromium (Cr) significantly impacted adults. Deterministic cancer risk values slightly exceeded probabilistic values due to inherent uncertainties in deterministic analysis. Rice consumption poses health risks, mainly from exposure to Cr, Ni and As in the investigated area.

Integrated omics and machine learning-assisted profiling of cysteine-rich-receptor-like kinases from three peanut spp. revealed their role in multiple stresses.

Arachis hypogaea (peanut) is a leading oil and protein-providing crop with a major food source in many countries. It is mostly grown in tropical regions and is largely affected by abiotic and biotic stresses. Cysteine-rich receptor-like kinases (CRKs) is a family of transmembrane proteins that play important roles in regulating stress-signaling and defense mechanisms, enabling plants to tolerate stress conditions. However, almost no information is available regarding this gene family in Arachis hypogaea and its progenitors. This study conducts a pangenome-wide investigation of A. hypogaea and its two progenitors, A. duranensis and A. ipaensis CRK genes (AhCRKs, AdCRKs, and AiCRKs). The gene structure, conserved motif patterns, phylogenetic history, chromosomal distribution, and duplication were studied in detail, showing the intraspecies structural conservation and evolutionary patterns. Promoter cis-elements, protein-protein interactions, GO enrichment, and miRNA targets were also predicted, showing their potential functional conservation. Their expression in salt and drought stresses was also comprehensively studied. The CRKs identified were divided into three groups, phylogenetically. The expansion of this gene family in peanuts was caused by both types of duplication: tandem and segmental. Furthermore, positive as well as negative selection pressure directed the duplication process. The peanut CRK genes were also enriched in hormones, light, development, and stress-related elements. MicroRNA (miRNA) also targeted the AhCRK genes, which suggests the regulatory association of miRNAs in the expression of these genes. Transcriptome datasets showed that AhCRKs have varying expression levels under different abiotic stress conditions. Furthermore, the multi-stress responsiveness of the AhCRK genes was evaluated using a machine learning-based method, Random Forest (RF) classifier. The 3D structures of AhCRKs were also predicted. Our study can be utilized in developing a detailed understanding of the stress regulatory mechanisms of the CRK gene family in peanuts and its further studies to improve the genetic makeup of peanuts to thrive better under stress conditions.

Cultivation pattern affects starch structure and physicochemical properties of yam (Dioscorea persimilis)

Yam (Dioscorea spp.) is a major food source in many countries due to its tuber rich in starch (60 %–89 % of the dry weight) and various important micronutrients. Orientation Supergene Cultivation (OSC) pattern is a simple and efficient cultivation mode developed in China in recent years. However, little is known about its effect on yam tuber starch. In this study, the starchy tuber yield, starch structure and physicochemical properties were compared and analyzed in detail between OSC and Traditional Vertical Cultivation (TVC) with Dioscorea persimilis “zhugaoshu”, a widely cultivated variety. The results proved that OSC significantly increased tuber yield (23.76 %–31.86 %) and commodity quality (more smooth skin) compared with TVC in three consecutive years of field experiments. Moreover, OSC increased amylopectin content, resistant starch content, granule average diameter and average degree of crystallinity by 2.7 %, 5.8 %, 14.7 % and 9.5 %, respectively, while OSC decreased starch molecular weight (Mw). These traits resulted in starch with lower thermal properties (To, Tp, Tc, ΔHgel), but higher pasting properties (PV, TV). Our results indicated that cultivation pattern affected the yam production and starch physicochemical properties. It would not only provide a practical basis for OSC promotion, but also provide valuable information on how to guide the yam starch end use in food and non-food industries.

In-silico identification and characterization of O-methyltransferase gene family in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) reveals their putative roles in development and stress tolerance.

Cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea) is a leading protein and oil-providing crop and food source in many countries. At the same time, it is affected by a number of biotic and abiotic stresses. O-methyltransferases (OMTs) play important roles in secondary metabolism, biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. However, the OMT genes have not been comprehensively analyzed in peanut. In this study, we performed a genome-wide investigation of A. hypogaea OMT genes (AhOMTs). Gene structure, motifs distribution, phylogenetic history, genome collinearity and duplication of AhOMTs were studied in detail. Promoter cis-elements, protein-protein interactions, and micro-RNAs targeting AhOMTs were also predicted. We also comprehensively studied their expression in different tissues and under different stresses. We identified 116 OMT genes in the genome of cultivated peanut. Phylogenetically, AhOMTs were divided into three groups. Tandem and segmental duplication events played a role in the evolution of AhOMTs, and purifying selection pressure drove the duplication process. AhOMT promoters were enriched in several key cis-elements involved in growth and development, hormones, light, and defense-related activities. Micro-RNAs from 12 different families targeted 35 AhOMTs. GO enrichment analysis indicated that AhOMTs are highly enriched in transferase and catalytic activities, cellular metabolic and biosynthesis processes. Transcriptome datasets revealed that AhOMTs possessed varying expression levels in different tissues and under hormones, water, and temperature stress. Expression profiling based on qRT-PCR results also supported the transcriptome results. This study provides the theoretical basis for further work on the biological roles of AhOMT genes for developmental and stress responses.

Studies on Physical Properties of Different Corn (Zea mays L.) Verities

Background: Corn is one of the major popular cereals in the world and forms the staple food source in many countries. After rice and wheat, maize is the third-most significant food crop in India.Corn is also used as food and raw material for industrial use. Corn, various types of a highly cultivated multipurpose cereal are grown all over the world. Methods: The present study was designed for to analyse physical properties of corn different five verities. Five corn varieties to determine the physical properties of corn grains by using different methods. Physical characteristics of grains play a crucial vital function in determining the quality of grains. Results: The physical property of corn was carried out such as 1000 kernel weight (g), 1000 kernel volume (mm3),True density(kg/m3), Bulk density (kg/m3), Porosity (%), Sphericity (%), Angle of repose° (%) respectively. The results demonstrate range of 283.491 to 301.028 (g), 292 to 308 (mm3), 1197.043 to 1380.259 (kg/m3), 726.949 to 766.062 (kg/m3), 36.001 to 47.320 (%), 0.551 to 0.616 (%), 23.38 to 29.75 (°C), respectively.

Biogas Produced by Anaerobic Digestion Process and Biodiesel from Date Seeds

Dates are an important food source in many countries that produce different types of dates. Dates have a significant amount of waste, either from planting or eating them. A large amount of seeds are produced from eating it. This study is considered to explore the quantity and the quality of biogas produced from the Sagai date seeds through the anaerobic digestion process (AD) before and after oil extraction and exploitation of oil in biodiesel production. In addition, the study aims to tests the resulted digestate from the AD process. This test was performed to ensure that the digestate contains the three basics elements (N, P and K) to be used in agriculture. In its preparation, the date seeds were ground after washing via a grinding machine without exposure to any other treatment process. Design of Experiments (DOE) was applied in determining the effect of temperature, volatile solid and sludge quantity on the resulted biogas. The energy balance at the optimum results was calculated. The highest biogas volumes from the AD of date seed before and after oil extraction were 4140 cc and 3534 cc, respectively, at 37 °C, 4.2 g-VS and 50% sludge quantity. While the highest methane/g-VS were 1143.8 cc/g-VS and 949.6 cc/g-VS, respectively, at 37 °C, 1.1 g-VS and 50% sludge quantity. The oil obtained using the Soxhlet method at 70 °C, 1:4 ratio of date seeds to n-hexane solvent and 5 h reaction time was 16% of the date seed mass (79% biodiesel and 9% glycerine). Therefore, the resultant effect from the main findings indicated that the study supports the investigation of the possibility of exploiting date seeds in the production of biogas, biodiesel and bio-fertiliser.

Processing and quality aspects of bulgur from Triticum durum

AbstractBackground and objectivesBulgur is an important food source in many countries around the world. In North America, its consumption is increasing as it can be used as a more nutritious quick cooking substitute to rice. The main processing steps of bulgur from Triticum durum are reviewed including the comparison of different technologies for cooking, drying, debranning, and milling of bulgur and the effects of processing on the nutritional components of the grain.FindingsEvery step of the production process is crucial to final product quality. Cooking methods include parboiling, autoclave, microwave, and steam, with autoclaving being the most used technique but disadvantages include higher losses of water‐soluble vitamins and some reports of color deterioration. Air, forced air, vacuum, microwave, and infrared dryers, as well sun and solar drying, have all been investigated with infrared and microwave drying being promising novel methods for drying bulgur after cooking. Different types of mills can be used for bulgur particle size reduction, and choice of mill will depend on size requirements; however, all bulgur should be larger than 0.5 mm with an ovoid shape and smooth exterior. Nutritional benefits of bulgur include relatively high protein and fiber content, resistant starch, B vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals such as lutein and ferulic acid.ConclusionsColor is a much studied quality attribute; however, its importance to non‐traditional consumers is unknown. Research is lacking on whole grain (minimally debranned) bulgur and the optimization of nutritional quality in conjunction with processing parameters. Due to the partial debranning, there is wide variability in the reported fiber content of bulgur; however, overall it would be nutritionally beneficial to include bulgur in one's diet.Significance and noveltyThe production steps of bulgur are clarified and reviewed with consideration to the macro‐ and micronutrient content. This review will allow for future research on bulgur to increase its utilization as a low‐cost value‐added plant‐based food.

Effect of cinnamon ultrasound‐assisted extract on chemical and microbial properties of hamburger meat under different temperatures and time conditions during storage

Free radicals produced during oxidation on the one hand and food contaminated with food source microorganisms on the other hand are serious threats to human health which increase the need to use natural compounds to replace synthetic and chemical substances used. In the present study, the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the cinnamon extract was investigated during hamburger meat storage. Two concentrations of cinnamon ultrasound-assisted extraction (2,000, 3,000 ppm) were added to the final evaluation on hamburger meat samples and tested at temperatures of 18, 10, and 4°C at 5-day intervals. The results showed that in all tests of peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid, and total volatile nitrogen, increasing the concentration of the extract and reducing the storage temperature led to a decrease in these values, so that all of these were at a concentration of 3,000 ppm and the storage temperature was 4°C at its minimum. Increasing the maintenance period led to an increase in the values of these indices. Reducing the temperature and increasing the concentration of the extract had a significant effect on the number of bacteria and the increase in temperature led to an increase in the growth of microorganisms. In all samples, increasing the storage time of the samples until the end of the 30th day, the number of bacterial growths was observed. The incremental growth of psychrophilic in samples containing extract at 0, 5, and 10th days was not significant. Results proved cinnamon that can be used as an antioxidant and antimicrobial agent in food industries. Practical applications Meat and meat products (such as hamburger) are kinds of preferable food source in many countries. Although hamburger is not a very good source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and fat, it is susceptible to bacterial activity. Major contaminating microorganisms of hamburger such as Staphylococcus aureus, which threatens the public health all around the world is one of the most popular microorganisms in hamburger meat. According to the health risk and respiratory diseases reports as the result of using chemical preservatives in food industries, this study has aimed at utilizing cinnamon ultrasound-assisted extract as a natural replacement for both antioxidant and antimicrobial agents to increase the hamburger's shelf life under different conditions (temperature and time).

Antioxidative and Antiglycative Properties of Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids-Containing Aqueous Extracts Derived from Edible Terrestrial Cyanobacteria.

The terrestrial filamentous cyanobacterium, Nostoc commune, has been used as a food source in many countries, especially countries in Asia. In this study, N. commune-derived aqueous extracts were evaluated with regard to their antioxidative and antiglycative properties. The antioxidative activity was significantly higher in N. commune colonies isolated from the field than in extracts from colonies cultured in the laboratory. The antioxidative compound content of extracts, including phenolic compounds and phycobiliproteins, was correlated with their antioxidative power. In addition, two mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), specifically detected in colonies isolated from the field, were purified. In addition to assessing their antioxidative properties, the antiglycative activity of these MAAs was also assessed. Their inhibitory effects on glycation-dependent protein cross-linking might contribute to the antiglycative power of the extract prepared from field colonies. Taken together, the results from this study revealed that N. commune may have beneficial properties for functional food applications, both by preventing oxidative stress and suppressing the formation of advanced glycation end-products.

Preparation, structural characterization, and bioactivity of PHPD-IV-4 derived from Porphyra haitanensis

Polysaccharides are a major active component of Porphyra haitanensis, which is an important food source in many countries. Four different molecular-weight fractions, namely PHPD-I (329 kDa), PHPD-II (203 kDa), PHPD-III (128 kDa), and PHPD-IV (10 kDa), were obtained from P. haitanensis polysaccharides by degradation using the H2O2/ascorbic acid system. PHPD-IV elicited the highest level of antioxidant and immunostimulatory activity among the four fractions. PHPD-IV was purified by DEAE-cellulose column and five fractions were obtained, designated PHPD-IV-1–PHPD-IV-5. PHPD-IV-4 displayed the greatest biological activity by up-regulating the phosphorylation of MAPK signalling molecules. PHPD-IV-4 was further purified, and its structure was characterized by monosaccharide composition and 1/2D-NMR analysis. The result revealed that PHPD-IV-4 was repeated units of → 3) β-d-galactose (1 → 4) 3, 6-anhydro-α-l-galactose (1→, and → 3) β-d-galactose (1 → 4) α-l-galactose-6-S (1→. This study provides a theoretical basis for the utilisation and structure-activity assessment of P. haitanensis polysaccharides.

Analysis of two avian influenza epidemic models involving fractal-fractional derivatives with power and Mittag-Leffler memories.

Since certain species of domestic poultry and poultry are the main food source in many countries, the outbreak of avian influenza, such as H7N9, is a serious threat to the health and economy of those countries. This can be considered as the main reason for considering the preventive ways of avian influenza. In recent years, the disease has received worldwide attention, and a large variety of different mathematical models have been designed to investigate the dynamics of the avian influenza epidemic problem. In this paper, two fractional models with logistic growth and with incubation periods were considered using the Liouville-Caputo and the new definition of a nonlocal fractional derivative with the Mittag-Leffler kernel. Local stability of the equilibria of both models has been presented. For the Liouville-Caputo case, we have some special solutions using an iterative scheme via Laplace transform. Moreover, based on the trapezoidal product-integration rule, a novel iterative method is utilized to obtain approximate solutions for these models. In the Atangana-Baleanu-Caputo sense, we studied the uniqueness and existence of the solutions, and their corresponding numerical solutions were obtained using a novel numerical method. The method is based on the trapezoidal product-integration rule. Also, we consider fractal-fractional operators to capture self-similarities for both models. These novel operators predict chaotic behaviors involving the fractal derivative in convolution with power-law and the Mittag-Leffler function. These models were solved numerically via the Adams-Bashforth-Moulton and Adams-Moulton scheme, respectively. We have performed many numerical simulations to illustrate the analytical achievements. Numerical simulations show very high agreement between the acquired and the expected results.

Morpho-Physiological and Genetic Responses of Bali Local Rice Cultivars to Drought Stress at Seedling Stage

Rice is the main food source in many countries in the world. One of the major limiting factors for rice growth and productivity is drought stress. In Bali there are several local rice cultivars, two of them are ‘Mansur' and ‘Putih Cempaka'. The cultivar ‘IR 64' is one rice cultivar released by IRRI. The responses of those rice cultivars to drought stress were tested. This study aimed to analyze growth responses and expression of DREB and SOD genes under drought stress induced by PEG. Rice seedlings were grown in a hydroponic system. Two weeks old seedlings were treated with PEG 20% (-0.49 MPa) and 30% (-1.03 MPa) for three days. Root to shoot ratio was calculated and chlorophyll content was measured. RNA was extracted from the shoot. Semi-quantitative real-time PCR was conducted and the products were visualized using 1% agarose gel electrophoresis. The result showed that root to shoot ratio increased as PEG concentration increased in all rice cultivars tested. The chlorophyll content decrease under PEG treatments in all rice cultivars. The expression of Superoxide Dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) gene increased under drought treatmentsin ‘Mansur’ and ‘Putih Cempaka’, while in ‘IR64’ using SOD primer tested, the gene was not expressed. The expression of Dehydration-Responsive Element Binding (DREB1) gene increased under PEG treatments both in ‘Mansur’ and ‘Putih Cempaka’.

Bioactive effect of sulphated polysaccharides derived from orange-footed sea cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa) toward THP-1 macrophages

Atlantic sea cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa) is a marine invertebrate that occurs naturally in the North Atlantic. Its collagen rich body walls make the sea cucumber an appreciated food source in many countries. The heteroglycans derived from the cartilage of Atlantic sea cucumbers have shown potential as a source of bioactive compounds, but further investigation is needed to confirm this hypothesis. The objectives of this work were to test the immunomodulating properties of heteroglycan fractions (FCFs) derived from Atlantic sea cucumbers toward phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) differentiated THP-1 macrophages. Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) was determined and cell culture media was collected and analyzed for presence of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10). FCFs toxicity toward macrophages was evaluated by light microscopy and confirmed by XTT proliferation assay. Heteroglycans derived from cartilage of Atlantic sea cucumber showed immunomodulatory activity in THP-1 macrophages. FCF-1, −2, and − 3) at concentrations 0.1–100µg/mL induced levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 proofing their bioactivity towards THP-1 macrophages. However, fractions of FCF-1 and FCF-2 may have induced oxidative stress in the macrophages, which possibly could lead to decreased cellular viability.

Extracts of common pulses demonstrate potent in vitro anti‐adipogenic properties

SummaryPulses are an important food source in many countries and also widely used as feed for livestock. Discovery of novel health benefits in pulses may contribute to improved diet and potential added value to crops. In this study, we examined the ability of extracts from faba bean, field pea and chickpea to inhibit the formation of fat droplets in an in vitro cell culture system that mimics the process of fat cell formation or adipogenesis. Both seed and hull extracts of all three pulses showed an inhibition of adipogenesis and the hull fraction and also contained higher levels of polyphenols compared with the seed extracts. At the molecular level, adipogenic inhibition was associated with a marked reduction in peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma (PPARG) gene expression. Furthermore, the field pea pulse extract was shown to inhibit pancreatic lipase activity at a similar level to the drug ‘orlistat’, which is commonly used to treat obesity.

Messenger RNA targeting of rice seed storage proteins to specific ER subdomains.

Rice seeds, a rich reserve of starch and protein, are a major food source in many countries. Unlike the seeds of other plants, which typically accumulate one major type of storage protein, rice seeds use two major classes, prolamines and globulin-like glutelins. Both storage proteins are synthesized on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and translocated to the ER lumen, but are then sorted into separate intracellular compartments. Prolamines are retained in the ER lumen as protein bodies whereas glutelins are transported and stored in protein storage vacuoles. Mechanisms responsible for the retention of prolamines within the ER lumen and their assembly into intracisternal inclusion granules are unknown, but the involvement of RNA localization has been suggested. Here we show that the storage protein RNAs are localized to distinct ER membranes and that prolamine RNAs are targeted to the prolamine protein bodies by a mechanism based on RNA signal(s), a process that also requires a translation initiation codon. Our results indicate that the ER may be composed of subdomains that specialize in the synthesis of proteins directed to different compartments of the plant endomembrane system.

Basic chemical characteristics of fresh, non-packed and vacuum-packed sheep-tail and tail-fat stored frozen for different periods

Fatty tails were obtained after the slaughter of Morkaraman sheep, which are a common breed of fatty-tailed sheep in Turkey. Fat obtained from sheep tails, (called tail-fat) is used either in fresh condition or after frozen storage. This fat is commonly used as a food source in many countries in which fat-tail sheep breeds are raised; but there has been no detailed research on fatty tails or the tail-fat. In this work some quality criteria such as water, fat and nitrogen content, 2-thiobarbituric acid and peroxide numbers, free fatty acids, melting point, iodine and saponification numbers were studied in sheep tails and sheep tail-fat, both in the fresh condition and after storage at −18 ± 1°C for up to 60 days. The effect of vacuum packaging versus storage in netting bags (no-protection, non-packed), was also determined. The fat content of the tails was around 94%. Thus, the tail is a concentrated fat source. Some quality criteria of the tail and the tail-fat were determined and are given in the text. Overall results indicated that both the tail and the tail-fat can be effectively used in various types of food and food processing, especially after performing some technological and refining processing. If the fatty tail has to be stored, it should be vacuum packed and stored frozen. At −18°C, vacuum-packed tail samples could be stored around 45 days, but in the netting bags, this storage period should not exceed 30 days.