Spice Mixtures Research Articles

Spice raw material available in the domestic grocery trade

Spices are a group of plants represented in every corner of the world by numerous species and used in a variety of ways. The analyses show that over 80 spice ingredients from plants belonging to 33 families are available in grocery trade in Poland. The most numerous families are: Apiaceae, Lamiaceae and Zingiberaceae. Both spices based on domestic plants and those found naturally in other climatic zones can be found on markets. The most spice raw materials come from plants that grow naturally and are grown in Asia and the Mediterranean countries. Some of the species, e.g. caraway (Carum carvi L.), wild celery(Angelica archangelica L.), oregano (Origanum vulgare L.), occur in the wild state in Central and Eastern Europe. In Polish grocery trade, spices are available mainly in dried and ground form, and the most sold ones are: black pepper, bay leaf, allspice, cumin, garlic, paprika, marjoram, fennel, parsley, nutmeg and cinnamon. Recently, mixtures of spices for specific meals such as pizza, fish, chicken, barbecued dishes and sauces, are also eagerly bought.

A Validated Quantification of Sudan Red Dyes in Spicery using TLC and a 16-bit Flatbed Scanner.

We present a video-densitometric quantification method for Sudan red dyes in spices and spice mixtures, separated by TLC. Application was done band-wise in small dots using a 5μL glass pipette. For separation, the RP-18 plates (20 × 20cm with fluorescent dye; Merck, Germany, 1.05559) were developed in a vertical developing chamber without vapor saturation from the starting point to a distance of 70mm by using acetonitrile, methanol, and aqueous ammonia solution (25%; 8 + 1.8 + 0.2, v/v) as mobile phase. The quantification is based on direct measurements using an inexpensive 16-bit flatbed scanner for color measurements (in red, green, and blue). Evaluation of only the green channel makes the measurements very specific. For linearization, an extended Kubelka-Munk expression for data transformation was used. The range of linearity covers more than two magnitudes and lies between 20 and 500ng. The extraction from a 2g sample with acetonitrile, evaporation, and reconstitution to 200μL with methanol and the band-wise application (7mm) of a 10μL sample allows a statistically defined LOD of less than 500ppb of Sudan red dyes. To perform the analysis, a separation chamber, RP-18 plates, 5μL glass pipettes, and a 16-bit flatbed scanner for 105 € are needed; therefore, the separation method is inexpensive, fast, and reliable.

Multimycotoxins occurrence in spices and herbs commercialized in Lebanon

Aflatoxins and ochratoxin A are regulated in Europe for some spices (Capsicum spp., Piper spp., Myristica fragrans, Zingiber officinale, Curcuma longa) and mixtures of spices containing one or more of these spices. No mycotoxin limits are in force for herbs. A total of 132 samples of spices (94) and herbs (38) purchased from Beirut in Lebanon were analysed for 12 mycotoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2, OTA, FB1, FB2, HT-2, T-2, ZEA, DON, NIV) by using a UPLC-MS/MS method based on ‘dilute and shoot’ approach. The limits of detection (LOD) ranged from 0.1 μg/kg (ZEA) to 20.5 μg/kg (DON) and limits of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.3 μg/kg (ZEA) to 68.2 μg/kg (DON). 80% of analysed samples were contaminated by 1–11 mycotoxins. Total aflatoxins and ochratoxin A were detected in 19 and 30% of spices, 8 and 11% of herbs, respectively. Mean levels of total aflatoxins and ochratoxin A were 168.1 and 7.1 μg/kg in positive spices, 36.1 and 7.0 μg/kg in positive herbs, respectively. 78 and 10% of positive spice samples contained aflatoxin and ochratoxin A at levels higher than the limits, respectively. Total aflatoxin levels higher than the European limits were also measured in some non-regulated spices (allspice, cloves, coriander, fenugreek) and some herbs (rosemary, sage and oregano). Within the non-regulated mycotoxins FB1 was the most occurring (60% in spices, 55% in herbs) followed by FB2 (35% in spices, 18% in herbs), ZEA (30% in spices, 3% in herbs), DON (12% in spices, 3% in herbs), T-2 and HT-2 toxins (3–5%), whereas NIV and AFG2 were never detected. Mean levels of FB1, FB2, ZEA and DON in positive samples of spices were 6432.3, 203.2, 30.6, 1751.4 μg/kg, respectively; in positive samples of herbs they were 2826.3, 214.9, 2.8, 589.7 μg/kg, respectively. The whole results demonstrate the higher susceptibility of spices to mycotoxin contamination with respect to herbs. Comparison of results obtained for samples produced with (81) and without (51) HACCP and GMP showed that the implementation of HACCP and GMP practices seems to be effective in reducing the occurrence of regulated mycotoxins but was ineffective for the non-regulated ones. The samples analysed in this study originated from at least 15 Countries and the results obtained gives indications about the occurrence of mycotoxins in relation to the Country of origin of the samples.The high percentages of positive samples and the high levels of some mycotoxins observed in this study highlight the problem of mycotoxin contamination in spices and herbs consumed in Lebanon. The occurrence of high levels of aflatoxins and OTA in some non-regulated spices and herbs suggests the addition of these matrices in the list of regulated ones. The high number of positive samples and the high levels of fumonisins observed in this study suggest the inclusions of these mycotoxins in the list of regulated mycotoxins for these matrices.

Development and Assessment of Shelf-Stable Spicy Snacks Prepared from Buffalo Tripe by Incorporating Sichuan Pepper (Timur)

A study was conducted for the preparation of the shelf stable spicy tripe snack from buffalo tripe with two different spices mixture. The main difference in the spice mixture is that one mix did not contain the Sichuan Pepper (timur) which is called as control batch and another contained it which is called as treated batch. Trial of product development was performed for three times where the combinations of the spices were altered till best combination was obtained. The prepared products were compared to sensory, microbiological and chemical analysis. The timur treated sample was found significantly superior in terms of taste and overall acceptability. The results of microbiological and physiochemical analysis showed that the timur-added snack more shelf-stable than un-added snack. Proximate composition of the best formulation moisture, crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, total ash, salt and carbohydrates by difference are 43.915±1.5, 10.447±0.5, 15.203±0.5, 1.263±0.7, 2.7±0.7, 5.554±0.6 and 20.919±2.3, respectively.

Samardala: specificities and changes in the ethnobotanical knowledge about Allium siculum subsp. dioscoridis (Sm.) K. Richt. in Bulgaria

Allium siculum Ucria is a perennial bulbous plant that occurs in Bulgaria as A. siculum subsp. dioscoridis (Sm.) K. Richt. The plant is locally known as “samardala”. Its herbage is used traditionally by local communities in Bulgaria as edible green and for preparation of salty spice mixtures. The study was focused on the documentation of traditional knowledge about samardala, covering local collection and cultivation practices, processing methods and consumption preferences. The respondents (aged 30–86 years, 50% over 65) were local producers and small-scale salesmen of the herbage and samardala-containing spices. To assess the health features of samardala spices the total phenol and flavonoid content was measured in home-consumed or marketed flavoured salts. Overall appreciation of the plant and related food products was found to be very high; presenting a considerable engagement of the locals in plant cultivation and gathering, laborious processing and consumption. Traditional ecological knowledge about the biology, phenology and ecology of the samardala plant and methods for its processing is still preserved by elderly people who rely mostly on their own cultivated plants. Although the introduction of modern appliances has altered the method of production, its main stages and the recipes are preserved. Modernization of the processing method has not affected the quality of the products and faster processing could be a contributing factor for the higher content of biologically active substances. Phenolic content was about twice as low as the flavonoid content, following the same pattern for all tested flavoured salts. Measures for better management of natural populations and promotion of cultivation practices of A. siculum subsp. dioscoridis would ensure the sustainable quality of traditional products as well as conservation of the natural plant resources.

Analysis of unauthorized Sudan dyes in food by high-performance thin-layer chromatography.

Food authenticity and food safety are of high importance to organizations as well as to the food industry to ensure an accurate labeling of food products. Respective analytical methods should provide a fast screening and a reliable cost-efficient quantitation. HPTLC was pointed out as key analytical technique in this field. A new HPTLC method applying caffeine-impregnated silica gel plates was developed for eight most frequently found fat-soluble azo dyes unauthorizedly added to spices, spice mixtures, pastes, sauces, and palm oils. A simple post-chromatographic UV irradiation provided an effective sample cleanup, which took 4min for up to 46 samples in parallel. The method was trimmed to enable 23 simultaneous separations within 20min for quantitation or 46 separations within 5min for screening. Linear (4-40ng/band) or polynomial (10-200ng/band) calibrations of the eight azo dyes revealed high correlation coefficients and low standard deviations. Limits of detection and quantification were determined to be 2-3 and 6-9ng/zone, respectively. After an easy sample extraction, recoveries of 70-120% were obtained from chili, paprika, and curcuma powder as well as from chili sauce, curry paste, and palm oil spiked at low (mainly 25-50mg/kg) and high levels (150-300mg/kg). For unequivocal identification, the compound in a suspect zone was eluted via a column into the mass spectrometer. This resulted in the hyphenation HPTLC-vis-HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS. Graphical abstract Simplified clean-up by UV irradiation for Sudan dye analysis in food by HPTLC-vis-HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS.

Dielectric properties, heating rate, and heating uniformity of various seasoning spices and their mixtures with radio frequency heating

Low moisture foods, including seasoning spices, have been associated with a number of multi-state outbreaks of salmonellosis in the past decade. The long-term objective of this study was to develop an effective in-package pasteurization treatment for seasoning mixtures based on radio frequency (RF) heating. Seasoning spices obtained from grocery stores included red, white, and black pepper; cumin; curry powder; and garlic powder with moisture contents ranging from 3.1 to 12.3% (wet basis). The dielectric properties (DP) of the seasoning spices and their mixtures as influenced by frequency, moisture, temperature, mixing fraction and salt content were determined using a precision LCR meter and liquid test fixture at frequency ranging from 1 to 30 MHz. The RF heating rates of each spice and their mixtures were evaluated using a 27.12-MHz, 6-kW pilot scale RF system with 105 mm gap between electrodes. To evaluate the effect of mixing on heating uniformity, a sample (50 g) was placed into a polystyrene plastic cylindrical container and heated to 70 °C, and surface images were taken by an infrared camera. The results showed that the relationship among moisture content, temperature and DP of white pepper can be explained by a second-order model at 13.56 and 27.12 MHz. The DP and heating rates of spice mixtures ranged between the highest and lowest values of their respective individual spices. Increase in salt content resulted in a decrease in heating rate, which resulted a better heating uniformity with smaller uniformity index (UI). The RF heating rate of samples ranged from 2.97 to 23.61 (°C min−1). The highest heating rate in samples was in a correspondence to the worst heating uniformity, and highest average temperature on the sample surface. The most uniform heat distrubition on top surface was obtained for garlic powder as 0.012 (UI) at 70 °C. The information obtained from this study is important to develop an effective RF heating strategy for pathogen control in seasoning mixture.

UTILIZATION OF PLANT GROWTH PROMOTING RHIZOBACTERIA (PGPR) IN DISEASE CONTROL IMPORTANT IN PLANTS ONION (ALLIUM ASCALONICUM L.)

Red onion (Allium ascalonicum L.) is one of many horticultural crops consumed by humans as a mixture of spices. For household consumption of about 635 700 tonnes, non-household consumption such as the manufacturing industry amounted to 719 200 tonnes, the sum total of 1.35 million meaning that the deficit for the onion. The purpose of this study was to gain insight about PGPR in increasing the growth and yield of onion, PGPR role in controlling the disease in onions, PGPR concentration in controlling the disease in onions and certain PGPR concentration in the application to control diseases in onion. Using a randomized block design (RAK) factorial 5 x 3 and repeated 3 times. The first factor is the concentration of PGPR with 5 levels ie: p0 (control), P1 (5 ml / liter of water / 2 plants), P2 (10 ml / liter of water / 2 plants), P3 (15 ml / liter of water / 2 plants) and P4 (20 ml / liter of water / 2 plants) and the second factor is the interval provision of PGPR with 3 levels namely: I1 (1 week, 1 x application until the age of 60 days, I2 (2 weeks, 1 x application until the age of 60 day) and I3 (3 weeks, 1 x application until the age of 60 days). the results showed that the onion crop by PGPR could increase plant height (21, 67 cm), number of leaves (32.70 cm), the number of tubers per plant (17.69 g), the wet weight of tuber per plot highs (3460.00 g) and dry weight of tuber per plot (3010.20 g). the provision of PGPR can control fusarium wilt on the red onion. the higher concentration of PGPR with intervals of 3 weeks administration can suppress disease. fusarium wilt PGPR concentration of 20 ml/liter of water with intervals of 3 weeks administration can suppress disease attacks fusarium wilt the lowest (5.22%).

Tenderness and flavor of leg cuts from meat goats influenced by calcium chloride injection

ABSTRACTThis study was conducted to assess the potential of improving tenderness of chevon using calcium chloride (CaCl2) injection and its effect on the palatability characteristics of chevon. Primal leg cuts from meat goats were allotted to one of four treatments: either no injection (control) or injection with water, CaCl2 (food grade, 2.2% w/v), or CaCl2 plus a spice mix. The CaCl2 injection improved tenderness of goat leg cuts, proven by Warner–Bratzler shear force values and sensory panels. Furthermore, panelists were not able to detect off-flavor problems associated with CaCl2 injection. When CaCl2 was injected into goat leg cuts with the beef spice mixture, it resulted in a more desirable flavor. Calcium injection did not influence flavor volatile compounds in cooked chevon leg cuts. The results indicate that CaCl2 plus spice mix injection can be applied to improve tenderness of goat meat without detrimental effects on other sensory characteristics.

Fate of Escherichia Coli O157:H7, Salmonella Spp. and Listeria Monocytogenes during Curing and Drying of Beef Bresaola

ObjectivesManufacturing dry-cured, whole muscle meat products without a thermal lethality step is a growing trend for charcuterie companies in the United States. The USDA-FSIS requires that hazards for ready-to-eat meat products be addressed with a scientifically valid HACCP system. Since little literature exists for validation of these “old world” products, an experiment was designed to validate the safety of beef bresaola. The objectives of this study were to validate the safety of dry-cured, beef bresaola and to investigate a bresaola manufacturing process by attempting to achieve a 5 LOG10 (CFU/cm2) reduction of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes.Materials and MethodsPrior to curing, whole beef eye rounds (n = 6) were inoculated with a mixed culture bath containing 3 strains each of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes, allowed to air dry (30 min at 23°C), sprayed with a 2.5% Beefxide antimicrobial treatment (lactic and citric acid) on all surfaces and allowed to sit overnight in a walk-in cooler (2 to 4°C). Cure (NaNO3 and NaNO2) and salt were applied to the beef surface 24 h after the antimicrobial treatment, and the beef was allowed to cured for 28 d (2 to 4°C). Following curing, a proprietary spice mixture was applied to the surface of the beef, and each piece was stuffed into beef casings (115–130mm). The stuffed bresaola pieces were hung and allowed to dry for 44 d to a target water activity < 0.92 (13.63 ± 2°C; rH 68% ± 7%). Pathogen populations and aW were analyzed at d 0, 1, 2, and then once a week until d 72 of the study. Individual comparisons using a Generalized Linear Model were used to determine significant differences (p < 0.05) of pathogen concentrations between days.ResultsA 5 LOG10 (CFU/cm2) reduction was achieved for all 3 pathogens. A reduction of 5.52 LOG10 (CFU/cm2; p < 0.0001) for E. coli was achieved on d 44. A reduction of 5.72 LOG10 (CFU/cm2; p < 0.0001) for Salmonella ssp. was achieved on d 44. A reduction of 5.21 LOG10 (CFU/cm2; p < 0.0001) for Listeria monocytogenes was achieved on d 37. Final reductions of 5.97, 5.98, and 5.44 LOG10 (CFU/cm2; p < 0.0001) were achieved on d 65 for E. coli, Salmonella ssp., and Listeria monocytogenes, respectively. During the entire curing and drying process, populations of each species never increased by more than 0.5 LOG10 (CFU/cm2).ConclusionThe critical parameters used to treat, cure (3.5% salt), and dry this product are sufficient to achieve the minimum 5 LOG10 (CFU/cm2) reduction of each pathogen as required by FSIS to validate process safety.

Verification of rapid method for estimation of added food colorant type in boiled sausages based on measurement of cross section color

During the previous development of a chemometric method for estimating the amount of added colorant in meat products, it was noticed that the natural colorant most commonly added to boiled sausages, E 120, has different CIE-LAB behavior compared to artificial colors that are used for the same purpose. This has opened the possibility of transforming the developed method into a method for identifying the addition of natural or synthetic colorants in boiled sausages based on the measurement of the color of the cross-section. After recalibration of the CIE-LAB method using linear discriminant analysis, verification was performed on 76 boiled sausages, of either frankfurters or Parisian sausage types. The accuracy and reliability of the classification was confirmed by comparison with the standard HPLC method. Results showed that the LDA + CIE-LAB method can be applied with high accuracy, 93.42 %, to estimate food color type in boiled sausages. Natural orange colors can give false positive results. Pigments from spice mixtures had no significant effect on CIE-LAB results.

Acetylated Furostene Glycosides from Solanum gilo Fruits.

In continuation of our work on a traditional mixture of spices called "Nkui", used in Cameroon for its influence on women's reproductive health, we investigated the chemical composition of Solanum gilo, one component of "Nkui". A methanolic extract was studied in detail. After dereplication of several known compounds, two furo-5-stene-derived saponin glycosides with acetylated sugar moieties were isolated. By extensive 1- and 2D NMR experiments and HR-MS and GC-MS methods, the structures were elucidated as 26-[(3‴,4‴,6‴-tri-O-acetyl)-β-D-glucopyranosyloxy]-22-hydroxyfurost-5-en-3β-yl-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1″→2')-β-D-glucopyranoside (A) and 26-[(3‴,4‴,6‴-tri-O-acetyl)-β-D-glucopyranosyloxy]-22-hydroxyfurost-5-en-3β-yl-[O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1''''→4')-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1″→2')]-β-D-glucopyranoside (B), both new natural compounds.

Exploring the Flavour Potentiating Effect of Monosodium Glutamate on Acceptability Profile of Spiced ‘&lt;i&gt;Poories&lt;/i&gt;’

The present study was designed to investigate the flavor potentiating effect of an additive, Mono Sodium Glutamate (MSG) for an Indian fried product namely ‘&lt;em&gt;Poori&lt;/em&gt;’ prepared with spices. Poories were prepared with three levels of MSG, 50, 75 and 100mg/100g of flour. Four spices namely, chili, omum, pepper and cumin were used for addition to poories either singly or in combination. All products were evaluated for sensory acceptability by 40 semi-trained panel using scoring and free choice profiling. Data were analyzed using suitable statistical tests. Results indicated that MSG improved the acceptability of basic product. Spice added products also received high scores demonstrating the flavor enhancing effect of MSG. The scores were significantly higher for products with mixture of spices indicating synergism between spices and MSG. In conclusion, MSG can be used to improve the flavor profile of poories.

Nutritional Value of Coffee Made from a Mixture of Coffee Leaf and Spices Used in Ethiopia

In the south western part of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR) in Ethiopia, coffee is prepared not only from coffee bean but also from a mixture of coffee leaf and spices; commonly practiced in Kaffa, Sheka and Bench-Maji zones. The purpose of this study was to determine the proximate and mineral compositions of the coffee and evaluate its nutritional and energy values. The American Public Health Association (APHA) methods were employed for the determination of pH, crude fat and minerals. The phenol sulphuric acid and the Kjeldahl procedures were used for the determination of total carbohydrate and protein, respectively. The amount of energy that could be obtained from the drink was estimated by taking the sum of the proportions of fat, carbohydrate and protein. The percent values were: carbohydrate 0.92 ± 0.21-2.04 ± 0.16, protein 0.19 ± 0.01-0.44 ± 0.02 and fat 2.43 ± 0.49-4.17 ± 0.30. Energy content was 96.05 ± 13.72-434.53 ± 18.33 kcal. Considerable amounts of K (619.29–1910.67), Na (2654.19–3671.61), Fe (4.70–8.57), Mg (33.98-97.45), Ca (24.99–59.58), Mn (0.91–1.58), Cu (0.09–0.24), Zn (0.42–0.78), N (286.48–710.00) and P (24.47–59.10) mg/L were obtained. The Na:K and Ca:P ratios are found to be 1.92–4.27 and 0.62–1.02, respectively. There exist significant differences in almost all the nutrients among the roasted and other types of coffee made from a mixture of coffee leaf and spices (P<0.05). Generally, the drink contains significant nutrients vital for energy and health. It could be used as a supplement to satisfy human nutrition needs (food additive) so that it would partially curb nutrition insecurity problems in and out of the region and the country, especially for coffee growing countries.

Determining Efficacy of Monosodium Glutamate for Salt Reduction in Plain and Spiced ‘Poories’ Through Sensory Responses

Palatability is considered as a major determinant of food selection and intake. Umami foods are being employed widely in savory food formulation for its greater potential for enhancing savory taste. In the present investigation, the role of monosodium glutamate (MSG) in salt reduction along with spices was investigated to understand the flavor potentiating effect and synergistic action of MSG. Deep fried unleavened wheat based traditional Indian bread (Poories) was chosen to study the acceptability. Control product was prepared with 2.0% salt. For experimental products, two levels of MSG viz, 75 and 100 mg/100 g and three levels of salt, namely, 1.5, 1.75 and 2.0% were selected. Spices, namely, chili (Capsicum annum L.) cumin (Cuminum cyminum)), pepper (Piper nigrum L) and omum (Trachyspermum ammi)) were incorporated into the product, either as single spice or in combination. The results revealed that the MSG added products were given a higher score for umami flavour in comparison to the control product. In general, MSG added products scored better for flavor in salt reduced products. Results of low sodium poories with single spices and different level of salt indicated that all products prepared with spices were equally liked for the selected sensory characteristics. The products prepared with 1.75% salt obtained highest scores. This is indicative of the flavour enhancing property of MSG. Similarly for products with mixture of spices; salt reduced products were also accepted well. PCA plot revealed the flavor potentiating effect of MSG in salt reduction. Thus it could be said that using MSG and spices combination would be a better option for achieving salt reduction in savory products.

Review on Development of Wine and Vermouth from the Blends of Different Fruits

The article presents review on prospective of wine production from various fruits, categorization of wines and current status of wine industry. Vermouth is prepared from base wine by adding mixture of herbs and spices or their extract. Different parts of various plants (herbs and spices) such as the seeds, woods, leaves, barks or roots in dry form are used. These additives are infused, macerated or distilled in a base white wine and are added at the various stages of fermentation. The liquid is filtered, pasteurized, and fortified, i.e. additional alcohol is added. Some vermouth is sweetened; however, unsweetened or dry vermouth tends to be bitter and both have different alcohol levels. It is known as aromatized liquor and it can be considered as a fortified wine. With the augment in maturation period total soluble solids, total sugar, tannins and antioxidant activity decreased while as reducing sugar and volatile acidity increased significantly in both the products. There was trivial decrease in ethanol concentration. But in vermouth titratable acidity increased and pH decreased while as in case of wine the titratable acidity decreased and pH increased. This review gives comprehensive information on the technology of wine and vermouth production, various spices and herbs used.

Effect of Room Temperature Storage on the Physicochemical and Antioxidant Properties of Oven Dried Young Tamarind Leaves (Tamarindus Indica) Chutney Powder

Objectives: To study the effect of room temperature storage on the antioxidant properties of young tamarind leaves chutney powder. Methods: Instant young tamarind leaf chutney powder was developed with oven dried young tamarind leaves along with mixture of spices at various ratios for their storage stabilities and antioxidant activities for 12 d at room temperature (27 oC) storage. DPPH, ABTS and FRAP were studied. Findings: The addition of oven dried young tamarind leaves significantly increases the moisture, ash, protein, fat and fiber content at 0 d of TLCP (P<0.05).Increasing tamarind leaf concentrations significantly lowers L values and increases a and b values of T1 and T2, irrespective of its storage times (p<0.05). Similarly, total polyphenol content increases significantly with higher addition of tamarind leaves in TLCP at T2(p<0.05). This was highly correlated with increased DPPH, ABTS and FRAP of TLCP at T2 during 0 d storage. However, slight decrease in the antioxidant activities of TLCP during 12 d storage. Applications/Improvements: In overall, oven dried TLCP can be used as a functional instant chutney powder and can be stored at room temperature without much alteration in their functional effects.

UPLC-PDA estimation of curcuminoids as marker compounds for Curcuma longa L. in spice mixtures and herbal formulations

A simple, sensitive and precise ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) method for the analysis of curcuminoids in spice products was developed and compared with high-performance liquid chromatography method. The method was validated in terms of linearity, range, precision, accuracy and the results of validation studies were within the acceptable range. The UPLC method was applied to analyse curcuminoids in spice mixtures, herbal pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical formulations to establish curcuminoids as marker compounds for the standardisation of turmeric products. The indicative content of turmeric in the formulations was also calculated by considering 1 g/100 g of curcuminoids in turmeric and most of the formulations were found to contain lesser amount of turmeric than that in label claim.

English

This study investigated the processing, the commercialization and the consumption practices of spices and aromatic herbs in different districts of Benin. The investigation was done through a survey using a questionnaire. The questionnaire mainly focused on the socio-cultural profile of actors, the spices and aromatic herbs commercialized, the processing techniques, the quality attributes according to the actors, the forms of consumption and the storage methods. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics. The results revealed that spices and aromatic herbs processing and commercialization are mainly female activities (80% of surveyed). The spices and aromatic herbs used in Benin are under several forms: fresh ones, dried ones, and powder obtained from one or a mixture of several spices and aromatic herbs. The products are commercialized through local markets and sub-regional markets (Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Guinea). The appreciation of the quality of spices and aromatic herbs is based on quality attributes such as the aroma that must be marked and the physical aspect of fresh aromatic herbs. The spoilage of spices and aromatic herbs resulting in pungent taste, the attack by mould, and maggots, and the loss of aroma and weight of aromatic herbs during storage are the major problems claimed by the actors interviewed. Regarding the consumption, the spices and aromatic herbs are mainly used as flavouring and taste enhancer agents in all types of dishes. The current field investigation work also provided guidelines for the improvement of processing and storage practices of spices and aromatic herbs. Key words: Flavouring, taste enhancer, processing methods, consumption, quality, Benin.

Spices Mixture Containing Garlic, Ginger and Nutmeg Has Protective Effects on the Kidneys and Liver of Cadmium Exposed Rats.

To determine the potential protective effect of spice mixture containing garlic, ginger and nutmeg on the liver and kidney of cadmium exposed rats. Male albino rats (n=30) weighing 120 - 180 g, grouped into five (1-5) of 6 rats/group were studied. Group 1 (NC) rats were administered distilled water (1 ml) orally for 4 weeks and served as the negative control while group 2 (PC) rats were administered low dose (LD) cadmium (25 mg/kg body weight) orally for 4 weeks and served as positive control. Group 3 (TBE) rats were treated with spice mixture (SM); 300 mg/kg body weight orally for 2 weeks and then administered LD cadmium for 4 weeks. While group 4 (CET) rats were concurrently administered LD cadmium and SM for 4 weeks, group 5 (TAE) rats were administered LD cadmium for 4 weeks and then treated with SM for 2 weeks. The whole experiment lasted for 42 day after which the animals were sacrificed and blood collected for determination of biochemical parameters using standard procedures and techniques. Exposure to Cd produced greater increases in the liver function parameters. However treatment with SM significantly (p<0.05) reduced ALT in animals treated after exposure, AST and bilirubin in those treated before exposure and significant (p<0.05) increased serum albumin in animals treated before exposure to Cd. The altered renal function parameters and total serum cholesterol were restored to near normal values following treatment with SM. It may be concluded that concurrent intake of garlic, ginger and nutmeg at culinary dose in the diet has both therapeutic and prophylactic effect at mitigating Cd toxicity and reaffirms the safely of spices combinations as being currently practiced.