Good Nutritional Value Research Articles

An Overview of the Occurrence of Bioactive Peptides in Different Types of Cheeses.

The search for improvements in quality of life has increasingly involved changes in the diet, especially the consumption of foods which, in addition to having good nutritional value, are characterized by offering health benefits. Among the molecules that trigger several beneficial responses are peptides, which are specific fragments of proteins known to produce positive effects on the human body. This review aimed to discuss the bioactive potential of peptides from cheeses. Studies show that the protein composition of some cheese varieties exhibits a potential for the release of bioactive peptides. The production of these peptides can be promoted by some technological procedures that affect the milk structure and constituents. The cheese maturation process stands out for producing bioactive peptides due to the action of enzymes produced by lactic acid bacteria. Thus, in addition to being proteins with high biological value due to their excellent amino acid profile, peptides from some types of cheeses are endowed with functional properties such as anti-hypertensive, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, opioid, and zinc-binding activities.

The Nutritional Content Found in Rhizophora Mangrove Fruits in Sondaken Village, Tatapaan Subdistrict, South Minahasa

Mangroves are fertile plants that dominate the coastal areas. The fruit of the Rhizophora mangrove can be used as food and beverage ingredients, containing numerous nutrients for the human body. The mangrove fruit contains carbohydrates, water, protein, fat, as well as secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, triterpenoids, tannins, and saponins. The aim of this research is to determine the nutritional content of the Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora mucronata, and Rhizophora stylosa mangrove fruits in Sondaken Village, Tatapaan Subdistrict, South Minahasa. This study employs a descriptive research method, where laboratory experiments were conducted using the SNI 01-2891-1992 method at the Baristand Manado laboratory. The nutritional analysis results for Rhizophora apiculata showed a water content of 62.17%, ash content of 1.09%, protein content of 0.59%, fat content of 0.79%, crude fiber content of 5.45%, and carbohydrate content of 35.36%. For Rhizophora mucronata, the analysis revealed a water content of 65.54%, ash content of 3.07%, protein content of 1.27%, fat content of 0.74%, crude fiber content of 7.52%, and carbohydrate content of 29.38%. Lastly, Rhizophora stylosa had a water content of 64.77%, ash content of 3.547%, protein content of 1.30%, fat content of 1.63%, crude fiber content of 7.14%, and carbohydrate content of 28.76%. These results indicate that mangrove fruits have numerous benefits and contain valuable nutrients and good nutritional value for the body. By preserving the mangrove ecosystem and utilizing the nutrients found in the fruits and leaves, there is an opportunity to explore their potential as alternative natural remedies

Pitaya Virus X Coat Protein Acts as an RNA Silencing Suppressor and Can Be Used as a Specific Target for Detection Using RT-LAMP.

Selenicereus undatus (Haworth) D.R. Hunt (pitaya) is a tropical fruit that has been commonly cultivated in Guizhou Province, China, in recent years due to its good taste and high nutritional value. This planting area currently ranks third in China. Viral diseases have increasingly emerged in pitaya cultivation because of the expansion of the pitaya planting area and the characteristics of asexual propagation. The spread of pitaya virus X (PiVX; a Potexvirus) is among the most severe viruses threatening the quality and yield of pitaya fruit. To investigate the occurrence of PiVX in pitaya cultivations in Guizhou Province, we developed a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) method that can detect PiVX with high sensitivity and specificity at a low cost and produce a visualized result. Our best RT-LAMP system was significantly more sensitive than RT-PCR and was highly specific to PiVX. Furthermore, PiVX coat protein (CP) can form a homodimer, and PiVX may use its CP as a plant RNA silencing suppressor to enhance infection. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of fast detection of PiVX and functional exploration of CP in a Potexvirus. These findings will provide an opportunity for early diagnosis and prevention of viruses in pitaya.

Quinoa germ-enriched pasta: Technological, nutritional, textural, and morphological properties.

Germ is the most significant component of quinoa having good nutritional value. Quinoa germ (QG), with balanced amino acid profile and unsaturated fatty acid, is a unique ingredient for human nutrition. In present study, pasta supplemented with QG was characterized for physical, nutritional, morphological, and textural properties. Dough rheology showed increased farinograph water absorption and decreased dough stability with the addition of QG. Addition of QG up to 30% significantly improved the pasta protein content from 13.55% to 20.55%. The substitution of QG to pasta showed decrease in whiteness index and increase in optimum cooking time, swelling index, cooked weight, and cooking loss. It is reported that 20% QG supplement pasta was found to be acceptable; beyond, this level the pasta quality was inferior. Firmness value of pasta significantly increased up to 20% supplementation of QG from 157 to 178g. The micrographs of pasta with the addition of QG observed increased protein matrix around the starch granules. The results inferred that the QG can serve as a potential functional ingredient for the development of nutritionally enhanced pasta for food industry. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Quinoa germ (QG) is concentrated source of nutrient with unique nutrition and alternative source of protein. Pasta is the one the popular and fast-growing food in world and explored for enhancement of its nutritional composition to target a larger population with specific nutrient demand. Hence, pasta becomes important vehicle for the supplementation. Developed QG-enriched high-protein pasta will help industry to produce nutritious products at large scale.

Hydroxyapatite fortified mango mousse: Formulation, characterization, and sensory data evaluation using fuzzy logic.

In this experimental study, hydroxyapatite (HAp), as a valuable calcium source, was extracted from discarded goat bone; raw and nano-biogenic powders were prepared through calcination and ultra-sonication. Resultant powders were characterized by using various spectroscopy techniques. As per the findings of atomic absorption spectroscopy, raw and nano-biogenic powders depicted 1439.7±0.12 and 3194.8±0.07 ppm calcium content, respectively. The range of particle size of nano-biogenic and raw powders was 47-139 and 183 nm, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed crystalline behavior whereas laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)-derived Ca/P-ratio endorsed excellence in nano-biogenic 1.76 against 1.63 in raw powder. In vitro bioavailability of calcium in raw and nano-biogenic powder was ∼36% and ∼39%, respectively. Next, the powders were further used to develop calcium-fortified mango mousse with varied formulations. A maximum overrun of 23.31% was found in the case of "Raw-A," whereas a maximum viscosity of 8489.98 mPas was found in the case of "Nano-A." Sensory data of mango mousse were obtained by fuzzy logic method, and PCA ranked the Nano-B and Nano-A samples the best in terms of overall acceptability. Meanwhile, the consumer responses toward product likeness and/or dislikeness were recorded by the hedonic scale that endorsed Nano-A and Nano-B formulations as the most preferred samples. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The revolution in the eating habits of consumers from traditional foods to fast food imposes the development of new products having good nutritional values. Different waste biogenic food sources can provide an acceptable powdered form of ingredients for the development of novel food products. In this regard, the development of novel food products using calcium supplements has gained space in the food industry.

Chemical composition and gas production kinetic parameters of sweet potato vine waste silage after preserved for short and prolonged periods

The sweet potato (Ipomoea batata L.) culture produces by-products with animal feeding potential, such as vines. Given that sweet potato vines are seasonal and highly perishable, the adoption of conservation strategies such as silage becomes necessary to ensure their availability during food shortage periods. The knowledge of the optimal conservation period of this type of silage is limited, with very few studies available on this topic. The objective of this work was to evaluate the chemical composition, fermentative characteristics, and in vitro gas production kinetics of sweet potato vine silage after 45 and 120 days of conservation and to compare them with those of fresh sweet potato vine. The sweet potato vines were collected, cut into 2-3 cm pieces, and ensiled for 45 and 120 days. After this period, the nutritional value was determined using the standard methods of AOAC. The gas production and kinetics were fitted to the exponential equation proposed by Ørskov and McDonald. It was found that the sweet potato vine can be successfully preserved as silage, regardless of the conservation period, and that it shows a high potential for being used as an alternative food source for ruminants. In vitro dry matter and organic matter digestibility were not much different for the fresh sweet potato vine, and the silage was conserved for 120 days. However, the silage for 120 days had lower accumulated in vitro gas production compared to the fresh sweet potato vine. It was concluded that the silage conservation period did not produce significant changes in chemical composition or in vitro digestibility, with the sweet potato vine showing good nutritional values both fresh and after a conservation period. Therefore, sweet potato vine silage can be used as an alternative food source in ruminant diets.

Impact of the extraction method on the composition and solubility of leaf protein concentrates from perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)

There is an increasing demand for developing new sources of proteins, and plants are considered the preferred alternative to animal proteins. In particular, green leaves are a source of RuBisCO (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase). This work assessed perennial ryegrass as a source of soluble proteins using mild treatments to preserve their functional properties. Two different extraction methods were compared, differing in the presence or abscence of a heating step (at 50 °C for 30 min) aimed to improve the removal of chloroplast material. The method that included the heating step resulted in a protein concentrate with high solubility (>90% at pH 7), and higher concentration of phenolic compounds. On the other hand, avoiding the heating step resulted in a higher extraction yield, but the residual chloroplast material affected the solubility of the final powder (>60% at pH 7). The protein extracts obtained by both methods consisted mainly of RuBisCO and presented a balanced amino acid profile covering the FAO (2011) recommendations for all the essential amino acids. Therefore, perennial ryegrass showed potential to become an alternative source of proteins for food applications with good nutritional value, whose phenolic compound, chlorophyll content and solubility was strongly dependent on the extraction process.

In Vitro Micropropagation, Rooting and Acclimatization of Two Agastache Species (A. aurantiaca and A. mexicana)

Agastache aurantiaca ‘Sunset Yellow’ and A. mexicana ‘Sangria’ are aromatic plants with edible flowers characterized with good flavors, nutritional values and pleasant aromas. The aim of this study was to establish a successful protocol to ensure fast shoot propagation, rooting and in vivo acclimatization to obtain many vigorous plants for edible flower production. Micropropagation was tested with an agarized Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium enriched with different 6-benzylamino purine (BAP) levels. In vitro rooting trials were carried out using a half-strength MS medium comparing the traditional jar method with an agarized medium and the temporary immersion system (TIS) bioreactor with a liquid medium. After acclimatization in a greenhouse, the survival of plants and their development were recorded. Microscopical analyses were performed on both in-jar and in-TIS leaves at rooting stages and compared with in vivo leaves. In both species, the greatest number of new shoots was noted at 2.22 µM and 3.33 µM of BAP. In TIS, rooting started earlier, resulting in larger plants with more roots and longer roots than in the jar substrate. Any anatomical difference was observed in leaves collected from the jar and TIS during the rooting stage. The best acclimatization performances were recorded in plants coming from the TIS bioreactor.

Evaluation of Fatty Acid and the Composition of Six Different Species of Freshwater Fish in the North of Algeria


 
 
 Background: Few studies have been published about the quality of freshwater fish in Algeria. This study determined the chemical composition and the fatty acid of six species of freshwater fish cultivated in the North region of Algeria (Nile tilapia, red tilapia, common carp, Algerian barb, crucian carp, and mirror carp) as well as the nutritional quality of the lipids in these freshwater fish species.
 Methods: One hundred and ten freshwater fish were randomly caught in the spring of 2021 from Achor Ali farm (Jijel), Beni-Haroun Dam (Mila), and EL-Agrem Dam (Jijel) from Algeria. Moisture, ash, protein, lipid, and fatty acids were measured according to standard laboratory procedures and protocols of previous studies. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA (XLSTAT 2014), and the pair wise comparison of the means was done by Tukeys test at the 5% significance level (p<0.05).
 Results: Regarding freshwater fish species, fatty acid profiles were discovered to have 38.94 to 57.75% Saturated Fatty Acids (SFAs), 29.35 to 46.63% Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFAs), and 6.79 to 26.55% Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs). Common carp was a rich resource of Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid (EPA+DHA) (5.38%); the highest concentration of ω-3 was recorded in crusian carp (10.63%); and Nile tilapia contained significant levels of ω-6 PUFA. Results demonstrated that the examined freshwater fish species appeared to have a good nutritional value and be a source of important fatty acids with positive effects on consumer health. On the other hand, results revealed low levels of PUFAs.
 Conclusion: The examined freshwater fish species appeared to have a good nutritional value, but, it is important to provide diets rich in fatty acids, in particular PUFAs, to these freshwater fish to improve the nutritional quality of their lipids.
 
 

Management Strategies for Charcoal Rot of Sesame: A Review

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) commonly known as til is one of the important oilseed crop having good nutritional, biomedical and religious value. It is also called as “Queen of oilseeds” and among the oilseed crops , sesame ranks first for its higher oil content with a dietary energy of 6335kcal/kg in seeds. The crop is attacked by several pathogens causing serious diseases and act as major damaging factor to sesame crop cultivated in the whole world with severe losses of 7million tones yearly. The important diseases of sesame include charcoal rot (Macrophomina phaseolina, Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum), Phytophthora blight (Phytophthora parasitica) and phyllody (phytoplasma). Charcoal rot is caused by Macrophomina phaseolina has been a major threat to the successful cultivation of sesame in Haryana which causes about 5-100% loss. The pathogen being facultative in nature survives as microsclerotia in soil and infested plant debris that serve as the primary source of inoculum and have been found to persist within the soil up to three years.The pathogen not only persists in soil as saprophyte associated with other soil microorganisms but also transmitted through seed. Hence, it requires different management approaches to overcome this menace. So, keeping in view the present scenario ecofriendly management must be done by the use of botanicals and bio agents.

Pharmacological and Therapeutic Potential of Cucumis callosus: a Novel Nutritional Powerhouse for the Management of Non-communicable Diseases.

Cucumis callosus (Kachri) is an under-exploited fruit of the Cucurbitaceae family, distributed majorly in the arid regions of India in the states of Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. The fruit is traditionally used by the native people at a small scale by home-level processing. It is a perennial herb that has been shown to possess therapeutic potential in certain disorders. In several studies, the antioxidant, anti-hyperlipidaemic, anti-diabetic, anti-cancerous, anti-microbial, and cardioprotective properties of Kachri have been reported. The fruit has a good nutritional value in terms of high percentages of protein, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, phenols, and various phytochemicals. Also, gamma radiation treatment has been used on this crop to reduce total bacterial counts (TBC), ensuring safety from pathogens during the storage period of the fruit and its products. These facts lay down a foundation for the development of functional food formulations and nutraceuticals of medicinal value from this functionally rich crop. Processing of traditionally valuable arid region foods into functional foods and products can potentially increase the livelihood and nutritional security of people globally. Therefore, this review focuses on the therapeutic and pharmacological potentials of the Kachri fruit in the management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) namely, diabetes, cancer, and hyperlipidemia. Graphical abstract of the review.

The use of ultrasonication in producing potato-based milk, and to determine its proximate composition

Plant-based food is gaining the limelight, as it is unique, with high nutritional content and zero cholesterol and calories. However, there are no known plant-based milk alternatives of vegetable origin. Hence, our research aims to develop milk from potatoes associated with ultrasonication. The obtained potato milk was assessed for its proximate composition, and it was determined to be 92.66 ± 0.032% moisture, 0.66 ± 0.044% ash, 7.34 ± 0.002% total solids, 7.1 ± 0.001 pH, 96 °C boiling point, 0% lactose, 0.09 ± 0.004% titratable acidity, 1.030 ± 0.098 specific gravity, and the color L* 92.33 ± 0.023, a* −2.33 ± 0.044, b* 10.12 ± 0.089. The total essential amino acid was 44.76 g/100 g, and the total non-essential amino acid was 53.48 g/100 g. The fatty acid profile of potato milk was palmitic acid (23.22 ± 0.12), stearic acid (5.33 ± 0.33), oleic acid (6.6 ± 0.10), linoleic acid (41.2 ± 0.05) and linolenic acid (19.4 ± 0.01). The potato milk's fat, protein, and carbohydrates were 0.3 ± 0.002%, 3.92 ± 0.341%, and 54.2 ± 0.046%, the dietary fiber was1.9 ± 0.234. The sugar content was 1 ± 0.087. The Vitamin-A and Vitamin-C content was 0.03 ± 0.001 and 28 ± 0.099, respectively. Hence, due to their similar proximate composition to bovine milk and good nutritional and fatty acid value, the produced potato milk can have functional properties and be a non-dairy alternative to bovine milk.

Morphological Characterization and Pathogenicity Test of Alternaria Leaf Spot of Chinese Cabbage (Brassica chinensis L.)

Chinese cabbage (Brassica chinensis L.) is an important leafy vegetable crop. It has good nutritional and medicinal value. Among all diseases affecting the plant, Alternaria leaf spot is a serious disease hampering its successful cultivation. Keeping in view this serious implication, an experiment on Alternaria leaf spot of Chinese cabbage caused by Alternaria brassicae, A. brassicicola and A. alternata was carried out at Main Experimental Station, Vegetable of ANDUA&T, Kumarganj Ayodhya for studying a means to effectively manage the disease. The disease was first appeared in the first week of November as small, yellow to brown spots with a light green to yellow halo. As the disease advances, several lesions coalesced, giving a blighted appearance. Stem and pods were also affected by the disease. The pathogen was readily isolated on 2% Potato Dextrose Agar medium and pathogenicity was proved following Koch's postulates. Cultural and morphological characters were observed as colonies of pure black amphigenous, effused, radial growth, conidia light brown to black in colour. The size of the conidia of A. brassicae, A. brassicicola and A. alternata were found 110.16 -162.0 µm, 94.08 – 120.72 µm and 25.44 - 46.32 µm, having septal variation 5-11, 0-8 and 2-6, respectively.

‘USDA‐Yeti’ orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.), a new orchardgrass cultivar that combines excellent winterhardiness and agronomic performance

AbstractThe USDA‐ARS announces the release of ‘USDA‐Yeti’ (Reg. no. CV‐17, PI 702557) orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.). Winter injury and mortality are important issues for orchardgrass production on sites with harsh winter conditions. USDA‐Yeti was developed from the USDA‐UTWH‐102 germplasm for increased winterhardiness and agronomic performance. USDA‐Yeti was then evaluated in multi‐location and multi‐year trials at Cassia County, ID, and at Cache, Davis, and Garfield County, UT, locations for winterhardiness and agronomic performance against 11 orchardgrass cultivars and one improved germplasm. Across years and locations, USDA‐Yeti was 10%–30% more winter hardy than all cultivars but the Canadian cultivar ‘AC Killarney’. Additionally, USDA‐Yeti established stands and produced herbage dry mass greater than or similar to all the included cultivars. USDA‐Yeti also had similar nutritive value to the other cultivars. Thus, USDA‐Yeti combines excellent winterhardiness and herbage dry mass production with good nutritive value for use on sites that possess risk of orchardgrass winter injury and mortality.

Toward Sustainable and Healthy Fish Products-The Role of Feeding and Preservation Techniques.

Fish is a fundamental component of the human diet, and in the near future the proportion of aquatic foods originating from aquaculture production is expected to increase to over 56%. The sustainable growth of the aquaculture sector involves the use of new sustainable raw materials as substitutes for traditional fishmeal and fish oil ingredients, but it is crucial that the substitution maintains the nutritional value of the fish meat. In addition, the preservation of the nutritional value should be a mandatory requirement of new technologies that extend the shelf life of fish. In this context, we evaluated the impact of a newly formulated feed and three preservation treatments (brine, pulsed electric field (PEF), and PEF plus brine) on the fatty acid composition and protein and lipid digestibility of sea bass fillets. In non-digested fillets, although slightly reduced by the newly formulated feed (standard = 2.49 ± 0.14; newly formulated = 2.03 ± 0.10) the n-3/n-6 PUFA ratio indicated good nutritional value. The preservation treatments did not modify the fatty acid content and profile of non-digested fillets. Conversely, protein and lipid digestibility were not affected by the different diets but were significantly reduced by brine, with or without PEF, while PEF alone had no effect. Overall, our results indicated that the newly formulated feed containing 50% less fishmeal is a good compromise between the sustainability and nutritional value of cultivated seabass, and PEF is a promising preservation technology deserving of further study.

Quality Assessment and Comparative Study of Value-added Giblet Pickle Incorporated with Red Calyces of Roselle (Hibiscus subdariffa) and Acetic Acid

Background: The present study was carried out to develop a suitable formulation for value added pickle out of chicken giblet by incorporating roselle and evaluate their physico-chemical properties, sensory attributes and shelf-life qualities through microbial count, extend of proteolysis and fat rancidity after packaging in normal food grade polyethylene packaging material stored at ambient temperature. Methods: The developed value added giblet pickle was standardised with 15% rosella. The comparison was made among the samples incorporated in paste, oven dried powdered and 4% acetic acid. Result: The addition of 15% roselle in paste form increased the overall acceptability as well as the product yield. The protein content of both the treatments was found to be higher compared to the control. The pH of control (3.06±0.04) ranged to 4.25±.07 in treatment. The water activity did not differ significantly in control and treatments and the value ranged from 0.94±0.12 to 0.95±0.04. Thiobarbituric acid value (TBARS), tyrosine values and microbial count significantly (p less than 0.05) increased during storage days in all the pickle samples. However, the increase in TBARS, tyrosine values and microbial load were within the recommended limits as per FSSAI for pickled meat products. From the above study, it can be conclude that value-added giblet pickle with good nutritive value and higher acceptability can be prepared by incorporating roselle at 15% level.

Agro-morphological and nutritional assessment of chenopod and quinoa germplasm-Highly adaptable potential crops.

Quinoa belongs to the family Chenopodiaceae, a pseudo-grain having high nutritional value and is considered an underexploited vegetable crop with the potential to improve the nutritional security of millions. Therefore, assessing genetic diversity in Chenopodium germplasm to untap nutritional and site-specific adaptation potential would be of prime importance for breeders/researchers. The present study used 10 accessions of two Chenopodium species, that is, C. quinoa and C. album. Quantitative and qualitative phenotypic traits, proximate composition, minerals, and amino acids profiles were studied to compare the differences in nutritional value and extent of genetic diversity between these two species. Our results showed significant variation existed in yield attributing agro-morphological traits. All the traits were considered for hierarchical clustering and principal components analysis. Large genetic variability was observed in traits of Chenopodium accessions. The protein, dietary fiber, oil, and sugar content ranged from 16.6% to 19.7%, 16.8% to 26%, 3.54% to 8.46%, and 3.74% to 5.64%, respectively. The results showed that C. album and C. quinoa seeds had good nutritional value and health-promoting benefits. The C. quinoa was slightly ahead of than C. album in terms of nutritional value, but C. album accession IC415477 was at par for higher test weight, seed yield (117.02 g/plant), and other nutritional parameters with C. quinoa accessions. IC415477 and other potential accessions observed in this study may be taken up by breeders/researchers in the near future to dissect nutritional value of Chenopodium and related species for dietary diversity, which is imperative for the nutritional security of the ever-growing world's population.

Nutritional Parameters of Goat Milk and Its Consumption in Rural Communities

A survey was conducted using a pretested, semi-structured questionnaire in Mutoko district to determine the extent of goat milk consumption and reasons for the possible low-to-non-consumption of goat milk. A total of 120 respondents were randomly selected. Fresh goat milk samples were also collected from Mashona and Matabele goat breeds and analysed using a Milko-scan FT 6000 (FOSS, HillerOD, Denmark) to determine nutrient composition. Results from the study indicated that goat milk is lowly utilized – with only 14% of the surveyed households consuming goat milk. The respondents cited that goat milk was lowly utilised because goat milk consumption is traditionally uncommon in the area (57.70%) and has an undesirable strong smell (17.06%). Consuming goat milk was associated with reduced social status (10.66%). Respondents that had access to sufficient cow milk (13.96%) do not consume goat milk. Estimated mean milk yield per goat per milking, as reported in the study was 310.0±114.02 mL. High levels of education were associated with increased tendency to consume goat milk (χ2=246; df=40, p=0.000). Mashona goat milk had higher lactose (4.36%) and protein (4.77%) but lower fat content (3.45%) than Matabele goat milk. While goat milk is less popular in the study area, the milk from these indigenous goat genotypes is characterised by good nutritional value comparable to the accepted values of good quality milk. The quality of the milk, coupled with feeding and breed selection interventions to increase yield, has potential to be a rich nutrient source for small-holder communities threatened by malnutrition.

Economic Analysis of Shiitake Mushroom Cultivation as an Agribusiness Enterprise in India

"With a great deal of constraints such as heavy dependence on weather, small and fragmented land holdings, depleting resource, demand shift etc. faced by traditional Indian agriculture, farmers are shifting towards allied enterprises. Mushroom is one such enterprise which provides remunerative and nutritive produce with less-land and investment requirements. Hence, the present study assessed the economic performance of the Shiitake mushroom production in terms of cost & return analysis, viability analysis and BEP assessment using primary data. The overall net returns were ` 235/ bag/ cycle of Shiitake with rate of return on capital of 1.93 showing the economic viability of the enterprise. It was also found that larger units of Shiitake mushroom were more viable and economically sound as compared to smaller and medium units. Since lesser land and other resources are required for Shiitake mushroom with higher returns and good nutritive value, such mushrooms ought to be promoted for adoption at large scale to alleviate poverty and nutritional insecurity of vulnerable Indian population."

Molecular Identification and Antimicrobial Potency of Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria Pado (Fish Fermentation) Nagari Balingka IV Koto District-West Sumatra as a Functional Food

Pado, indigenous cuisine from the region of West Sumatera, is a mixture of fish with the meat seed of Simuang (Pangium edule Reinw) and grated coconut fermented for 4-8 days. Pado is thought to contain lactic acid bacteria (LAB) activity used as a probiotic-producing functional food which is good nutritional value. Based on it, Pado had the potency to improve the economy which had a good impact on regional development. This aims to decide the molecular identifications and antimicrobial activity of LAB as probiotics contain in Pado that are useful as functional foods. The sample used as material for this research is Pado from Nagari Balingka IV Koto District in Agam Regency-West Sumatera. The research methods are bacterial isolation from Pado, determinate LAB using laboratory analysis, and LAB identification using the 16S rRNA method. The result of Gram staining showed Gram-positive that the purple rod-shaped. The other characteristics of Pado isolate were homofermentative, catalase-negative, resistant to acidic pH, and bile salt. The colony of Pado LAB has a white-beige smooth-convex surface. Pado Nagari Balingka IV Koto is a functional food that contains the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum strain SRCM 102737 and it had antimicrobial activity against pathogen bacteria.