High Amounts Of Nutrients Research Articles

Duckweed: Growth factor and applications in nonfood, food, and health

AbstractDuckweeds are aquatic plants and mainly constitute of five genera, Lemna, Spirodela, Wolffia, Wolffiella, and Landoltia. These are the smallest plants yet having a rapid growth rate. Hence, duckweeds are sustainable food sources for humans and animals, as well as sustainable feedstocks for biochemical production. Previously, duckweeds were discovered for their vital role in water purification by metabolizing chemicals and waste. However, many recent studies have discovered that duckweeds have a high amount of nutrients, which makes them a great substitute in human diets and animal feed. Their nutrient composition and growth rate are greatly affected by environmental factors. Hence, this review summarizes the characteristics of duckweeds, growth rate factors, and their applications in nonfood, food, and health. Duckweeds could improve health due to their large amounts of macro‐ and micronutrients. Future studies on the safety measures and duckweed culture are strongly recommended to safeguard the quality of the plants. Besides that, duckweeds have great potential to be used as heavy metals or contaminants absorbent, as well as a sustainable feedstock for biofuel production.

Biotechnological approaches to reduce the phytic acid content in millets to improve nutritional quality.

The review article summarizes the approaches and potential targets to address the challenges of anti-nutrient like phytic acid in millet grains for nutritional improvement. Millets are a diverse group of minor cereal grains that are agriculturally important, nutritionally rich, and the oldest cereals in the human diet. The grains are important for protein, vitamins, macro and micronutrients, fibre, and energy sources. Despite a high amount of nutrients, millet grains also contain anti-nutrients that limit the proper utilization of nutrients and finally affect their dietary quality. Our study aims to outline the genomic information to identify the target areas of research for the exploration of candidate genes for nutritional importance and show the possibilities to address the presence of anti-nutrient (phytic acid) in millets. So, the physicochemical accessibility of micronutrients increases and the agronomic traits can do better. Several strategies have been adopted to minimize the phytic acid, a predominant anti-nutrient in cereal grains. In the present review, we highlight the potential of biotechnological tools and genome editing approaches to address phytic acid in millets. It also highlights the biosynthetic pathway of phytic acid and potential targets for knockout or silencing to achieve low phytic acid content in millets.

Application of X-ray Spectroscopic Techniques to Determine the Inorganic Composition and Sulfur Chemical Speciation of the Amazonian Plant Bixa orellana

Bixa orellana is a plant that has a variety of uses, such as applications in the food and cosmetic industries, as well as culinary uses, and body painting for Indigenous people. Despite its versatility, few studies have explored its inorganic composition, and its sulfur chemical speciation has only been assessed from the point of view of sulfurous amino acids. Here, we report on the inorganic composition of Bixa orellana fruits, pericarps, and seeds obtained using Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (WD-XRF) and sulfur chemical speciation using X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure (XANES). Our results show that the seed is a source of potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous. But also, the pericarp, which is considered waste, contains a high amount of nutrients. From the XANES measurements, the distribution of the oxidation state of the sulfur atom was obtained, and it was shown that although several oxidation states of sulfur are present, oxidized sulfur (sulfate) is the dominant form of sulfur in all samples.

Population Size and Spatial Distribution of the Mexican Blind Cavefish (Astyanax) within the Caves

The most studied cavefish in the world is Astyanax mexicanus, and the most frequently used specimens in research come from the Pachón cave in Northeast Mexico. A recent study using the capture–mark–recapture technique revealed that the Pachón population size is only in the hundreds of individuals, not in the thousands. This result raises serious concerns about their long-term survival and highlights the need to accurately estimate the population size of other Astyanax caves. In our study, we used a well-established, non-invasive method for estimating population size: the transect sampling method, which counts the abundance of organisms along a line at regular intervals. We used the 310 m long Sabinos Cave’s Pool #1 for measurements and estimated a population of 1142 individuals. Most importantly, we found that cavefish are not distributed uniformly: 68% of the individuals were clustered under a bat roost. To corroborate this observation, we used drones to explore submerged galleries inaccessible to scientists. Results from the Toro/Calera Cave system confirmed that most galleries were essentially void of cavefish, except for in those few areas with high amounts of nutrients. Scientists visiting the most studied Astyanax localities (Pachón, Sabinos, Tinaja, and Chica) experience what appear to be high-density populations of about 10 fish/m2, possibly because the pool they visit happens to be under bat roosts. Our study shows that one cannot extrapolate the density at these localities to the rest of the habitat, where densities might be two orders of magnitude lower. Future studies should consider that the apparent high density at visited sites is overrepresenting the total population size when calculating the number of fish specimens to be captured.

Transfer and bioaccumulation of chemical and biological contaminants in the marine polychaete Hediste diversicolor (OF müller 1776) when reared on salmon aquaculture sludge

Side streams from aquaculture production such as fish sludge poses ample opportunities for biological upcycling, as the sludge contains high amounts of nutrients, energy and valuable biochemicals, making it an ideal food for extractive species. Sludge has been proposed as a feed stock for polychaete production, which in turn can be utilized live in shrimp aquaculture or as an aquafeed ingredient. However, the biosafety of such value chains has not yet been addressed. We conducted an experiment exposing the polychaete Hediste diversicolor to aquaculture sludge spiked with four different fish pathogens (Mycobacterium salmoniphilum, Yersinia ruckeri, Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis (IPN) and Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA)) known to cause diseases in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). Moreover, we assessed whether heavy metals and other potentially hazardous elements present in fish sludge bioaccumulates in the polychaetes. Neither of the bacteria nor viruses could be detected in the polychaetes after 14 days of continuous exposure. Seven of the 15 elements we analysed showed bioaccumulation factors significantly below one, meaning biodilution, while the other eight did not differ from one, meaning no bioaccumulation. None of the elements showed a significant bioaccumulation. Further on, none of the heavy metals found in the polychaetes at the end of our experiment exceeded the EU regulatory maximum levels for fish feed ingredients. The current results suggest that a H. diversicolor can reared on aquaculture sludge, and aquaculture sludge may serve as feed stock for polychaete production without the product exceeding EU regulations for contaminants in animal feed.

Molluscophagy in North East India: Assessment of Nutritive Value of Four Edible Freshwater Molluscs

ABSTRACT Since time immemorial, molluscs have been a popular source of food in North East India. Given the historical importance of snail consumption in the region, the current investigation was carried out to assess the nutritional properties of mollusc meat/tissue and shell. Three species of freshwater snails (Cipangopaludina sp. Brotia costula, Filopaludina bengalensis) and the bivalve Lamellidens sp. were identified from five states of North East India. Proximate and elemental analyses of mollusc meat revealed high amounts of nutrients (more crude protein (range 26.75–22.83%) and low fat (3.82–2.70%)) and minerals (especially calcium). Additionally, high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids were observed (maximum 1.95% in B. costula).

An assessment of nutrient removal by harvesting constructed floating wetlands in two coastal lagoons in the SE Baltic Sea

AbstractIn the last decades, so‐called internal or sea‐based mitigation measures have been suggested as nature‐based solutions to remove nutrients and improve water quality in semi‐enclosed coastal waters. However, these have rarely been tested in the field, especially in colder climates where winter ice cover is common. The aim of this experimental research was to investigate plant growth conditions in such an environment, as well to estimate nutrient removal capacity by harvesting constructed floating wetlands (CFWs). We tested small (24–28 m2) CFWs (Biomatrix®, Scotland, UK) at two demonstration sites: the Curonian lagoon (CL, Lithuania) and Szczecin lagoon (SL, Poland). In the CL, CFWs were planted predominantly with Carex acutiformes (Ehrh.), while the SL CFW was planted mainly with the reed Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. We aimed to test the amount of nutrient removal by plant harvesting over three subsequent years (2019–2021). We investigated carbon storage capacity and plant nutrient stoichiometry as indicators of potential nutrient limitation in the brackish coastal waters. Plant biomass increased annually, stabilising at 2.5–3.7 kg wet weight m−2. The total nutrient uptake per installed island area varied with the plant species composition. In the successive years, the harvested plants from the CL CFW dominated by Carex accumulated 10.4–13.1 g N m−2, 0.6–0.8 g P m−2 and 318–431 g C m−2 per year. The harvest from the SL CFW dominated by Phragmites contained a two‐times higher amount of nutrients, the respective figures being 21.2 g N m−2, 1.6 g P m−2 and 704 g C m−2. The nutrient stoichiometry in the vegetation did not suggest the presence of sub‐optimal growth conditions due to nitrogen limitation. However, the CL's dissolved nutrient supply was very low during the summer cyanobacteria bloom and indicated a severe nitrogen deficiency (as reflected in the dissolved inorganic nitrogen:dissolved inorganic phosphorus [DIN:DIP] molar ratio of 6). We suggest that to maximise nutrient removal capacity, tall plants with high biomass should be selected and/or plants with fine root systems to efficiently uptake the limiting nutrient from the water.

Ecofriendly Utilization of Distillery Spentwash for Enhancing Growth and Yield of Pearl Millet

The Post Biomethanated Distillery Spentwash (PBDSW) is effective organic liquid manure derived from sugar industry waste materials. Spentwash contain high amount of nutrients like Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium and Sulfur. In addition, it contains sufficient amount of micronutrients such as Iron, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Boron and Molybdenum. The spentwash application on land is beneficial to control the water pollution and agricultural production. The experiment was performed with different doses of Post Biomethanated Distillery Spentwash (PBDSW) as a source of nutrients in various proportions with inorganic fertilizer using pearl millet as the test crop. The results of the experiment showed that the application of PBDSW at the rate of 100 KL ha-1 in combination with NPK recorded higher ear head, grain and stover yield as compared to other substitution level, split application and control.

Artificial Floating Islands for the Removal of Nutrients and Improvement of the Quality of Urban Wastewater

A high amount of nutrients can be found in urban wastewater (UW), which makes it difficult to treat. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the potential of the aquatic macrophytes Eichhornia crassipes, Pistia stratiotes, and Salvinia molesta in the treatment of UW. To evaluate the potential of each macrophyte, phytoremediation bioassays were established; the hydraulic retention time for each bioassay was 15 days. The physicochemical analysis of the water samples considered pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen (DO), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total carbon (TC), phosphates (PO43-P), nitrate (NO3-N), and total nitrogen (TN). To evaluate the phytoremediation potential of each plant, the bioconcentration factors (BCFs) and translocation factors (TFs) for NO3-N and PO43-P were evaluated. Likewise, the relative growth rates (RGRs) and total chlorophyll production of the macrophytes were measured. The results showed that the highest efficiency was achieved with the bioassays with E. crassipes, with removal values of 69.7%, 68.8%, 58.7%, 69.4%, 56.3%, and 40.9% for turbidity, COD, TOC, PO43-P, NO3-N, and TN, respectively. The phytoremediation potential results showed that, for BCF, the highest value was 4.88 mg/g of PO43-P with E. crassipes, and for TF, it was 6.17 mg/g of PO43-P with S. molesta. The measurement of RGR and total chlorophyll for E. crassipes showed an increase of 0.00024 gg−1d−1 and an increase of 4.5%, respectively. On the other hand, the other macrophytes suffered decreases in chlorophyll content and RGR. Thus, E. crassipes is defined as the macrophyte with the greatest potential for the UW phytoremediation process.

Effect of Different Drying Methods on the Mineral Composition of Three Indigenous Leafy Vegetables

Leafy vegetables are known to contain high amounts of nutrients and phytochemicals which support growth and development in humans after consumption. Due to their high moisture content at stage of maturity, the rate of perishability is high. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of three drying techniques on the nutritional quality of three indigenous leafy vegetables. The experimental design was a 3x3 factorial arranged in Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The factors were; leafy vegetables at three levels (Amaranthus cruentus, Celosia argentea and Laportea aestuans) and drying methods at three levels (Solar, Oven and Freeze drying). Our results showed that A. cruentus significantly (p < 0.05) had the highest phosphorus (0.79 %), potassium (2.22 %) and magnesium (1.15 %) and C. argentea recorded the least concentrations (0.40, 1.26 and 0.61 %) respectively. The concentration of calcium was in ascending order of A. cruentus < C. argentea < L. aestuans with 2.04 < 2.28 < 3.03 % respectively. Iron and zinc contents were higher in C. argentea than A. cruentus and L. aestuans. Moreover, calcium content in freeze dried vegetables with exception of C. argentea increased as compared to Solar and Oven drying. Also, the concentration of phosphorus was in ascending order of C. argentea < L. aestuans < A. cruentus with 0.44 < 0.60 < 1.04 % respectively for freeze drying. It can therefore be concluded that the three indigenous leafy vegetables are good sources of nutrients and these three drying techniques are for the preservation of their nutrients as well as preventing postharvest losses.

Comparative Analysis of Proximate Composition of Rotten Banana (Musa sapientum) and Pineapple (Ananas comosus)

This study was aimed at determining the proximate composition of rotten banana (Musa sapientum) and pineapple (Ananas comosus). Rotten banana (Musa sapientum) and pineapple(Ananas comosus were purchased from Kofar Yandaka Junction and Katsina State Transport Authority (KTSTA) roundabout and transported directly to the soil and water laboratory, Geography department of Umaru Musa Yar’adua University Katsina. The Proximate analysis was carried out using a standard protocol. The proximate compositions analyzed were moisture content, ash content, crude fat, crude protein, crude fiber, and carbohydrates. Results showed variation among the tested parameters with moisture contents ranging from 14.37%-25.99% in pineapple and banana, ash content 4.37%-4.39% in pineapple and banana, crude fat 24.96%-56.30% in banana and pineapple, crude fiber 0.83%-0.39% in pineapple and banana, crude protein 10.63%-19.38% in pineapple and banana and finally carbohydrates with a range of 13.50%-24.89% in pineapple and banana respectively. It showed there is no significant difference between the proximate compositions of the two fruit samples (P- value = 0.07345, Fcrit =4.387, F-Value =3.642, P ≤ 0.05). It was also concluded that the presence of high amounts of nutrients in the tested samples makes it a good candidate for energy and food supplements for both humans and animals as it is needed for cell growth and proliferation. Finally, it was recommended that further research should be conducted on both the fresh, rotten, and dried to explore the differences between them for optimum utilization of their nutritional compositions.

Soil properties evaluation under different irrigation sources in the Semi-arid Region of Kandahar, Afghanistan

‌Wastewater reuse is a non-conventional source of water containing high amounts of nutrients but also other undesirable components. However, little is known about the impact of wastewater irrigation on farmland soil properties, particularly in Afghanistan. Therefore, this paper reports for the first time a comprehensive understanding of the presence and effect of soil properties under wastewater irrigation and freshwater irrigation in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Accordingly, the properties of soil were evaluated by collecting soil samples from the sites of Haji-Arab (HA), Bala-Karz (BKZ), Mahal-e-Nejat (MN), and Char-Bagh (CB) in Kandahar province. The agricultural fields at the HA, BKZ, and MN sites are irrigated with wastewater, while at the CB site farms are entirely irrigated by freshwater. The results of this study revealed that the lowest pH and maximum EC levels were recorded in the BKZ soil samples, followed by the HA, MN, and CB soil samples. The soil texture class was silt loam and sandy loam at the wastewater-irrigated and freshwater-irrigated sites, respectively. Discoveries from this study have identified implications for informing policymakers on the need for appropriate wastewater treatment systems and regulations to ensure the safe and sustainable use of wastewater for irrigation purposes.

Underlying Mechanisms of the Hedgehog-Like Panicle and Filamentous Leaf Tissue Symptoms Caused by Sclerospora graminicola in Foxtail Millet.

Downy mildew caused by Sclerospora graminicola is a systemic infectious disease affecting foxtail millet production in Africa and Asia. S. graminicola-infected leaves could be decomposed to a state where only the veins remain, resulting in a filamentous leaf tissue symptom. The aim of the present study was to investigate how S. graminicola influences the formation of the filamentous leaf tissue symptoms in hosts at the morphological and molecular levels. We discovered that vegetative hyphae expanded rapidly, with high biomass accumulated at the early stages of S. graminicola infection. In addition, S. graminicola could affect spikelet morphological development at the panicle branch differentiation stage to the pistil and stamen differentiation stage by interfering with hormones and nutrient metabolism in the host, resulting in hedgehog-like panicle symptoms. S. graminicola could acquire high amounts of nutrients from host tissues through secretion of β-glucosidase, endoglucanase, and pectic enzyme, and destroyed host mesophyll cells by mechanical pressure caused by rapid expansion of hyphae. At the later stages, S. graminicola could rapidly complete sexual reproduction through tryptophan, fatty acid, starch, and sucrose metabolism and subsequently produce numerous oospores. Oospore proliferation and development further damage host leaves via mechanical pressure, resulting in a large number of degraded and extinct mesophyll cells and, subsequently, malformed leaves with only veins left, that is, "filamentous leaf tissue." Our study revealed the S. graminicola expansion characteristics from its asexual to sexual development stages, and the potential mechanisms via which the destructive effects of S. graminicola on hosts occur at different growth stages.

Integration of Copperas and <i>Moringa oleifera</i> Seeds as Hybrid Coagulant for Turbidity and Ammonia Removal from Aquaculture Wastewater

The rapid development of the aquaculture industry has contributed to the high amount of nutrients in wastewater that subsequently led to eutrophication and deterioration of water quality. Aquaculture wastewater consists of uneaten fish feed, fecal and other excretion or residue of chemicals used. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the performance of hybrid coagulants of Moringa oleifera (MO) and copperas for aquaculture wastewater treatment. In this present study, different formulations of MO and copperas were explored in the coagulation treatment of aquaculture wastewater using a jar test experiment. The FTIR and SEM analysis are used to determine the morphology and surface of MO. This study focuses on the effect of coagulant aids formulation, coagulant dosage, the effect of initial pH and coagulation time on turbidity and ammonia removal in the coagulation of aquaculture wastewater. The finding shows that the highest removal of turbidity and ammonia was obtained with the use of 80% MO and 20% copperas at the condition of initial pH of 6 at 20 min of coagulation time, with the highest percentage removal of 66% and 91%, respectively. The coagulation isotherm of hybrid coagulant 80:20 is well described with the Freundlich isotherm model which describes the surface heterogeneity.

Chemical and In Vitro Evaluation of Biscuit of Bangun-Bangun Leaf (Coleus amboinicus Lour)

One of the species of plant that contains lactagogum, which works to stimulate milk production is bangun-bangun leaf. In order to create biscuits which can be used as supplemental feed, bangun-bangun leaf can be used. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the nutritional value and digestibility of leaf biscuits. The study was carried out at the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sumatera Utara. It took for two months, from August to October 2022, and involved chemical analysis at the Sei Putih Goat Research Laboratory and in vitro analysis at the Feed Science and Technology Laboratory of IPB University. Complete randomization was employed in the design (CRD), which included 4 treatments and 5 replications. P0 = 0% of the leaf, P1 = 6%, P2 = 9%, and P3 = 12% of the leaf. Nutrient content in the form of crude protein, crude fiber, and crude fat were among the parameters measured, along with dry matter digestibility coefficient (DMDC), and organic matter digestibility coefficient (OMDC). The findings demonstrated that the plant-based biscuits had a significant impact (P<0.05) on the values of crude protein, crude fiber, crude fat, dry matter digestibility (DMD), and organic matter digestibility (OMD). The study’s finding is that using plant bangun leaf can improve the digestibility of dry matter and organic matter since they contain a high amount of nutrients.

Cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus on agricultural wastes and effects on nutritional composition of the fruiting body

ABSTRACT Little interest has been shown in studies related to the effects of cultivating Pleurotus ostreatus on agricultural wastes and their impacts on nutritional value and biological efficiency of the fruiting body. Oil palm fiber, rice husk, sawdust from hardwood, guinea grass, bean pods and rice straw were collected in dried form and used as substrates. Active mycelium of P. ostreatus was used in preparation of spawn, and growth was observed after 30 days following inoculation and fruiting bodies were harvested for analysis. The proximate composition of crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, ash, moisture, dry matter and carbohydrate composition; antioxidant properties from flavonoids, phenol, lycopene, beta carotene, and ascorbic acid and composition of Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Mn and Zn varied across substrates. All cultivated P. ostreatus on substrates contained high amounts of crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, ash, moisture, dry matter and carbohydrate, flavonoid, phenol, lycopene, beta carotene, and ascorbic acid, and mineral ions such as Na, K, P, N and Ca. Dry weight and biological efficiency were highest in P. ostreatus cultivated on rice straw, followed by bean pods. Pleurotus ostreatus grown on substrates used contained high amounts of nutrients. Rice straw and bean pods may be used to achieve high nutritional composition and antioxidant contents in P. ostreatus mushrooms.

Contents and Correlations of Nε-(carboxymethyl)lysine, Nε-(carboxyethyl)lysine, Acrylamide and Nutrients in Plant-Based Meat Analogs.

High temperatures applied in the production of plant-based meat analogs (PBMA) lead to the occurrence of Maillard reactions, in which harmful compounds Nε-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), Nε-(carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL) and acrylamide are formed. However, little research has focused on these compounds in PBMA. In this study, the contents of CML, CEL and acrylamide in 15 commercial-sold PBMA were determined by an ultra-high performance liquid chromatograph coupled with a triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer (UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS). Nutrients (protein, amino acids, fatty acids and sugars) which are related to the formation of these compounds were also studied. The results showed that CML, CEL and acrylamide contents were in the range of 16.46-47.61 mg/kg, 25.21-86.23 mg/kg and 31.81-186.70 μg/kg, respectively. Proteins account for 24.03-53.18% of PBMA. Except for Met + Cys, which is the limiting amino acid of most PBMA, all other indispensable amino acids met the requirements for adults. Besides, PBMA had more n-6 fatty acids than n-3 fatty acids. A correlation analysis showed that proteins and the profiles of amino acid and fatty acid had little influence on CML but significant influence on CEL and acrylamide. The results of the present study can be used as a reference to produce PBMA with higher amounts of nutrients and lower amounts of CML, CEL and acrylamide.

Wild and Cultivated Mushrooms of Nepal as a Source of Nutrients and Nutraceuticals

This study was carried out on nutrient and nutraceutical analysis of wild and cultivated edible mushrooms collected from different parts of Nepal. A total number of five species of mushroom were collected including two wild (Morchella sp. and Ganoderma sp.) and three cultivated species (Pleurotus sp., Agaricus sp. and Lentinula sp). The moisture, protein, crude fat, total ash, dietary fibre and carbohydrates were determined as nutrients whereas phenolic content, flavonoid content, antioxidant and mineral matter were determined as nutraceuticals. In this study, the highest amount of nutrients contained was protein (34%), fat (7%), fibres (42%), ash (11%), and carbohydrate (60%). The nutraceutical in these mushrooms is phenolic (0.79 μg of GAE/gm), flavonoid (0.585 μg of QE/gm) and antioxidant (0.261±0.036 mg/ml). The concentration of iron (26.19 mg/l) was found highest in all mushrooms, whereas lead and chromium were found in negligible amounts i.e., &gt;1. The comparative study revealed that the nutrients in cultivated mushrooms have highest than in wild mushrooms. Moreover, the nutraceutical is maximum in wild mushrooms (phenolic content of 0.79 μg of GAE/gm, flavonoid content of 0.58 μg of GAE/gm) than in cultivated mushrooms. Furthermore, wild edible mushrooms are a good source of antioxidants than cultivated ones. In conclusion, this study suggested that mushrooms are a good source of nutrients and nutraceuticals which are considered valuable good nutritional dietary supplements.

Dried Fruits, Nuts, and Cancer Risk and Survival: A Review of the Evidence and Future Research Directions.

Dried fruits and nuts contain high amounts of nutrients and phytochemicals-all of which may have anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. This narrative review summarizes the evidence for dried fruits and nuts and cancer incidence, mortality, and survival and their potential anticancer properties. The evidence for dried fruits in cancer outcomes is limited, but existing studies have suggested an inverse relationship between total dried fruit consumption and cancer risk. A higher consumption of nuts has been associated with a reduced risk of several site-specific cancers in prospective cohort studies, including cancers of the colon, lung, and pancreas, with relative risks per 5 g/day increment equal to 0.75 (95% CI 0.60, 0.94), 0.97 (95% CI 0.95, 0.98), and 0.94 (95% CI 0.89, 0.99), respectively. A daily intake of total nuts of 28 g/day has also been associated with a 21% reduction in the rate of cancer mortality. There is also some evidence that frequent nut consumption is associated with improved survival outcomes among patients with colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer; however, further studies are needed. Future research directions include the investigation of additional cancer types, including rare types of cancer. For cancer prognosis, additional studies with pre- and postdiagnosis dietary assessment are warranted.

Nutrient Density and Microbial Safety of Open-Air-Dried Beef Meat and Its Biochemical and Organ Histopathology Effects in Albino Rats: A Promising Ingredient for Complementary Food Formulation.

Dried beef meat is a major source of essential fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins that are digestible and absorbable, thus could be a potential source of nutrients in complementary food formulations. Composition, microbial safety, and organ function tests were analyzed, and histopathological effect of air-dried beef meat powder was determined in rat model. Three groups of diets were given for the three groups of animals: (1) standard rat diet, (2) meat powder+standard rat diet (1 : 1 formulation), and (3) dried meat powder. A total of 36 Wistar albino rats (18 males and 18 females) of 4-8 weeks old were used and randomly assigned to the experiments. After acclimatization for one week, the experimental rats were followed for 30 days. Microbial analysis, nutrient composition, organ histopathology (liver and kidney), and organ function tests were conducted from serum samples taken from the animals. Protein, fat, fiber, ash, utilizable carbohydrate, and energy contents of meat powder on a dry weight basis were 76.12 ± 3.68, 8.19 ± 2.01, 0.56 ± 0.38, 6.45 ± 1.21, 2.79 ± 0.38 g/100 g, and 389.30 ± 3.25 kcal/100 g, respectively. Meat powder could be also a potential source of minerals such as potassium (766.16 ± 77.26 mg/100 g), phosphorus (150.35 ± 16.26 mg/100 g), calcium (18.15 ± 7.80 mg/100 g), zinc (3.82 ± 0.10 mg/100 g), and sodium (123.76 ± 32.71 mg/100 g). Food intakes were lower in MP group compared to the others. According to organ histopathology results, animals fed with the diet have shown normal values, except rise in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and creatine kinase (CK) in groups fed with meat powder. The results of organ function tests were all within the acceptable ranges and comparable with their counterpart control groups. However, some of the microbial contents of the meat powder were not within the recommended level. Dried meat powder has a higher amount of nutrients, which would be a potential recipe in complementary food preparation that can support to reduce child malnutrition. However, further studies need to be conducted on the sensory acceptability of formulated complementary foods containing dried meat powder; also, clinical trials are aimed at observing the effect of dried meat powder on child linear growth.