Fortified Food Products Research Articles

The biodesign studio: Constructions and reflections of high school youth on making with living media

AbstractMost constructionist efforts have focused on supporting learners with tools for designing with digital and/or physical media. Recent developments in life sciences now allow K‐12 learners to design with living materials, or to biodesign. In this paper, we report on the development of a biodesign studio activity called biocakes wherein teams of high school youth genetically modified a yeast strain to bake a nutrient fortified food product. Using a qualitative deductive analysis of classroom observations, interviews and projects, we examined high school youth experiences and reflections of these activities to answer three research questions: (1) What kind of artefacts did youth make with living media? (2) How did youth engage in biodesign? and (3) What did youth have to say about their biodesign experiences? We discuss how our analyses of biodesign applications highlight the importance of assembly practices, social engagement and imaginative design for constructionist learning. These insights provide compelling examples for designing with living media in K‐12 education. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic? Constructionist perspectives shape important ideas about what we know about science learning, and notably in computer science fields. One widely taken up example includes making, where learners use crafts to make interactive computational objects. In life science, constructionism also provides insights about learning using digital media to model biological systems or interact with living materials. What this paper adds? This paper extends these perspectives by examining production and engagement when learners construct with living materials—an approach that has only recently been possible with the development of accessible wet lab tools. We frame learning activities as a studio model—that emphasised application design, iteration and critique—to better assess the roles assembly, construction and speculative design play in production that uses living materials. Our findings suggest that assembly is important for creating accessible points of entry to complex biological fabrication processes. We also find that speculative design provides an opportunity for learners to extend their existing abilities beyond what is otherwise available given their expertise or access to resources, and thus expansively explore related ideas. Implications for practice and/or policy Assembly and speculative design have important places in constructionist‐driven production with living materials and could, therefore, be leveraged in practice.

Curcumin, a potent therapeutic nutraceutical and its enhanced delivery and bioaccessibility by pickering emulsions.

Curcumin is a biomolecule with functional moieties, which contribute to its anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. It has shown several therapeutic effects on treating inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases and contributes to the reduction of oxidative stress and damage to body tissues. However, its low solubility and fast metabolism limit its absorption in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and lead to its low bioavailability. Preparation of Pickering emulsions stabilized with mineral or biopolymer-based nanoparticles can be an effective strategy for enhancing the stability of curcumin against degradation, increasing its bioaccessibility in the GI tract, and achieving its controlled release at various locations based on changes in environmental conditions. Various nanoparticles prepared from minerals, proteins, and polysaccharides show potential for stabilizing the curcumin-loaded emulsions, and their wettability can be altered through complexation and formation of hybrid nanoparticles. Stabilization of Pickering emulsions with polysaccharide-based nanoparticles and their complexes can enhance the stability of the curcumin against degradation. Moreover, various protein-based nanoparticles and their conjugated forms with other proteins or polysaccharides can enable the preparation of high internal phase Pickering emulsions (HIPEs) with concomitant higher loading and bioaccessibility of the curcumin molecule. In light of the several therapeutic properties of curcumin, this review article aims to highlight recent studies and the strategies used for the preparation of curcumin Pickering emulsions stabilized by various nanoparticles for enhancing its bioaccessibility during metabolism. These may be useful in pharmaceutical and food industries for drug development and delivery and fortification of food products with this nutraceutical component.

Micronutrient value and antioxidant activity of malt wheat sprouts

Currently, one of the main directions of development of the food and processing industry is to expand the range of fortified food products using secondary raw materials of grain crops. Secondary raw materials of grain crops include by-products of malt production - malt wheat sprouts, which can be used as a food fortifier. The article presents the results of the research on the micronutrient composition of malt wheat sprouts (12 batches) obtained during the germination of wheat grains of the sort “Moskovskaya-56” for malt. The obtained data on the micronutrient composition and antioxidant activity of malt wheat sprouts make it possible to position them as a functional food ingredient. The presented experimental data can be used in the development of fortified and functional food products with the addition of malt wheat sprouts.

Multiple Emulsions for Enhanced Delivery of Vitamins and Iron Micronutrients and Their Application for Food Fortification

Vitamins and iron are micronutrients that are of paramount importance in human nutrition. High prevalence of the diseases caused by micronutrient deficiency accentuates the need to consider strategies for the fortification of food products with these micronutrients to enhance their nutritional properties for addressing micronutrient deficiencies. During recent years, specific attention has been devoted to the development and implementation of different processing alternatives for food fortification. Multiple emulsion systems, particularly double emulsions (DEs), show potential for delivery of micronutrients, enabling their controlled delivery and enhanced bioaccessibility during digestion. As micronutrient deficiencies are a major public health concern, this review article aims to highlight recent advances in the application of multiple emulsions for enhanced delivery of vitamins and iron with the aim to provide insights to food scientists and nutritionists considering strategies for food fortification.

Current state and prospects of fortified food production in Russia and Kazakhstan

Main problem: The article examines promising directions in the production of fortified food products in Kazakhstan and Russia. The authors carried out an analytical review of the current state of production of fortified bakery products on the territory of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan. Anemia has been described as one of the most common consequences of micronutrient deficiencies. The problems associated with anemia lead to serious complications for the health and well-being of people. Lack of folic acid and vitamins in the diet is the cause of cardiovascular disease, maternal and child mortality. Purpose: The article considers the problem of significant deviations in nutrition of almost all groups of the population of Russia and Kazakhstan, regardless of lifestyle, habits or income level, which have an extremely negative effect on the health of the nation: the average life expectancy decreases, the productivity of the working-age population and resistance to diseases decrease. Methods: Based on the studied domestic and foreign technical literature, patent information, an analytical review of the current state and prospects of the production of fortified food products in the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan was carried out. Results and their significance: The authors have shown that food fortification is the practice of purposefully increasing the content of vitamins and microelements in food to improve the nutritional quality of food and have a positive effect on human health. The authors considered the question of how the problem of micronutrient deficiency, including iron, is currently being effectively solved in many countries by enriching food products of mass consumption with vitamins and minerals.

Functional Ingredients from Agri-Food Waste: Effect of Inclusion Thereof on Phenolic Compound Content and Bioaccessibility in Bakery Products.

Reducing food loss and waste is among the efforts to relieve the pressure on natural resources and move towards more sustainable food systems. Alternative pathways of food waste management include valorization of by-products as a source of phenolic compounds for formulation of functional foods. Bakery products may act as an optimal carrier of phenolic compounds upon fortification. The aim of this paper is to present and discuss the effect that the inclusion of functional ingredients from agri-food waste can have on phenolic content and bioaccessibility in bakery products. To this aim, methods for the recovery of phenolic compounds from agri-food waste are presented, and fortification of bakery products by waste from fruits, vegetables, and seed crops is discussed. Bioaccessibility studies on fortified food products are considered to identify gaps and needs in developing sustainable healthy foods. Fruit and vegetable by-products are among the food wastes mostly valorized as functional ingredients in bakery product formulation. Agri-food waste inclusion level has shown to correlate positively with the increase in phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. Nevertheless, further studies are required to assess bioaccessibility and bioavailability of phenolic compounds in enriched food products to estimate the potential of agri-food waste in promoting human health and well-being.

The influence of fortified food products on dietary iron, iodine, and zinc content in Tajik schoolchildren

Introduction. The objective of the study is an assessment of dietary iron, iodine, and zinc content in school dinners in Tajik schoolchildren, as well as the influence of the use of fortified products supplied by the UN World Food Programme. Material and methods. The investigation is performed in two types of schools located in Penjikent and Ayni regions of the Tajikistan Republic. Type 1 schools were not involved in the program of school nutrition improvement, whereas type 2 schools took part in the WFP UN program on the supply of fortified products, as well as the governmental program on improvement of infrastructure and provision of hot meals. Results and discussion. Iron, iodine, and zinc content in fortified wheat flour supplied by WFP UN exceeded the respective values of the local product by a factor of 2.3, 14, and 4.7. Iodized salt (WFP UN) was characterized by an 11-fold increase in iodine content as compared to the locally used salt. The use of fortified wheat flour and iodized salt in type 2 schools for the preparation of school dinners should provide an increased dietary intake of iron, iodine, and zinc by a factor of 2.5, 12, and 4, when compared to type 1 schools, respectively. Conclusion. Therefore, WFP UN along with governmental efforts aimed at improvement of school meals provided from 50% to 100% of the recommended dietary allowance for iron and zinc, whereas in the case of iodine even exceeded recommended values, being indicative of the efficiency of the efforts. At the same time, such programs should be supported by trace element monitoring in the organism for assessment of both efficiency and safety.

To the question of the international experience of vitaminization food and food as population health technologies

The article provides an overview of official documents and scientific literature on the development of a policy of enrichment of vitamins and minerals with diets of the population at the level of international organizations in various countries and in the world as a whole. International programs on micronutrient fortification of food products are considered from the standpoint of protecting public health. The article focuses on the availability and effectiveness of ways to improve the vitamin and mineral status of various social groups.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE RECIPE OF THE CHEESE OF FUNCTIONAL PURPOSE

For the first time, the company Experimental Cheese-Making Plant LLC, the city of Barnaul, Altai Territory, developed a recipe for the production of functional cottage cheese, taking into account organoleptic, physico-chemical indicators and the shelf life of the finished product. The results of marketing research and respondents’ answers about the possibility of fortification of food products, in particular dairy products, showed the feasibility of developing recipes for functional cottage cheese. It was established that for its production it is advisable to use cottage cheese obtained by the acid method, since the product has a consistency, moisture content corresponding to GOST 31453–2013 Cottage cheese. Technical conditions Fermentation must be carried out at a temperature of 40 °C, and boiling at 65 °C. Under these conditions, the ripening time will be minimal and the yield of the finished product maximum. Experimentally established the optimal dose of making egg shell powder in cottage cheese with a mass fraction of fat 5 %, corresponding to 0.5 %. The introduction of egg shell powder allows to reduce the acidity of cottage cheese, increase the shelf life of the finished product, and expand the product range.

The impact of vitamin D food fortification and health outcomes in children: a systematic review and meta-regression

ObjectiveVitamin D (vitD) deficiency is a global childhood health problem. Food fortification is a promising strategy to curb vitD deficiency. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of utilizing vitD fortification in staple foods to improve 25hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration and to reduce the prevalence of vitD deficiency among healthy children.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the use of vitD fortified food products compared to no fortification among healthy children aged 1–18 years old. We searched Medline, Embase, Global Health, and Cochrane (CENTRAL) databases from database inception until May 2019. Independently, six reviewers in pairs screened titles and abstracts, assessed the full text for eligibility, and performed data extraction and quality assessment. The primary outcome is the impact of fortification on 25(OH)D concentration. The secondary outcomes included the impact of fortification on the prevalence of vitD deficiency, school performance, cognitive function, school absences, infection rate, hospital admission length, and compliance with fortified food product consumption.ResultsWe identified 2229 articles. After assessing eligibility, 20 RCTs met the inclusion criteria. The eligible RCTs assessed the fortification of milk, cereal, juice, bread, yogurt, and cheese compared with no fortification. All RCTs, except for three, had a low risk of bias. Food fortification improved 25(OH)D concentration by a mean difference (MD) of 15.51 nmol/L (95% confidence interval (CI) 6.28, 24.74; I2 = 99%), which resulted in a mean increase of 3 nmol/l for every 100 IU of vitD, when adjusted for baseline 25(OH)D concentration and country latitude. Additionally, the prevalence of vitD deficiency decreased by a risk ratio of 0.53 (95% CI 0.41, 0.69; I2 = 95%), and cognitive function improved by a MD of 1.22 intelligence quotient (IQ) points (95% CI 0.65, 1.79; I2 = 0%). The overall evidence quality was high.ConclusionVitD food fortification is an effective way to improve 25(OH)D concentration, prevent vitD deficiency, and improve IQ levels.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42017057631

Modeling Nutrient Intakes for Current and Revised Daily Values of Children and Teens (4–18 Years) in the United States Population

Abstract Objectives In 2016, the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration updated the Daily Values (DVs) on the Nutrition Facts Label for packaged foods and beverages. Implementation of these changes is required by manufacturers in 2020–2021. This study modeled the possible impact of these changes on nutrient intake of children and teens from intrinsic and fortified food sources. Methods We used data from the 2009–2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) with the International Life Sciences Institute, North America Fortification Database, which identifies intrinsic, enriched, and fortified sources of nutrients in foods and beverages. In our sample of 5155 children and teens aged 4–18 yrs, we determined the usual intake (UI), % UI < the Estimated Average Requirement (% <EAR), and % ≥the Tolerable Upper Limit (% ≥ UL) based on the current DVs. We modeled estimated UI, % <EAR and % ≥ UL using the updated DVs for 10 micronutrients with the assumption that fortified food products will be reformatted to maintain current % DV claims. UI was based on two 24-hr recalls. Results Comparison of models of the current versus updated DVs overall, demonstrated increases in the UI for vitamins C, D and calcium; a decrease for vitamins A and B12; slight decreases for niacin, zinc and vitamin B6; and little change for thiamin and riboflavin. Conversely, the % <EAR increased for vitamins A, B6, B12 and zinc; slightly increased for thiamin, riboflavin and niacin; and decreased for calcium, vitamins C and D. The % ≥ UL decreased for zinc (20%), niacin (38%) and vitamin A (65%) and remained unchanged for other nutrients studied. Modeling of the % <EAR indicated that teens 14–18 yrs could be severely deficient in vitamins A, C and D. The updated DV helped mitigate this deficiency for vitamins C and D, but worsened it for vitamin A. Younger children (4–8 yrs) had the greatest impact in UI from the revised DV for vitamin C. Conclusions In 4–18 yr olds, our modeling predicts reductions in overall vitamin A intake, a recognized “shortfall nutrient”, with an especially large increase in % <EAR for teens 14–18 yrs. Teens at greatest risk are those currently dependent upon vitamin A fortified foods. Funding Sources This work was supported by the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) North America Fortification Committee. ILSI North America is a public, nonprofit science foundation.

DEVELOPMENT OF LITHIUM–CONTAINING FEED ADDITIVE AND ITS USE FOR FORTIFICATION OF CHICKEN BROILERS MEAT AND BY-PRODUCTS

The article presents the researches on the development of a feed additive for broiler chickens, including succinic (amber) acid, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, lithium carbonate, L-carnitine, betaine. It was found that the introduction of the developed feed additive to mice food in a dose exceeding 5000 mg / kg per body weight did not affect the general condition of the animals. The experimental results did not allow determining the LD50 of the researched feed additive. The lithiumcontaining feed additive does not have chronic toxicity, does not cause pathological processes in the internal organs of mice and it belongs to hazard class IV (low-hazard substances). It was found that the introduction of a feed additive in amount of 2,350 g per 1 ton of mixed forage for broiler chickens (the concentration of ionized lithium is 66 mg per 1 kg of feed) allows increasing the content of lithium in cooked meat, minced meat and by-products in comparison with samples of products taken from the experimental group. The lithium content in boiled white meat is 0.418 mg / 100 g, which is 211% higher than in the control sample; 0.452 mg / 100 g in boiled red meat which is 426.4% higher than in the control sample. Eating of 300 g of boiled chicken meat fortified with lithium obtained in the process of broiler chickens cramming, this meat provides the recommended daily dose of the specified trace element. The obtained data allow using the raw meat and by-product for the production of lithium fortified food products.

The Impact of Maltodextrin and Inulin on the Protection of Natural Antioxidants in Powders Made of Saskatoon Berry Fruit, Juice, and Pomace as Functional Food Ingredients.

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of inulin and maltodextrin applied during vacuum drying of Saskatoon berry fruit, juice, and pomace on the retention of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity (radical scavenging capacity (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP)) of powders obtained. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS) was used to identify major groups of polyphenolic compounds, such as: flavan-3-ols (35% of all polyphenols for fruit powder, 33% for juice powder, and 39% for pomace powders of all polyphenols), anthocyanins (26% for fruit powder, 5% for juice powder, and 34% for pomace), phenolic acids (33% for fruit powder, 55% for juice powder, and 20% for pomace powder), and flavanols (6% for fruit powder, 6% for juice powder, and 7% for pomace powder). In general, the content of polyphenols was more dependent on the content than on the type of carrier used for drying, regardless of the matrix tested. The average sum of polyphenols and the antioxidant activity (for ABTS and FRAP assay) of the powders with 30% of carrier addition were 5054.2 mg/100 g dry matter (d.m.) as well as 5.3 and 3.6 mmol Trolox/100 g d.m. in the ABTS and FRAP tests, respectively. The increase in carrier concentration by 20% caused a decrease of 1.5-fold in the content of polyphenols and a 1.6-fold and 1.5-fold in the antioxidant potential, regardless of the matrix tested. The principal component analysis (PCA) analysis indicated that the freeze-drying process led to the lowest degradation of the identified compounds, regardless of the matrix tested, with the exception of juice and pomace powders dried by vacuum drying at 60 °C. In this case, the release of (−)-epicatechin was observed, causing an increase in the flavanol contents. Thus, this work demonstrated the effect of processing and matrix composition on the preservation of antioxidant bioactives in Saskatoon berry powders. Properly designed high-quality Saskatoon berry powders with the mentioned carriers may be used as nutraceutical additives to fortify food products and to improve their functional properties.

Vitamin D Toxicity

Fortification of food products with vitamin D was central to the eradication of rickets in the early parts of the 20th century in the United States. In the subsequent almost 100 years since, accumulating evidence has linked vitamin D deficiency to a variety of outcomes, and this has paralleled greater public interest and awareness of the health benefits of vitamin D. Supplements containing vitamin D are now widely available in both industrialized and developing countries, and many are in the form of unregulated formulations sold to the public with little guidance for safe administration. Together, this has contributed to a transition whereby a dramatic global increase in cases of vitamin D toxicity has been reported. Clinicians are now faced with the challenge of managing this condition that can present on a spectrum from asymptomatic to acute life-threatening complications. This article considers contemporary data on vitamin D toxicity, and diagnostic and management strategies relevant to clinical practice.

Nutritional Composition, Phytochemistry and Medicinal Use of Quince (Cydonia oblonga Miller) with Emphasis on its Processed and Fortified Food Products

Quince (Cydonia oblonga Miller) is a health promoting simple pome fruit which belongs to family Rosaceae. It’s a native of Iran and Turkey. In India its production is limited to Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Quince is a low fat fruit and is considered to be a rich source of bioactive compounds, especially antioxidants and nutritional compounds. Several studies have revealed that quince fruit is a good and low-cost natural source of phenolic acids and flavonoids, and it contains high amount of cell wall polysaccharide which makes it a potential source of dietary fibres and pectin. Besides it is an abundant source of minerals such as potassium, phosphorus and calcium. The phytochemical composition of quince has also been extensively investigated. It contains a considerable amount of caffeoylquinic acids, several kaempferol and quercetin glycosides. Quince has conventionally been used as medicinal fruit. The ethno-botanical study exposed that quince has been used to treat sore throat, cough, pneumonia, intestinal discomfort and lung diseases. Some other effects such as antiseptic, hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory have also been reported. Quince is an astringent and a tough fruit which makes it inedible when unprocessed. As a result, quince is ameliorated by processing it into a variety of products such as candy, jam, jelly, marmalade etc. Quince has also been fortified into many products such as beers and yogurts due to its aromatic and functional properties. Besides this quince seed mucilage, a hydrocolloid can also be used as a bulking agent and a thickener in food products. Thus it can be said that the multifarious effects of quince fruit in terms of nutrients, phytochemicals and anti-oxidants make it possible choice both in the pharmaceutical and food industries.

Age-related differences in height gain with dairy protein and micronutrient supplements in Indian primary school children.

The efficacy of nutrient interventions to prevent/reverse stunting is considered to be restricted to early life. Whether such interventions are equally effective in later childhood is not clear. The present study evaluated the effect of a food-based high-quality protein and micronutrient intervention on the linear growth of Indian primary school children. A secondary analysis of a one-year milkprotein and micronutrient fortified food product intervention (protein-energy ratio: 12.8%) on the height of 550 children aged 6-10 years, of poor-socioeconomic background, was carried out. Height and weight increments were compared between groups of each year of age using multiple linear regression. Comparisons in prevalence of stunting and underweight between these groups was also made. The overall mean height increment at the end of 1-year was 6.10±1.07 cm, the highest being for 6-year olds (6.38±0.84 cm). The mean height increments in 6, 7 and 8-year-olds were significantly higher (all p<0.05) than the expected median growth. Height-forage score increased across all age-groups (by 0.14±0.18) and was significantly higher in 6-year olds compared to the rest. Stunting reduced by 12% in 6- year olds in comparison to the older age-groups. No significant association was observed between height gain and gender. The increased BMI-for-age scores were significantly lower for the 6-year olds compared to older children. Food supplements containing high-quality protein (like milk) along with micronutrients, can continue to influence height of children even in primary school, although the most effect is seen in younger children.

Health outcomes of iron supplementation and/or food fortification in iron-replete children aged 4\u201324\xa0months: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundDirect supplementation or food fortification with iron are two public health initiatives intended to reduce the prevalence of iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) in 4–24-month-old infants. In most high-income countries where IDA prevalence is < 15%, the recommended daily intake levels of iron from supplements and/or consumption of fortified food products are at odds with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines that recommend shorter-term (3 months/year) supplementation only in populations with IDA prevalence > 40%. Emerging concerns about delayed neurological effects of early-life iron overexposure have raised questions as to whether recommended guidelines in high-income countries are unnecessarily excessive. This systematic review will gather evidence from supplementation/fortification trials, comparing health outcomes in studies where iron-replete children did or did not receive additional dietary iron; and determine if replete children at study outset were not receiving additional iron show changes in haematological indices of ID/IDA over the trial duration.MethodsWe will perform a systematic review of the literature, including all studies of iron supplementation and/or fortification, including study arms with confirmed iron-replete infants at the commencement of the trial. This includes both dietary iron intervention or placebo/average dietary intakes. One reviewer will conduct searches in electronic databases of published and ongoing trials (Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, CENTRAL, EBSCO [e.g. CINAHL Complete, Food Science and Technology s], Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, ClinicalTrialsRegister.eu and who.it/trialsearch), digital theses and dissertations (WorldCat, Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations, DART-Europe E-theses Portal, Australasian Digital Theses Program, Theses Canada Portal and ProQuest). For eligible studies, one reviewer will use a data extraction form, and a second reviewing entered data for accuracy. Both reviewers will independently perform quality assessments before qualitative and, if appropriate, quantitative synthesis as a meta-analysis. We will resolve any discrepancies through discussion or consult a third author to resolve discrepancies. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement will be used as the basis for reporting.DiscussionRecommended iron supplementation and food fortification practices in high-income countries have been criticised for being both excessive and based on outdated or underpowered studies. This systematic review will build a case for revisiting iron intake guidelines for infants through the design of new trials where health effects of additional iron intake in iron-replete infants are the primary outcome.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42018093744.

Carotenoid Analysis of Ripe Banana Flesh and Peel from Three Cultivars of Banana

Banana peel is a promising source to be utilized in fortification of food products due to the high content of carotenoids (Cars) which are active as provitamin A. Dominant, total and relative concentrations of Cars were determined from fresh flesh and peel in three cultivars of banana obtained from Raja, Ambon Kuning, and Kepok Kuning. To evaluate the difference in Car compositions principal component analysis (PCA) was also performed. Based on chromatographic, spectroscopic, and mass spectrometric analyses, dominant Cars were separated and identified to be lutein, α-carotene and β-carotene. Lutein was the major Car of fresh peel, while other two Cars were found in fresh flesh in addition to lutein. Raja banana had the highest total concentration of Cars among three banana samples used. PCA results generated from the absorption spectra showed three clusters of the different banana samples. PCA results are correlated to their Car compositions and this method might be applicable for the determination of dominant Cars.

Nutritional quality of organic and conventionally grown broccoli (&lt;em&gt;Brassica oleracea&lt;/em&gt; L var. &lt;em&gt;italica&lt;/em&gt;)

In the present investigation, the nutritional quality parameters of organic and inorganic broccoli were studied. It is evident from the data that organically produced broccoli has higher TSS (15.90 ºB), total sugars (3.73%) and reducing sugars (2.50%) than conventional (inorganic) broccoli. Whereas, higher carotenoids (1.90 mg/100g), pectin (1.81%) and ash content (9.10%) as well as minerals were also recorded in organic broccoli as compared to conventional broccoli. Whereas, higher ascorbic acid (81.92 mg/100g), chlorophyll (3.10 mg/g), fibre (0.71%) and starch (1.92%) were observed in inorganically produced broccoli as compared to organic broccoli. The data showed that organic broccoli have almost similar content of chemical and mineral composition, therefore this crop could be exploit for the development of new fortified food products in food industry.

Encapsulation of menhaden oil structured lipid oleogels in alginate microparticles

Leaching of the internal phase during storage is a concern of microencapsulated products. This research proposes encapsulation of oleogels to reduce leaching and improve oxidative stability of the lipids. Oleogels were produced using a phytosterol blend of β-sitosterol/γ-oryzanol or a blend of sucrose stearate/ascorbyl palmitate (SSAP) as oleogelators, and menhaden oil or structured lipid (SL) prepared from menhaden oil and caprylic and/or stearic acid as the lipid phase. The SL were produced enzymatically using the biocatalyst Lipozyme® 435, a recombinant lipase from Candida antarctica. Menhaden oil, SL, or respective phytosterol or SSAP oleogels, were encapsulated in alginate microparticles using a double emulsion method. Encapsulation efficiency (EE), morphology, oxidative stability, percent leaching, and other physicochemical properties were determined. Encapsulation of phytosterol or SSAP oleogels increased the EE for all lipids, from 89.6 to 91.3% for microcapsules containing only the lipid phases and from 95.7 to 99.2% for microcapsules containing the oleogels. Encapsulation of oleogels significantly reduced leaching, from 16.3-18.5% to 3.3–11.9%. Microencapsulated products had higher Oil Stability Index values (19.75–29.18 h) than the non-microencapsulated lipids (4.37–17.55 h), when measured at 80 °C. These microcapsules may find use as stable nutraceuticals or in fortification of food products with stabilized omega-3 fatty acids.