Protein Amino Acid Content Research Articles

Effects of Replacing Fishmeal with American Cockroach Residue on the Growth Performance, Metabolism, Intestinal Morphology, and Antioxidant Capacity of Juvenile Cyprinus carpio

Five isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets (Diet 1–Diet 5, with Diet 1 as the control) were formulated to replace 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% of fishmeal with American cockroach residue. Juvenile Cyprinus carpio (initial body weight approximately 74 g) were randomly assigned to these diets for a 10-week feeding trial. The Diet 3 group (40% replacement) showed significantly higher final body weight, weight gain rate, specific growth rate, and protein efficiency ratio compared to other groups. No significant differences were observed in crude protein, ash, and total amino acid content across the diets. Groups fed Diet 1 and Diet 2 exhibited higher intestinal trypsin, lipase, α-amylase, and hepatic trypsin activities. Serum triglyceride (TG) levels were highest in the Diet 5 group. Hepatic aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity was significantly lower in the Diet 3 and Diet 5 groups compared to Diet 1. Serum urea nitrogen levels followed a non-linear trend, initially increasing, then decreasing, and rising again with increasing fishmeal replacement. No significant differences were found in serum total protein (TP) levels among the dietary groups. Intestinal villus number, muscle layer thickness, villus height, villus width, and crypt depth remained consistent across groups. However, goblet cell numbers were significantly reduced at the 60% replacement level, which could impair intestinal barrier function. Diet 3 showed higher serum and hepatic total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity, while Diet 2 had the highest hepatic total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) activity. Hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were lowest in the Diet 2 and Diet 5 groups. Immunoglobulin M (IgM) levels showed an increasing trend with higher fishmeal replacement levels. In conclusion, replacing fishmeal with American cockroach residue did not adversely affect growth performance or body composition in juvenile C. carpio. Substituting 20–40% of fishmeal with American cockroach residue enhanced antioxidant capacity and immune function in juvenile C. carpio.

Broad beans are available source of protein in compound feed for quails of the parent herd

The priority direction in the development of current poultry farming is the search for new cost-effective and highly effective feed products based on local raw materials that can have a positive effect on poultry productivity and provide a solution to the problems of adequate feeding and provision of poultry with feed protein. One of the most promising means is broad beans as a grain feed crop with a high content of protein and valuable amino acids in the grain, as well as a relatively low content of anti-nutritional substances. Therefore, the introduction of broad beans into the composition of compound feed for quails is of certain value and is an affordable source of protein. The purpose of the research was to study the eff ect of compound feed using broad beans of Sibirskie variety on the productivity and reproductive traits of parent herd of quails. The results of a study on the introduction of 15 % of broad beans into compound feed and their effect on productivity when rearing parent herd of quails have been presented in the article. When quails were fed experimental compound feeds, the average daily feed intake decreased by 4.25 %, and egg production per average layer increased by 5.77 %. Iit was found according to the results of the physiological (balance) experiment that the digestibility of crude protein increased by 1.15 abs.%, crude fat by 2.69 abs.%, crude fi ber by 2.54 abs.%. It was found that the use of experimental compound feeds had a positive effect on the quality of hatching eggs, their hatchability increased by 1.46 abs.%, and the hatching rate of young animals by 1.74 abs.%. It was found that the use of compound feeds with the introduction of 15 % of feed beans in the diet of quails of the parent herd of Radonezh breed contributed to a decrease in the cost of hatching eggs by 8.50 %.

Effects of ultrafine grinding on nutritional, physicochemical and protein composition of Acheta domesticus powder

Acheta domesticus is a new source of high-quality protein, but the accessibility and acceptability of protein is notably limited by the particle size of the house cricket powder, and little information about the effect of particle size on the house cricket powder had been reported. In this study, four kinds of ultrafine cricket powder were obtained by two industrial methods, and compared with the traditional grinding powder. The results illustrated that ultrafine grinding technology could increase the powder properties, such as the thermal stability, crystallinity, color brightness, protein extraction rate and amino acid content, especially the essential amino acid (EAA) content were significantly improved. And the properties and nutrient release of the powder are mainly related to the particle size rather than the method. The results have a certain guiding effect on the development and application of ultrafine house cricket powder as a multifunctional nutrient.

Circulating Amino Acid Concentration after the Consumption of Pea or Whey Proteins in Young and Older Adults Affects Protein Synthesis in C2C12 Myotubes.

As older adults tend to reduce their intake of animal-source proteins, plant-source proteins may offer valuable resources for better protein intake. The aim of this study was to assess whether the pea proteins can be used to achieve blood amino acid levels that stimulate muscle protein synthesis. We measured variations in plasma amino acid concentrations in young and older adults given pea (NUTRALYS® S85 Plus) or whey proteins either alone or in a standardized meal. The effect of amino acid concentrations on protein synthesis in C2C12 myotubes was determined. In terms of results, plasma amino acid concentrations reflected the difference between the amino acid contents of whey and pea proteins. Blood leucine showed a greater increase of 91 to 130% with whey protein compared to pea protein, while the opposite was observed for arginine (A greater increase of 147 to 210% with pea compared to whey). Culture media prepared with plasmas from the human study induced age-dependent but not protein-type-dependent changes in myotube protein synthesis. In conclusion, pea and whey proteins have the same qualities in terms of their properties to maintain muscle protein synthesis. Pea proteins can be recommended for older people who do not consume enough animal-source proteins.

Effect of Dry Processing of Coconut Oil on the Structure and Physicochemical Properties of Coconut Isolate Proteins.

The effects of the dry processing of coconut oil on the amino acid composition, molecular weight, secondary structure, solubility, surface hydrophobicity, microstructure, total sulfhydryl and free sulfhydryl content, free amino acid content, thermal properties, and water-holding, oil-holding, foaming, and emulsifying properties of coconut isolate protein were investigated. The results showed that the dry processing altered the amino acid composition of coconut isolate proteins as well as resulted in fewer irregular structural regions and more homogeneous particle sizes, leading to an improvement in the thermal stability of the proteins. SDS-PAGE analysis showed that globular proteins located at ~34 kDa in coconut isolate proteins underwent slight degradation during the dry processing of coconut oil. The dry processing reduced the surface hydrophobicity, total and free sulfhydryl groups, solubility, and free amino acid content of coconut isolate proteins. In addition, the water-holding capacity, oil-holding capacity, and foam stability of coconut isolate proteins were improved to different degrees after the dry processing. Therefore, the development and utilization of copra meal protein is of great significance to increase its added value.

Modification of the Protein Amino Acid Content in Hen Eggs as a Consequence of Different Concentrations of Lupine and Soy in Feed.

The effect of the diet modification (soybean and lupine addition) on the content of protein and amino acids (AA) in eggs was studied. Both the sampling day and the diet influenced the total protein content. In albumen, the lowest protein content (10.6%) was noted after administering a diet containing 25% lupine; in the same egg the yolk contained the most proteins (16.7%). In the content of nonessential AA (NAA) in egg yolks, differences were noted only for cysteine, with its the highest content in the yolks of the control group. The stable content of essential yolk amino acids (EAA) was observed only for isoleucine, leucine, tryptophan and phenylalanine. The highest contents of EAA and NAA were recorded in the yolks of the control group (~47 and ~53 g/100 g of protein, respectively) and in the group with 25% additions of lupine (~42 and ~51 g/100 g of protein, respectively). AA with constant content in the tested albumens were methionine, tryptophan and alanine. The highest content of EAA (>~42 g/100 g of protein) and NAA (>~62 g/100 g of protein) were determined in albumen of eggs determined in the group with at least 20% additions of lupine. The highest content of EAA for humans delivered eggs from groups 4-6 (with the addition of soy into the diet ≤5%). The protein sources used in the hen diet significantly influenced the content of protein and individual AA in the produced eggs.

Study on electrostatic separation technology and characterization of shrimp shell protein

Shrimp shell protein is a high-quality protein with wide-ranging applications in feed, pharmaceuticals, and food industries. However, current methods for its production often involve the use of harsh chemicals, resulting in the generation of polluting effluents, making green alternatives highly desirable. This study combined demineralization of shrimp shell (Fenneropenaeus chinensis, Osbeck, 1765) with ultrafine grinding and electrostatic separation techniques to extract and separate the protein. The research findings revealed that shrimp shell contain 40.64 ± 0.52 % protein, which increased to 52.61 ± 1.12 % after demineralization treatment. Impact grinding, compared with cutting grinding, facilitated the production of demineralized shrimp shell ultrafine powder with more uniform distribution and smaller particle size. However, only demineralized shrimp shell powder obtained through cutting grinding achieved an increase in protein purity from 61.82 ± 0.75 % to 72.72 ± 0.83 % after electrostatic separation. The electrical properties of shrimp shell protein and chitin suggest that shrimp shell protein is more conductive than chitin, while shrimp shell chitin is more insulating and less prone to charge exchange with the counter material in a direct current electric field. The total amino acid content of shrimp shell protein obtained through electrostatic separation (715.831 mg/g protein) was higher than that obtained through traditional wet extraction (533.455 mg/g protein). Additionally, the amino acid score (AAS) of shrimp shell protein obtained via electrostatic separation was higher compared to that obtained via wet extraction. The wet extraction process significantly influenced the nutritional and structural properties of shrimp shell protein. This study confirms the potential application of electrostatic separation technology in the extraction of animal-derived shrimp shell protein.

Efficacy and mechanisms of rotating algal biofilm system in remediation of soy sauce wastewater

This study investigated the efficacy of the rotating algal biofilm (RAB) for treating soy sauce wastewater (SW) and its related treatment mechanisms. The RAB system demonstrated superior nutrient removal (chemical oxygen demand, ammonium nitrogen, total nitrogen, and phosphorus for 92 %, 94 %, 91 %, and 82 %, respectively) and biofilm productivity (14 g m−2 d–1) at optimized 5-day harvest time and 2-day hydraulic retention time. This was mainly attributed to the synergistic interactions within the algae-fungi (Apiotrichum)-bacteria (Acinetobacter and Rhizobia) consortium, which effectively assimilated certain extracellular polymeric substances into biomass to enhance algal biofilm growth. Increased algal productivity notably improved protein and essential amino acid contents in the biomass, suggesting a potential for animal feed applications. This study not only demonstrates a sustainable approach for managing SW but also provides insight into the nutrient removal and biomass conversion, offering a viable strategy for large-scale applications in nutrient recovery and wastewater treatment.

Unraveling the effect of drought and heat stresses on grain quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Drought stress (DS) and heat stress (HS) have adverse effects on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growth, serving as the primary constraints that significantly limit grain yield. Present study was carried out during 2020–21 and 2021–22 at the research farm of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi to evaluate the effects of drought and heat stress on grain quality parameters of 4 contrasting wheat genotypes. Several physiological and biochemical parameters were analyzed in wheat cv. C306 (thermotolerant), HD3271 (thermosusceptible), H11500 (drought tolerant) and HD3226 (drought susceptible) under DS and HS. Our study found that disintegration of chlorophyll pigments was higher in wheat cv. HD3226 (43%) under combined stress. Grain weight per spike was reduced by 30% in C306 and 47.3% in HD 3271 under combined drought and heat stress treatment. All cultivars showed reduction in starch, amylose, amylopectin, AGPase and Soluble starch synthase activity under DS and HS. Additionally, a significant increase in total soluble protein and free amino acid content were observed in all genotypes under combined stress. Chlorophyll content and grain weight per spike were positively correlated with the starch, amylose, amylopectin, soluble starch synthase and AGPase activity, while negatively related to the total soluble protein and free amino acid content. The tolerant genotypes maintained higher chlorophyll content, grain weight per spike, starch, amylose, amylopectin, soluble starch synthase and AGPase activity could be used for breeding, for the adaptation to drought and heat under climate change.

Study on the Digestion-Induced Changes in the Characteristics and Bioactivity of Korean Native and Overseas Cattle-Derived Peptides.

This study was conducted to compare and analyze the changes in the biochemical characteristics and biological activity of peptide extracts derived from Chickso, Hanwoo, and Wagyu beef during digestion. The results of the in vitro digestion analysis revealed that the digestion rate, total free amino acid content, and antioxidant and antihypertensive activities of Chickso loin and shank myofibrillar proteins were significantly higher (p<0.05) than those of Hanwoo and Wagyu loin and shank myofibrillar proteins. Particularly, the peptide extracts of Chickso loin and shank had a high angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity. In mice in vivo digestion experiment, the blood serum of mice fed with Chickso loin peptide extract (<10 kDa) showed the highest antioxidant enzyme activity. Thus, Chickso peptide extracts were deemed to be similar or more bioactive than Hanwoo and Wagyu peptide extracts, and can be used as bioactive materials.

Effects of high voltage pulsed electric field on structural properties and immune reactivity of arginine kinase in Fenneropenaeus chinensis

To evaluate the effect of high voltage pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment (10–20 kV/cm, 5–15 min) on the structural characteristics and sensitization of crude extracts of arginine kinase from Fenneropenaeus chinensis. By simulated in vitro gastric juice digestion (SGF), intestinal juice digestion (SIF) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), AK sensitization was reduced by 42.5% when treated for 10 min at an electric field intensity of 15 kV/cm. After PEF treatment, the α-helix content decreased, and the α-helix content gradually changed to β-sheet and β-turn. Compared to the untreated group, the surface hydrophobicity increased and the sulfhydryl content decreased. SEM and AFM analyses showed that the treated sample surface formed a dense porous structure and increased roughness. The protein content, dielectric properties, and amino acid content of sample also changed significantly with the changes in the treatment conditions. Non-thermal PEF has potential applications in the development of hypoallergenic foods.

Biofortified Rice Provides Rich Sakuranetin in Endosperm

Sakuranetin plays a key role as a phytoalexin in plant resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, and possesses diverse health-promoting benefits. However, mature rice seeds do not contain detectable levels of sakuranetin. In the present study, a transgenic rice plant was developed in which the promoter of an endosperm-specific glutelin gene OsGluD-1 drives the expression of a specific enzyme naringenin 7-O-methyltransferase (NOMT) for sakuranetin biosynthesis. The presence of naringenin, which serves as the biosynthetic precursor of sakuranetin made this modification feasible in theory. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) validated that the seeds of transgenic rice accumulated remarkable sakuranetin at the mature stage, and higher at the filling stage. In addition, the panicle blast resistance of transgenic rice was significantly higher than that of the wild type. Specially, the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) imaging was performed to detect the content and spatial distribution of sakuranetin and other nutritional metabolites in transgenic rice seeds. Notably, this genetic modification also did not change the nutritional and quality indicators such as soluble sugars, total amino acids, total flavonoids, amylose, total protein, and free amino acid content in rice. Meanwhile, the phenotypes of the transgenic plant during the whole growth and developmental periods and agricultural traits such as grain width, grain length, and 1000-grain weight exhibited no significant differences from the wild type. Collectively, the study provides a conceptual advance on cultivating sakuranetin-rich biofortified rice by metabolic engineering. This new breeding idea may not only enhance the disease resistance of cereal crop seeds but also improve the nutritional value of grains for human health benefits.

Nutritional and functional properties of protein hydrolysate from Tra fish by-products

The nutritional and functional properties, molecular weight distribution of protein hydrolysate from Tra fish by-products were studied. The protein hydrolysate was produced by enzymatic hydrolysis of Tra fish by-products with Protamex 0,5% at the temperature of 50 oC in 6 h. The study results showed that the Tra fish by-products protein hydrolysate had a moisture content of 6,7%, protein content of 65.8%, lipid content of 1,6% and ash content of 9,5 %. The protein hydrolysate had a total amino acid content of 52,81 g/100g of protein and essential amino acid content of 16,25 g/100g of protein. The ratio of essential amino acids to total amino acids was 30,76%. The protein hydrolysate was rich in glycine, glutamic, proline, alanine, aspartic and leucine. The most of peptides (68,25%) in Tra fish by-products protein hydrolysate had a molecular weight between 360 Da and 2.500 Da. The protein hydrolysate had solubility in the range of 90,3% - 98,2%. The solubility of protein hydrolysate was the lowest value at pH 4 and the highest value at pH 10. The foaming capacity of protein hydrolysate ranged from 19,5% to 27,8%. The emulsifying capacity of protein hydrolysate was 12,8 – 17,3 mL/g. The protein hydrolysate of Tra fish by-products possesses high nutritional value and good functional properties. The study results suggested that the protein hydrolysate from Tra fish by-products could be used as a promising food ingredient and protein source in food systems. ® 2023 Journal of Science and Technology - NTTU

Post-prandial muscle protein synthesis rates following the ingestion of pea-derived protein do not differ from ingesting an equivalent amount of milk-derived protein in healthy, young males.

Plant-derived proteins have received considerable attention as an alternative to animal-derived proteins. However, plant-derived proteins are considered to have less anabolic properties when compared with animal-derived proteins. The lower muscle protein synthesis rates following ingestion of plant- compared with animal-derived protein have been attributed to the lower essential amino acid content of plant-derived proteins and/or their specific amino acid deficiencies. This study aimed to compare post-prandial muscle protein synthesis rates following the ingestion of 30g pea-derived protein with 30g milk-derived protein in healthy, young males. In a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group design, 24 young males (24 ± 3 y) received a primed continuous L-[ring-13C6]-phenylalanine infusion after which they ingested 30g pea (PEA) or 30g milk-derived protein (MILK). Blood and muscle biopsies were collected frequently for 5h to assess post-prandial plasma amino acid profiles and subsequent post-prandial muscle protein synthesis rates. MILK increased plasma essential amino acid concentrations more than PEA over the 5h post-prandial period (incremental area under curve 151 ± 31 vs 102 ± 15mmol∙300min∙L-1, respectively; P < 0.001). Ingestion of both MILK and PEA showed a robust muscle protein synthetic response with no significant differences between treatments (0.053 ± 0.013 and 0.053 ± 0.017%∙h-1, respectively; P = 0.96). Post-prandial muscle protein synthesis rates following the ingestion of 30g pea-derived protein do not differ from the response following ingestion of an equivalent amount of milk-derived protein. International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (NTR6548; 27-06-2017).

КОМБИКОРМА ДЛЯ СВИНЕЙ МЯСНОГО ТИПА НА ОСНОВЕ ДОСТУПНОСТИ АМИНОКИСЛОТ

The article presents the results of research on the use of full-fledged compound feeds in the diet of meattype pigs with an optimal content of metabolic energy, protein and available amino acids, which allow for average daily gains during the growing periods – 480 g and 600 g, and during the fattening period – 830 g with feed consumption per unit increase – 2.83 kg, 2.48 kg and 3.87 kg, crude protein – 509 g, 410 g and 563 g and metabolic energy – 38.5, 32.2 and 49.3 MJ, respectively, and good-quality pork.

Effects of nitrogen topdressing fertilization on yield and quality in soybeans

&lt;p&gt;Soybean [&lt;italic&gt;Glycine max&lt;/italic&gt; (L.)] has higher nitrogen requirements than other crops. We investigated the effects on soybean yield and quality of topdressing with nitrogen fertilizer. Nitrogen fertilizer was applied as a topdressing to soybeans at 0, 20, 30, and 40 kg ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; (N0, N20, N30, and N40 treatments, respectively); half of the total topdressing treatment was applied at the pre-flowering (R 1) stage and the other half at the post-flowering (R 2) stage. Yield was highest in the N20 treatment and decreased with larger quantities of topdressing. The protein and total amino acid content were highest in the N20 treatment but tended to decrease with a greater quantity of topdressing. contents of most individual amino acids peaked in the N20 or N30 treatments and decreased as topdressing quantity increased, although proline and arginine contents increased with quantity of topdressing. Isoflavone content tended to be highest in either the N30 or N20 treatment. The agronomic efficiency of nitrogen (AE&lt;sub&gt;N&lt;/sub&gt;) was highest in the N20 treatment. There was a positive correlation between AE&lt;sub&gt;N&lt;/sub&gt; and yield, protein, isoflavone, and amino acid content. Topdressing with 20 kg ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; N produced the highest yield, protein, and amino acid content. Topdressing with greater quantities of nitrogen fertilizer decreased the yield and quality of soybeans.&lt;/p&gt;

Creating Single-Cell Protein-Producing Bacillus subtilis Mutants Using Chemical Mutagen and Amino Acid Inhibitors.

Due to population growth and climate changes, there is a rising need for alternative food and protein sources to reduce protein scarcity and the environmental impact of food industries. Single-cell proteins (SCPs) have the potential to partially or fully substitute plant- and animal-derived dietary proteins. Bacillus subtilis is an appealing bacterium for SCP production because of its fast growth and ability to obtain high protein and essential amino acid (AA) content in its biomass. It is also capable of utilizing a wide range of substrates. B. subtilis attractiveness and efficiency can be further enhanced using mutagenesis. In this study, a novel approach to creating mutant strains with enhanced protein and AA content was experimentally validated. The method is based on the application of AA inhibitors for selective pressure to ensure the growth of mutants with enhanced protein and/or AA synthesis capacity. For AA inhibitors, three herbicides were used: glufosinate-ammonium (GA), L-methionine sulfoximine (MSO), and S-(2-aminoethyl)-L-cysteine (AEC). Initially, AA inhibitor doses for the complete inhibition of wild-type (WT) B. subtilis strain were determined. Then, B. subtilis was treated with EMS chemical mutagen and created mutants were cultivated on a medium containing inhibitory dose of AA inhibitors. Growing samples were selected, analyzed, and compared. The optimal inhibitory concentrations of herbicides for mutant selection were 0.05-0.4 M for GA, 0.01-0.05 M for MSO, and 0.2 M for AEC. The best-performing mutants were selected when using GA-improvement of 7.1 times higher biomass content, 1.5 times higher protein concentration, 1.2 times higher AA content, and 1.2 times higher essential AA index was achieved in comparison with WT B. subtilis. Enhanced mutants were also successfully selected when using MSO and AEC. This study demonstrates the potential of using AA inhibitors for the selection of mutants with improved protein and AA profiles.

Study of Changes in the Amino Acid Composition of Spiked Cereals during the Ripening Process

Introduction. The amino acid composition of compound feed is of great importance in feeding all kinds of animals. The lack of one or another amino acid limits the assimilation of other amino acids, resulting in excessive compound feed consumption, deterioration of the metabolism in the bodies of animals and increasing of their susceptibility to diseases. The use of grain heaps of wheat in the early ripening stages as feed raw materials is a promising direction for the development of the fodder base that will provide a balanced amino acid composition of compound feed with a lower content of expensive fish meal, which is the main source of protein in compound feeds. Aim of the Article. The article is aimed at determining the optimal ripening stage of spiked cereals, at which a high content of protein and proteinogenic amino acids is observed. The proposed technology and technological tools for early harvesting of spiked cereals will reduce agrotechnical terms of harvesting, reducing losses from shatter losses, and get grain of enhanced nutritive value. Materials and Methods. To study the amino acid composition, 4 samples of a winter wheat grain heap were taken: the winter wheat varieties Admiral and Luchezar, the perennial winter wheat (trititrigia) variety Pamyati Lyubimovoy and the gray wheatgrass variety Sova. Harvesting the wheat of these varieties was carried out by a combing-threshing unit in 5 phenological stages (growth stages are presented on the BBCH scale): 77 – late milk ripeness, 83 – early phase of wax ripeness, 87 – gold wax ripeness, 89 – full ripeness, 92 – overripeness. Results. The results of analyzing amino acid composition of 4 samples of wheat grain heap showed a high content of almost all the amino acids studied in the phase of gold wax ripeness, except of aspartic acid and asparagine, glutamic acid and glutamine, and tryptophan. Discussion and Conclusion. Grain heap of waxy ripeness wheat is a promising grain raw material for the production of compound feeds, which will reduce the amount of expensive components, such as fishmeal.

Response studies of nano-sulphur on nutrient uptake, sulphur fractions, yield and quality parameters of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

An attempt was made to study the response of nano-sulfur in groundnut using four levels of nano-sulfur (NS) and conventional sulfur (CS) fertilizers in a completely randomized block design and replicated thrice. The results indicated that application of nano-sulfur @ 30 kg S ha−1 recorded 0.76 mg root sulfur uptake plant−1, 40.5 mg shoot sulfur uptake plant−1, 14.9 mg kernel sulfur uptake plant−1, and 3.09 mg shell sulfur uptake plant−1 higher in comparison to conventional sulfur @ 40 kg S ha−1 recorded root, shoot, kernel and shell sulfur uptake of 0.53, 35.8, 11.4 and 2.46 mg plant−1, respectively. The highest pod yield was recorded at 12.4 g plant−1 with nano-sulfur application @ 30 kg S ha−1 when compared to conventional sulfur @ 40 kg S ha−1 registered at 10.7 g plant−1. Quality parameters such as oil, crude protein, methionine, cysteine, and total free amino acid content were recorded highest under nano-sulfur application @ 30 kg S ha−1 i.e. 48.3%, 27.2%, 3.44 mg g −1, 1.89 mg g−1 and 46.3 mg g−1 respectively whereas conventional sulfur @ same set of sulfur treatment observed (46.7% oil, 25.1% crude protein, 3.16 mg methionine g−1, 1.75 mg cysteine g−1, and 39.6 mg total free amino acids g−1. Finally, the results concluded that the application of nano-S @ 30 kg S ha−1 is sufficient to attain higher sulfur use efficiency with a reduction of sulfur fertilizer to the tune of 25% besides augmenting the soil sulfur reserve without harming the environment.

Bee products as valuable nutritional ingredients: Determination of broad free amino acid profiles in bee pollen, royal jelly, and propolis

This study compared the amino acid content of three bee products: royal jelly, propolis, and bee pollen, which is a step toward improving the quality of nutrition and the safety of supplementation with these beneficial products of natural origin. The samples were collected from the hives of Apis mellifera bees in the apiaries located in Poland. A broad panel of free amino acids in bee products was determined using the highly selective liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. We quantified 32 amino acids in bee pollen, 31 in royal jelly, and 28 in propolis. The most abundant essential amino acid in bee products was histidine in bee pollen (1.5 mg/g), lysine in royal jelly (2.05 mg/g) and valine in propolis (0.006 mg/g). Proline was the most abundant non-essential amino acid in all bee products and accounted for 6.7 mg/g; 1.4 mg/g; and 0.3 mg/g, in bee pollen, royal jelly, and propolis, respectively. Among the non-proteinogenic amino acids, γ-amino-n-butyric acid was quantified in the highest concentrations in bee pollen (1.05 mg/g). Our study proved that bee products are characterized by specific profiles of free amino acids. In terms of protein and non-protein amino acid content, bee pollen is the most valuable bee product.