Nutritional Purposes Research Articles

ANALYSIS OF NUTRITIONAL QUALITY AND BIOACTIVE COMPONENTS OF CISSUSROTUNDIFOLIA, CYPHOSTEMMA DIGITATUM AND CISSUS QUADRANGULARIS (VITACEAE)

Cissus rotundifolia, Cyphostemma digitatum, and Cissus quadrangularis which belong to Vitaceae family are used as local traditional vegetables by local communities in Saudi Arabia and different regions in Asia for nutritional and therapeutic purposes. They were analyzed in this study in order to provide scientific evidence for their usage as nutritional and medicinal herbs. The protein, fat, fibre, cyanogenic glycoside, phytic acid, flavonoid, and tannin contents of the three species differed significantly (P < 0.05). Results from the nutritional analysis revealed the richness of C. rotundifolia leaves in crude protein (14.54%), carbohydrates (52.32%), fats (6.99%), and energy value (330.35 Kcal/100 g). C. rotundifolia and C. digitatum leaves showed comparable amounts of both vitamins C and A. The highest crude fiber was found in C. quadrangularis (23.82%), which also exhibited a good carbohydrate content (57.20%). Calcium was the most abundant mineral in the studied whole leaf extracts, followed by potassium. C. quadrangularis contained the highest concentrations of sodium (236 mg/100 g), iron (29 mg/100 g) and the lowest level of magnesium (96 mg/100 g). The concentrations of heavy metals in all samples were below the permissible level in food. In terms of anti-nutritional factors, all extracts had comparatively low levels of cyanogenic glycoside, phytate, alkaloid, and saponin contents. The leaves of C. quadrangularis contained significantly high levels of phenol, flavonoid, tannin, and proanthocyanidin content. C. rotundifolia leaves had a high level of DPPH radical quenching power (IC50 = 52.27 µg/mL) that was comparable to that of the standard (IC50 = 51.47 µg/mL). Inhibitory activities against alpha-amylase significantly varied among the extracts analyzed. The leaves of C. quadrangularis strongly inhibited alpha-amylase, and their impact was close to the effect of acarbose as a standard anti-diabetic agent. The findings revealed that the studied leafy wild plants can be used as a good source of various nutrients and beneficial biochemicals. Keywords: Cissus rotundifolia, Cyphostemma digitatum, Cissus quadrangularis, nutrients, anti-nutrients, bioactive compounds

Comparative investigation of selenium-enriched Pleurotus ostreatus and Ganoderma lucidum as natural sources of selenium supplementation

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for human health, but its nutritional supply is insufficient in large parts of the world. Mushrooms can be enriched in selenium and can serve as alternative and natural source of selenium supplementation. In the present study, two common mushroom species (Pleurotus ostreatus and Ganoderma lucidum), were enriched with two selenium compounds (selenite and selenate) to test their suitability as natural sources of selenium supplementation. Sharp differences in the the metabolic patterns of the fortified selenium were observed. Selenium was effectively metabolized in P. ostreatus but remained in inorganic form in G. lucidum. However, mushrooms extracts were effective in enhancing selenoprotein expression in cell lines. The present study highlights the importance of employing selenium speciation analysis with an element-selective technique to examine the metabolic products following mushroom fortification for nutritional purposes due to the different toxicological profile and bioavailability of different selenium biotransformation products.

Relationships between Na, K, and Ca mineral nutrients in brine and table olive flesh. Nutritional labelling implications

The mineral equilibrium between olive flesh/moisture (in-flesh) and the surrounding brines has been studied for the first time. A pseudo-distribution coefficient, Kd, has been defined and applied to fermented Gordal, Manzanilla (green Spanish-style) and packaged Aloreña de Málaga (natural green) olives. Kd had values < 1 for Na and K in the flesh but >1 for Ca, suggesting lower and higher contents in olive flesh than in brine. When the equilibrium for Na and K was referred to the flesh moisture, most Kd approached 1, implying a trend for equilibrium. However, Ca exhibited values above 1, indicating a higher concentration also in the flesh moisture, suggesting that part of this element may also form complexes with soluble olive flesh components. Kd was not significantly related to the concentrations of Na, K, or Ca in brines, although the Na model explained 80% variance. Simple and multiple regressions deduced the mineral nutrients in the flesh as a function of their concentrations in brine, but the second only increased the explained variance (about 10%) in the case of Na. For nutritional labelling purposes in the EU (where sodium must be expressed as salt), both functions can estimate the Na, K, and Ca contents in olive flesh from their concentrations in brine since their variabilities were within tolerance limits, particularly when the initial fermentation/packaging brines were fortified with K or Ca.

Utilization of Nikshay Poshan Yojana scheme among tuberculosis patients registered in a designated microscopy center, Bangalore

Background: Nutritional support plays an important role in the management of tuberculosis. To reduce malnutrition among those suffering from TB, the government of India started the Nikshay Poshan Yojana in 2018, offering a monthly incentive of INR 500 to each patient enrolled under the programme. Objective was to assess the utilization of financial benefits among tuberculosis patients registered under the scheme Nikshay Poshan Yojana. Methods: Descriptive study was conducted among 137 tuberculosis patients registered under Nikshay portal of designated microscopy center (DMC). Interview was conducted and obtained necessary information. Results: Among 116 responded tuberculosis patents, 83 (71.5%) received full and partly incentives throughout the course of treatment, among the beneficiary 61 (71.5%) were using their incentives for nutritional purpose. Conclusions: Beneficiaries under Nikshay Poshan Yojana received incentives but not on timely basis.

Comparative physiological study of sea cucumbers from eastern waters of United States.

Sea cucumbers, belonging to the phylum Echinodermata, are known to possess valuable bioactive compounds that have medicinal properties. In several countries, such as Korea, China, and Japan, they are cultured in the aquaculture industries for food and medicinal purposes. Research has shown that different species of sea cucumbers each possesses unique medicinal values. As a result, we strive towards finding species with better health resilience in aquaculture system to be cultured for nutritional and medicinal purposes. In this paper, we compared the physiological and immunological parameters of three species of sea cucumbers, Cucumaria frondosa (C. frondosa), Isostychopus badionotus (I. badionotus), and Pentacta pygmaea (P. Pygmaea) from the waters of the eastern United States as they have not been studied extensively. Four different cells of sea cucumbers, phagocytic, red spherule, white spherule, and vibratile cells, that contribute to their immunity were counted. C. frondosa exhibited the highest concentrations of phagocytic cells, white spherule cells, and vibratile cells, compared to the two other species. Due to its high phagocytic cell concentration, the highest phagocytic capacity was seen in C. frondosa although it was not statistically significant. We also observed that C. frondosa had the highest total cell count and the highest concentration of coelomic protein among the three species. Lastly, C. frondosa possessed the highest lysozyme activity. Taken together, we concluded that C. frondosa is the best of the three species compared to be reared in the aquaculture systems for use in the food and biomedicine industries due to its immunological and physiological properties.

Digital twin models of replicative ground stones: insight into simulating usage of Upper Paleolithic tools

This work presents the first attempt to create a physics-based digital twin model for predictive analysis of damage evolution during the use of ground stone tools (GSTs) in transformative tasks, encompassing the processing of raw resources for nutritional and non-alimentary purposes. The proposed methodology introduces a digital twin of the GSTs developed from 3D models generated using a photogrammetric technique based on Structure-from-Motion and Multi-View Stereo reconstruction. These models serve as the foundation for the development of the finite element (FE)-based digital twin model of the GSTs that exploits a contact formulation and the phase-field approach to simulate tool damage during pounding and grinding tasks. Defining the initial relative positions of the stones, their mechanical behaviour, and controlling the movement of the active stone in a way as close as possible to the real one, the digital twin model has been devised to evaluate how the surface damage is affected by perturbations in the loading conditions. The simulated damage is compared with the surface traces observed from experiments. The developed digital twin model aims at demonstrating its potentials for the GSTs investigations, as a supporting tool for experiments and for simulated tests on the archaeological records.

The Role of Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) as a Functional Food in Vegetarian Nutrition.

Recently, there has been a renewed interest in Cannabis sativa and its uses. The recreational use of inflorescences as a source of THC has led to the legal restriction of C. sativa cultivation to limit the detrimental effects of psychotropic substance abuse on health. However, this has also limited the cultivation of textile/industrial varieties with a low content of THC used for textile and nutritional purposes. While previously the bans had significantly penalized the cultivation of C. sativa, today many countries discriminate between recreational use (marijuana) and industrial and food use (hemp). The stalks of industrial hemp (low in psychotropic substances) have been used extensively for textile purposes while the seeds are nutritionally versatile. From hemp seeds, it is possible to obtain flours applicable in the bakery sector, oils rich in essential fatty acids, proteins with a high biological value and derivatives for fortification, supplementation and nutraceutical purposes. Hemp seed properties seem relevant for vegetarian diets, due to their high nutritional value and underestimated employment in the food sector. Hemp seed and their derivatives are a valuable source of protein, essential fatty acids and minerals that could provide additional benefit to vegetarian nutrition. This document aims to explore the information available in the literature about hemp seeds from a nutritional point of view, highlighting possible beneficial effects for humans with particular attention to vegetarian nutrition as a supplemental option for a well-planned diet.

Effects of aqueous and methanolic solvent systems on phytochemical and antioxidant extraction from two varieties of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) var. sabdariffa plant from Central Malawi

The extraction efficiency of aqueous and 80 % methanolic solvent systems on phytochemicals and antioxidant capacity from two varieties of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa var.) was evaluated for ethno-medicinal and nutritional purposes. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, phenols, saponins, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides and carbohydrates from both extractions. Methanolic extracts had high (P < 0.05) total phenolic compound in both red and dark red calyx H. sabdariffa, compared to aqueous extracts which ranged from 17.97 ± 0.08–258.06 ± 0.17 for dark red calyx leaf and methanolic red calyx calyces respectively. However, the study showed that red calyx H. sabdariffa had high (P < 0.05) concentration of total phenolic content compared to dark red calyx H. sabdariffa irrespective of the effect of solvent systems. In this study, aqueous extracts exhibited higher TAC than methanolic extracts but aqueous dark red calyx H. sabdariffa had high (P < 0.05) TAC compared to red calyx H. sabdariffa extracts. In methanol, red calyx H. sabdariffa exhibited high (P < 0.05) TAC compared to dark red calyx sabdariffa extracts. Anthocyanins content was high (P < 0.05) in methanol compared to aqueous extracts which ranged from 4.1562 ± 0.0742–315.460 ± 0.428 for aqueous dark red calyx fruit and dark red calyx calyces respectively. The type and polarity of solvent had a significant effect on both the quality and quantity of the extracts, phytochemicals and antioxidants of the extracts from the two H. sabdariffa varieties. The study revealed that methanolic extracts had high antioxidants, phytochemicals and anthocyanins compared to aqueous extracts. Therefore consumption and use of H. sabdariffa extracts could improve human health by either reducing or delaying the development of cell degenerative diseases like cancer and diabetes mellitus.

Phytonutrients and Anti-Nutrient Composition of Aqueous Extract of Fermented Seeds of Prosopis africana

Prosopis africana is a perennial leguminous plant in the genus Prosopis. The seeds are used as food condiment. This study was aimed at evaluating the phytochemical, proximate, vitamin and anti-nutrient compositions of aqueous extract of fermented seeds of Prosopis africana. The analyses were done using standard biochemical methods. Assessment of the bioactive constituents was carried out using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The result of the phytochemical analysis revealed quantifiable levels of Steroid, phenols, triterpenes, alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, terpenoids and saponin. The result of the proximate analysis showed that fermented seeds of Prosopis africana contains moisture (50.51 ± 0.01%), ash (3.78± 0.004%), crude fat (4.45 ± 0.03%), crude fibre (2.49 ± 0.01%), crude protein (25.27 ± 0.07%) and Carbohydrates (13.56 ± 0.003%). The energy value was 195.37 Kcal/100g. Vitamins A (6.38 ± 0.001), vitamin C (36.77 ± 0.004), Vitamin D (0.43 ± 0.003) and vitamin E (0.84 ± 0.001) were present in the extract. The anti-nutrients detected were tannin (12.27 ± 0.06 mgGAE/kg), Phytate (3.68 ± 1.18 mg/kg), oxalate (44.36 ± 14.16 mg/kg), trypsin (4.72 ± 0.46 mg/kg) and cyanide (0.47 ± 0.14 ppm). A total of seventeen (17) bioactive constituents were found using gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometer which include 1,2-Benzisothiazol-3-amine, 2,5-Dihydroxyacetophenone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Propionic acid, Cyclohexasiloxane, 1,2-Bis(trimethylsilyl) benzene, Cycloheptasiloxane, 2-bromobutyloxychalcone, Cyclooctasiloxane, Fumaric acid, 5-Methyl-2-phenylindolizine, 4-(acridin-9—ylamino)-phenyl)-acetamide, 1,2-Bis(trimethylsilyl)benzene), 5-Methyl-2-phenylindolizine, 1,2-Benzisothiazole-3-propanoic acid, 1,4-Bis(trimethylsilyl) benzene and Cyclotrisiloxane. This study showed that aqueous extract of Prosopis africana seed contains various compounds which are found useful for nutritional and medicinal purposes.

Breeding of Small Animals in Urban and Rural Homes in the State of Alagoas, Brazil

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the breeding of domestic animals in households of Alagoas-BR during the pandemic. Theoretical Reference: Zootechnology is the science that aims to harness the potential of domestic animals, with the purpose of exploiting them rationally as a source of food and other purposes with humans, adapting animals to the creative environment and thus harnessing them for nutritional and economic purposes. Domestic animals, in turn, are of great importance in society, from those intended for human consumption, as well as those tutored for domestic companionship and other purposes such as accompanying persons with special needs. Method: The search was performed by collecting data, constituting a quantitative search, through a questionnaire on Google Forms. The study's actors were students from the ECSC-UFAL. Through the answers, it was identified that the majority of the participants corresponded to students of the Zootechny course. Results: The majority of respondents reside in the urban area, being 82.5% residents of houses. Of the total, 42.6% stated that they had as monthly income per capita up to 1.5 minimum wages. Twelve types of animals were cited and 72.1% of the participants did not start breeding a new animal during the pandemic, of the 27.9%, most of the animals were obtained by adoption. With the main reason being financial, 5 of the interviewees claimed that they had to donate the animal during the pandemic. Eight interviewees raise animals for consumption, including cattle, chickens, pigs, sheep and goats. Only 7.7% sought the help of a zootechnician to assist in the rearing of these animals. However, even being a low percentage, it is understood that all participants know the role of the zootechnician in animal breeding. Implications of research: For the professional practice of the zootechnician, it is indispensable to have a holistic understanding of all the factors and phenomena around him. This perception begins in his education as a student and his experiences and experiences contribute to the result (professional activity). Originality/value: The results presented here as the result of the research deal with unprecedented and relevant data for studies especially within the area of agrarian and related sciences, since it raises perceptions of students as to their course, as well as these actors tend to represent their understandings to the external public. It also implies the need for a better understanding of the importance of domestic animals going beyond breeding for consumption and/or simple companionship to guardians.

Chemical Profile of Turnip According to the Plant Part and the Cultivar: A Multivariate Approach.

Turnip (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa) is a cruciferous plant cultivated worldwide that serves as a source of nutrients and bioactive compounds. Most turnip studies have focused on a few compounds or on part of the plant. The establishment of a complete chemical profile of different plant parts would facilitate its use for nutritional and medicinal purposes. In the current study, mineral elements, soluble sugars, free amino acids (FAA), total phenols (TP), total flavonoids (TF), and glucosinolates (GS) were quantified in the leaves, stems, and roots. Results were compared for 20 strains of turnip. The outcomes showed significant differences between parts of the plant and strains. The leaves exhibited the highest TF, TP, indispensable FAA, and microelement levels, and they showed a higher GS. Moreover, the stems had a high content of GS and macroelements. Furthermore, the roots showed high levels of free sugars and total FAA. The findings of this work provide the basis for utilizing each part of the turnip plant based on its chemical composition.

Hirsutine, an Emerging Natural Product with Promising Therapeutic Benefits: A Systematic Review.

Fruits and vegetables are used not only for nutritional purposes but also as therapeutics to treat various diseases and ailments. These food items are prominent sources of phytochemicals that exhibit chemopreventive and therapeutic effects against several diseases. Hirsutine (HSN) is a naturally occurring indole alkaloid found in various Uncaria species and has a multitude of therapeutic benefits. It is found in foodstuffs such as fish, seafood, meat, poultry, dairy, and some grain products among other things. In addition, it is present in fruits and vegetables including corn, cauliflower, mushrooms, potatoes, bamboo shoots, bananas, cantaloupe, and citrus fruits. The primary emphasis of this study is to summarize the pharmacological activities and the underlying mechanisms of HSN against different diseases, as well as the biopharmaceutical features. For this, data were collected (up to date as of 1 July 2023) from various reliable and authentic literature by searching different academic search engines, including PubMed, Springer Link, Scopus, Wiley Online, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. Findings indicated that HSN exerts several effects in various preclinical and pharmacological experimental systems. It exhibits anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anti-diabetic, and antioxidant activities with beneficial effects in neurological and cardiovascular diseases. Our findings also indicate that HSN exerts promising anticancer potentials via several molecular mechanisms, including apoptotic cell death, induction of oxidative stress, cytotoxic effect, anti-proliferative effect, genotoxic effect, and inhibition of cancer cell migration and invasion against various cancers such as lung, breast, and antitumor effects in human T-cell leukemia. Taken all together, findings from this study show that HSN can be a promising therapeutic agent to treat various diseases including cancer.

The potential of almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts SFE-CO2 extracts as sources of bread flavouring ingredients.

Nuts have been part of the human diet since our early ancestors, and their use goes beyond nutritional purposes, for example, as aromatic sources for dairy products. This work explores the potential of almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) DA Webb), hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.), and walnut (Juglans regia L.) extracts as sources of food flavouring agents, suggesting a new added-value application for lower quality or excess production fruits. The extracts were obtained by supercritical fluid extraction with carbon dioxide and characterized by: quantification of the volatile fraction by HS-SPME GC-MS; sensory perception and description; and cytotoxicity against Vero cells. All extracts revealed potential as flavouring ingredients due to terpene abundance. No significant differences were observed for the minimal sensory perception, in which the odour threshold values ranged from 8.3×10-4 to 6.9×10-3 μg·mL-1 for walnuts and almonds extracts, respectively. In contrast, the cytotoxic potential differed significantly among the extracts, and P. dulcis extract presented lower cytotoxicity. Notes as woody, fresh, and green were identified in the volatile intensifiers obtained from the P. dulcis extract. Thus, almond extract was identified as the most promising ingredient to increase the sensory value of food products, namely bread. This potential was verified by an increase in the odour perception of bread after adding 4μL of extract to each 100g of bread dough. The quantified eucalyptol and d-limonene terpenes - found in the P. dulcis extract - have improved the release of the pleasant and natural volatile compounds from bread crust and crumb compared to the control bread chemical and sensory profiles.

Metabolomic approach for phytochemical assessment of Murraya koenigii fruits during different maturity stages

A detailed metabolomic study was performed on various maturation stages of Murraya koenigii fruit pulps, seed, and leaf. Among the fruit pulps, stage 6 had the highest TPC (13.27 mg/g of GAE) and TFC content (6.16 mg/g RE). The extracts also showed promising free radical scavenging activity, especially in the seed (IC50DPPH 427 μg/mL). Metabolomics study revealed the identification of 133 metabolites in fruit pulps, seeds and leaves using the METLIN database. In silico PASS software analysis predicted the antimutagenic property of myricetin and bismurrayaquinone A. Pathway analysis revealed the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway as one of the major pathways present in the fruit pulps. This detailed metabolic report of M. koenigii fruit maturation report brings a new insight into phytochemicals and their distribution in seed, pulps and leaves along with nutritive values and can be considered for nutritive and therapeutic purposes.

Camellia japonica Flowers as a Source of Nutritional and Bioactive Compounds.

In recent decades, plants have strengthened their relevance as sources of molecules potentially beneficial for health. This underpinning effect also arises from the extensive research that has been conducted on plants that are typically undervalued, besides being scarcely used. This is the case with Camellia japonica in Galicia (NW Spain), where, despite its abundance, it is exclusively used for ornamental purposes and has been studied only for its proximate composition. Thus, the present study was conducted on several additional parameters in the flowers of eight C. japonica varieties. Our results show that camellia has a high nutritional value, with carbohydrates as the most abundant macronutrients followed by a moderate protein content (4.4-6.3 g/100 g dry weight) and high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (especially ω-3 fatty acids, which represent 12.9-22.7% of the total fatty acids), raising its potential for use for nutritional purposes. According to the thermochemical characterization and elemental composition of camellia, the raw material has poor mineralization and low nitrogen content, but high percentages of volatile matter and high carbon-fixation rates, making it a promising alternative for biofuel production. Furthermore, preliminary analysis reveals a high concentration of different bioactive compounds. As a result of these findings, camellias can be used as food or functional ingredients to improve the nutritional quality of food formulations.

INVESTIGATION of the EFFECT of CREAMED HONEY PRODUCTION PROCESS on the SUGAR PROFILE of HONEY

The predominant compounds found in honey are carbohydrates, mainly composed of fructose and glucose. Honey is a supersaturated solution with more than 70% sugar and less than 20% water content. Crystallization of supersaturated solutions is expected from a physicochemical point of view. However, since the crystallization phenomenon is not fully understood by the consumers, crystallized honey is generally not liked. Beekeepers and/or marketers of bee products apply a high degree of heat treatment to crystallized honey to bring it into liquid form and market it to meet consumer preferences. Honey has been used for both healing and nutritional purposes throughout history. Unfortunately, some processes applied to honey consciously or unconsciously can have the opposite effect, although they lose the healing value of honey. The new product, which is formed as a result of controlled crystallization to improve the sensory and physical properties of honey, is called cream honey. Creamed honey is an alternative product to crystallization and its effects. In this study, creamed honey was produced from filtered honey and the effect of creamed honey production process on the sugar profile of honey was investigated by High Performance Liquid Chromatography- Refractive Index Detection (HPLC-RID) method. In the analyzes made, it was concluded that the creamed honey production process did not have a significant effect on the sugar profile of honey (p&gt;0.05).

Clinical Efficacy of Topical or Oral Soy Supplementation in Dermatology: A Systematic Review.

Soybean, a legume native to Southeast Asia, serves many nutritional and medical purposes due to its rich source of phytochemicals and its antioxidant activity. Many animal and in vitro studies have demonstrated its potential impact on dermatologic health. The objective of this review is to investigate the clinical response of soy-based oral supplementation or topical application on dermatologic outcomes. A systematic review of studies assessing soy supplementation or application was performed in January 2023. Databases included PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Natural Medicines, and studies assessing any formulation that included soybean or associated products were included. Thirty studies met the inclusion criteria and are included in the review; 13 of these studies assessed oral supplementation and 17 assessed topical application. Topical and oral supplementation demonstrated efficacious results for a variety of dermatologic parameters, including chronological or photoaging parameters, skin barrier status, hydration, hyperpigmentation, dermal network composition, erythema, hair and nail parameters, acne lesion counts, and vulvar lichen sclerosis scores. Factors associated with aging, such as wrinkle area and depth, were most frequently assessed among the studies, and both topical and oral studies demonstrated efficacy. Effects are likely mediated by dermal compositional changes, such as increased collagen and/or elastic fiber numbers. Transepidermal water loss measurements, an indicator of skin barrier status, were frequently obtained among the studies, although improvement was more likely achieved with topical application compared to oral supplementation. The results of this review highlight the utility of soy-based products for a variety of dermatologic applications, although future studies are required to determine optimal formulations and application routes for intended outcomes.

Investigating the above-ground biomass values of sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas)

The role of sweet potato tubers in human nutrition is not new. The above-ground biomass of sweet potatoes is not used for nutritional purposes in most countries, but it has a high biological value. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to investigate the production of press fibre from above ground biomass by wet fractionation. Two sweet potato varieties (purple- and white-fleshed sweet potato) and two types of irrigation system were used: bubbling water flow system (BWS) and continuous water flow system (CWS). Glucan, xylan, arabinan were analysed by HPLC and elemental content was measured by ICP-OES. Our results show that the total carbohydrate content in the pressed fibre of the leaf blades (27.64–29.88 %w/w) is lower than in the stem with petiole (51.14–57.36 %w/w). No significant difference in glucan, xylan and arabinan content was observed in the leaf blade. In the stem with petiole, significant differences were observed for xylan and arabinan contents. For elemental content, generally higher values were measured in the leaf blade than in the stem with petiole. This information may be relevant for the selection of the appropriate variety and treatment, even for the production of functional food.

Effects of Different Processing Methods on the Nutritional, Phytochemical and Functional Properties of Soya bean (Glycine max TGX 1835-10E) commonly produced in Cameroon

Soya bean (variety TGX 1835-10E) is a legume commonly produced and consumed in Cameroon. Despite its affordability compared to animal sources of proteins, protein energy malnutrition (PEM) is still observed in the country and especially in rural areas. This can be attributed the way the available soya bean is processed which can easily affect its physicochemical properties and reduce its nutritional value and functional properties. This study was conducted in order to evaluate the effect of different processing methods on the nutritional composition, phytochemical and functional properties of soya bean. The beans were divided into nine groups that were processed differently and analyzed for their total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, oil quality and nutritional composition and the functional properties of their flours. Results showed that the total phenolic content was found to be ranged between 99.84 - 216.85 mg GAE/g and significantly increased with roasting and decreased with boiling treatments. All samples exhibited good antioxidant activity. All treatments altered soya bean oil quality with time. Soaking, boiling, de-hulling and drying considerably reduced the protein (43.49 to 29.93%) and carbohydrate (15.44 to 1.27%) contents of soya bean while soaking, de-hulling, boiling and drying increased its lipid content (11.60 to 15.90%). All treatments significantly reduced the mineral and anti-nutrient (phytate and oxalate) contents of soya bean. The flours exhibited good functional properties, except for emulsion and foaming capacities which significantly decrease with processing. Soya bean can be a good ingredient for food formulation and preparation, both for nutritional and technological purposes.

In vitro ruminal degradability of wheat straw cultivated with white-rot fungi adapted to mushroom farming conditions

Biological treatment of cereal straw for ruminant nutrition purposes might present an environmentally friendly option of valorizing a widely available by-product of grain production for farming systems with low external input. Several strains of white-rot fungi have been selected in the past under mostly controlled laboratory conditions for their capacity of lignin degradation. The study adapted to conditions on farm for upscaling purposes. The development of the in vitro straw digestibility with two different moistening pre-treatments and inoculated with three different fungi species, namely Pleurotus ostreatus, Ceriporiopsis subvermispora and Volvariella volvacea, was determined up to 42 days of fermentation with five sampling times. The effect of physical straw pre-treatments on nutritional parameters was evaluated. The neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD30h), enzymatically soluble organic substance (ELOS) and the gas production (Hohenheim Feed value Test, HFT) as indicators for in vitro ruminal degradability decreased over time independent of the fungus: HFT, ELOS and NDFD30h by up to 50, 35 and 30% of the original straw. Remoistening and autoclaving the straw increased the gas production significantly by 2.6 mL/200 g dry matter (DM), and ELOS and NDFD30h by 45 and 51 g/kg DM compared to the original straw (34.9 mL/200 mg DM, 342 g/kg DM, 313 g/kg NDF).