Rich Source Of Nutrients Research Articles

Uncovering the potentials of long-term straw return and nitrogen supply on subtropical maize (Zea mays L.) photosynthesis and grain yield

ContextCrop straw is a significant byproduct of agricultural production and a rich source of nutrients, but it is carelessly disposed of, potentially harming the environment and wasting valuable resources. In China, returning straw to the soil as a means of disposing of agricultural waste is a crucial management technique that not only makes use of agricultural waste but also enhances soil quality and grain yield. ObjectiveA five-year (2018–2022) field experiment was designed to study the effect of straw treatment methods and optimal nitrogen (N) application rate on the photosynthesis process and grain yield of maize. MethodsThe different straw methods (straw return (SR) and traditional practice (TP) — no straw return) were assigned to main plots while the N levels such as N100 (100 kg ha−1), N150 (150 kg ha−1), N200 (200 kg ha−1), N250 (250 kg ha−1), and N300 (300 kg ha−1) were allotted to sub-plots. ResultsThe results showed the photosynthesis rate (Pn), intercellular carbon dioxide concentration, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, relative chlorophyll content (SPAD), leaf area index (LAI), dry matter (DM), soil nitrogen content, maize grain nitrogen accumulation, and grain yield were increased with an increase in N levels. Similarly, SR also showed a promotion effect on the aforementioned parameters compared with TP. After five years, SR with an optimum N level (250 kg ha−1) increased the SPAD values (2%) and Pn (8%) which resulted in higher LAI (27%) compared with TPN300. As a result, more DM (15%) was formed and finally increased the grain yield (7%). It was revealed that the SPAD, Pn, LAI, DM, and grain yield were maximum at a higher 300 kg N ha−1 level but it was found statistically similar with 250 kg N ha−1. So in this study, SR with 250 kg N ha−1 is optimum for better photosynthetic efficiency, dry matter production, and grain yield. The correlation analysis also showed a positive correlation (i) of SPAD values with Pn (ii) LAI with SPAD values and Pn, (iii) DM with SPAD values, Pn, and LAI, and (iv) grain yield with DM under SR compared with TP. Conclusion and implicationIn summary, SRN250 resulted in better chlorophyll content and photosynthesis process that yielded more photosynthetic area for higher DM production and subsequently higher maize grain yield. The SR reduced the amount of N fertilizer and improved the grain yield and it is the best approach to improve grain yield and minimize agricultural waste production. Long-term trials are needed to understand the effects of straw incorporation and nitrogen application in different regions and locations.

Impact of electrolyzed water as pre-treatments on drying properties and total colour difference of fresh-cut ‘Tommy Atkins’ mangoes

Mango fruits are a rich source of nutrients, however, due to their perishability and seasonality, minimal processing and drying offer the potential ensure a shelf stable and safe product. The use of sodium metabisulphite (SMB) as pre-treatment in the dried fruit industry has been widely adopted, but sulphite residue remains a health public concern. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of alkaline and acidic electrolyzed water (AIEW and AEW, mg/mL) as alternative pre-treatments to SMB (1% w/w) for ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango slices prior to hot air drying at 60 °C. Fresh-cut and untreated samples were used as a control. During the drying process the weight of the slices were monitored every 60 min for 10 h, which was used to calculate moisture ratio (MR), drying rate (DR), and the experimental data of the samples were subjected to eight thin layer models. Colour parameters (L*, a*, and b*) were measured, and use to determine colour intensity (C*), hue angle (h°), and total colour difference (TCD) before and after drying. Based on measured weight, continuous decline in MR was recorded for all dried mango slices over the drying time irrespective on treatment. Out of the eight applied thin layer models Henderson & Pabis and Logarithmic were the best appropriate models describing and predicting the drying behavior of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mangoes (R2 = 0.94, RMSE ≥ 0.0006). Samples treated with AEW treated samples had lowest L*, h°, and TCD values (p < 0.05). No significant different were found in h° values amongst all pre-treated and dried samples (p > 0.05), but these samples were significantly different from dried untreated (control) and fresh samples (p < 0.05). Pre-treatments maintained the visual quality of dried ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango slices; SMB > AIEW > AEW > untreated (control). This study provided science-based evidence for the application of acidic and alkaline electrolyzed water as an alternative pre-treatment to sodium metabisulphite for the drying of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango.

Assessing the suitability of municipal sewage sludge and coconut bran as breeding medium for Oryza sativa L. seedlings and developing a standardized substrate

The utilization of organic solid waste (OSW) for preparing standardized seedling substrates is a main challenge due to its temporal and spatial variability. This study aims to form models based on data from the literature and validate them through experiments to explore a standardized seedling substrate. The typical OSW in Hainan Province, including municipal sewage sludge (MSS), coconut bran (CB), seaweed mud (SM), and municipal sewage sludge biochar (MSSB), was used as raw material. A series of six mixing ratios was tested, namely: T1 (0% MSS: 90% CB), T2 (10% MSS: 80% CB), T3 (30% MSS: 60% CB), T4 (50% MSS: 40% CB), T5 (70% MSS: 20% CB), and T6 (90% MSS: 0% CB). SM and MSSB were added as amendment materials at 5% (w/w) for each treatment. The physicochemical properties of substrates, agronomic traits of rice seedlings and microbial diversity were analyzed. The results showed that the four kinds of OSW played an active role in providing rich sources of nutrients. The dry weight of the above-ground part was 2.98 times greater in T3 than that of the commercial substrate. Furthermore, the microbial analysis showed a higher abundance of Actinobacteria in T3, representing the stability of the composted products. Finally, the successful fitting of the results with the linear regression models could establish relationship equations between the physicochemical properties of the substrate and the growth characteristics of seedlings. The relevant parameters suitable for the growth of rice seedlings were as follows: pH (6.46–7.01), EC (less than 2.12 mS cm−1), DD (0.13–0.16 g cm−3), and TPS (65.68–82.73%). This study proposed relevant parameters and models for standardization of seedling substrate, which would contribute to ensuring the quality of seedlings and OSW resource utilization.

Fermented whey beverages: A review of process fundamentals, recent developments and nutritional potential

Fermented beverage production from whey is an attractive possibility as whey is a rich source of water and nutrients, beneficial for microbial growth. However, rapid microbial spoilage, scaling of processing equipment, flavour defects and instability of the final product make the production process challenging. Therefore, this study reviews the fundamentals of fermented whey beverage production, while giving specific emphasis to fermentation strategies and process modifications (e.g. membrane separation, additive incorporation and nonthermal pasteurisation) that enhance product quality and shelf life. The review also discusses the nutritional potential of the beverage, imparted by probiotic bacteria, macro and micronutrients and their derivatives.

A review on waste valorization, biotechnological utilization, and management of potato.

One of the most popular, cost-effective crops that are consumed globally is the potato. Due to the expanding food crisis, there is an increase in the demand for potato-based agro-food items. At the same time, it is noted that this pathway of ecological pollution from large-scale wastes is challenging to manage. The food sector generates a lot of waste, which can be controlled better via biotechnological methods. The potato industry is one of the industries that generate a large amount of garbage that is harmful to the environment. Several by-products of industrial potato production, such as potato peels (PPs), starch, flakes, and granules, are disposed of despite being rich sources of nutrients and bioactive ingredients. These wastes can subsequently be used in biotechnological processing to produce microbial polysaccharides, yeast cellular biomass, lipids, protein, enzymes, organic acids, and carotenoids as components of the microbial medium. Similarly, food processing based on potatoes uses a lot of water, which is an issue because it pollutes wastewater. The most popular method for reducing trash that is both affordable and environmentally beneficial at the moment is biotechnology. The purpose of this review study is to illustrate the potential of applying biotechnological techniques to tackle the potato waste problem while simultaneously enhancing the economy. By discussing recent breakthroughs as well as current flaws in this method of controlling potato trash, this paper seeks to give a future vision of the justifiable use of biotechnological-based potato waste management and utilization strategies.

Removal of contaminants of emerging concern from the supernatant of anaerobically digested sludge by O3 and O3/H2O2: Ozone requirements, effects of the matrix, and toxicity

Digestate is a rich source of nutrients that can be applied in agricultural fields as fertilizer or irrigation water. However, most of the research about application of digestate have focused on its agronomic properties and neglected the potential harm of the presence of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). Aadvanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have proved to be effective for removing these compounds from drinking water, yet there are some constrains to treat wastewater and digestate mainly due to their complex matrix. In this study, the feasibility to remove different CECs from digestate using O3 and O3/H2O2 was assessed, and the general effect of the matrix in the oxidation was explained. While the lab-scale ozonation provided an ozone dose of 1.49 mg O3/mg DOC in 5 h treatment, almost all the compounds were removed at a lower ozone dose of maximum 0.48 mg O3/mg DOC; only ibuprofen required a higher dose of 1.1 mg O3/mg DOC to be oxidized. The digestate matrix slowed down the kinetic ozonation rate to approximately 1% compared to the removal rate in demineralized water. The combined treatment (O3/H2O2) showed the additional contribution of H2O2 by decreasing the ozone demand by 59–75% for all the compounds. The acute toxicity of the digestate, measured by the inhibition of Vibrio fisheries luminescence, decreased by 18.1% during 5 h ozonation, and by 34% during 5 h O3/H2O2 treatment. Despite the high ozone consumption, the ozone dose (mg O3/mg DOC) required to remove all CECs from digestate supernatant was in the range or lower than what has been reported for other (waste-)water matrix, implying that ozonation can be considered as a post-AD treatment to produce cleaner stream for agricultural purposes.

Nutritional Parameters of Goat Milk and Its Consumption in Rural Communities

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

The effect of Pauttika honey and Orlistat on Histological Evaluations of Liver, Kidney and Adipose tissue in high-fat diet-induced Obesity in Charles Foster male rats

Background: Honey's weight-reducing, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and hepatoprotective properties have been demonstrated. Orlistat, a FDA-approved medicine for obesity control, have adverse effects. Honey is a rich source of nutrients with antiobesity (Medohara) and sacrificant (lekhan) qualities, which help to reduce Pitta, Kapha, and Medas; is suggested in diabetic control. In this study, Pauttika honey is studied against biochemical markers and histological manifestations in visceral organs of high-fat diet-induced obese Charles Foster rats. No research was identified on the effect of Pauttika honey (a specific kind of honey described in Ayurveda) on obese rats' liver, kidney, and adipose tissues. An article on the biochemical analysis of this honey (new and old ) has been already published. Objective: Evaluate the effects of Pauttika honey and Orlistat on high-fat diet-induced fatty changes in obese Charles Foster rats. Methods: This study examines male Charles Foster rat histopathological alterations. 24 male Charles Foster rats with a mean weight of 181±15gm were divided into four groups of six. High-fat diets (HFD) for 8 weeks caused obesity in three groups. After that, Pauttika honey mixed with equal amounts of water (Madudaka) and Orlistat were given to two groups for 6 weeks. The HFD was maintained throughout the experiment, except in the NC group, which ate standard chow. On the last day of the 14th week, the animals were sacrificed and the Liver, kidney, heart, spleen, and lungs were weighed. The liver, kidney, and adipose tissues were preserved in 10% formalin for histopathology. Results: Rats’ relative organ weight (ROW) showed no significant alterations. Histology of liver tissues showed micro and macro steatosis and ballooning degeneration in the HFD group, while Pauttika honey and orlistat both showed improvement in fatty changes but it was better in the Pauttika group. Kidney and adipose tissues showed no morphological or structural abnormalities. Conclusion: This study shows that Pauttika honey mixed with water (Madudaka) protects the livers of obese rats. Histology suggests Pauttika honey is efficacious and safer than Orlistat for HFD-induced obesity.

A Compiled Update on Nutrition, Phytochemicals, Processing Effects, Analytical Testing and Health Effects of Chenopodium album: A Non-Conventional Edible Plant (NCEP)

Bathua (Chenopodium album) is a rich source of extensive-ranging nutrients, including bio-active carbohydrates, flavonoids and phenolics, minerals, and vitamins that translate to countless health benefits such as anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activity. Ascaridole, an important phytoconstituent present in aerial parts of the plant, contributes to its anthelmintic property. Even with vast historical use and significant health benefits, its renown has not spread, and utilization has significantly decreased in recent decades. Gradually, the plant has become known under the name of Non-conventional edible plant (NCEP). This compilation is prepared to bring out the plant under the spotlight for further research by foregrounding previous studies on the plant. Scientific research databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, SpringerLink, ScienceDirect, and Wiley Online, were used to fetch data on C. album. This review offers over up-to-date knowledge on nutritious values, phytochemical composition, volatile compounds, as well as health benefits of C. album. The ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal uses of the plant in India and other parts of the world are deliberately discussed. Scrutinizing the reported literature on C. album reveals its powerful nutrient composition advantageous in the development of food products. The impact of various cooking and processing methods on the nutritional profile and bioavailability are discussed. The future perspectives with regards to the potential for food and nutraceutical products are critically addressed. This review proves the necessity of breakthrough research to investigate the pharmacology and safety of phytochemicals and nutraceutical development studies on the C. album.

Algaeculture for agriculture: from past to future

The continuous growth of the world population has imposed major challenges on agriculture. Consequently, farmers generalized the overuse of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to meet the global food demand. Although these products have helped many developing countries increase their crop yield, they have simultaneously resulted in many issues, mainly the decline of soil fertility and degradation of local ecosystems due to soil, water, and air contamination, combined with their non-renewable nature and increased costs. For agriculture to become more sustainable, the use of alternative biological products, with recognized beneficial effects on plant yield and health, must be expanded. In this context, microalgae and cyanobacteria are rich sources of nutrients and bioactive metabolites, which have been gaining attention from researchers and companies for their ability to improve plant nutrition, growth, and tolerance to stress. This review gives an overview of the research work that has been done in the last two decades, regarding the use of microalgae and cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) as biofertilizers, biostimulants, and biopesticides. This work identified trends and challenges and highlights the use of microalgae to recycle the nutrients from wastewater to improve plant productivity while reducing the fertilizer and water footprint for more sustainable agriculture practices.

Millets in India: Production, Consumption and Impact on Food Security

Millets are a rich source of nutrients and these are hardy crops as well. The cultivation of millet has declined in the country since the government focused on fine cereals and suitable policies were not there for millets. The study focused on the area, production and productivity of jowar, bajra, ragi and small millets. The largest producing states of small millets, jowar, bajra and ragi are Uttarakhand, Maharashtra Rajasthan and Karnataka, respectively. From 1950-2021 the area under small millets, jowar, bajra and ragi has declined with CAGR of -3.60 %, -1.86 %, -1.27 % and -0.60%, respectively. The production of the small millets and jowar has declined with growth rates of -2.89% and -0.63 %, respectively. Production of bajra showed a growth rate 0.12 % per annum from 1950-51 to 2020-21 and ragi production increased with growth rate of 1.68%. Decomposition analysis indicated that production of ragi and bajra increased due to the yield effect and that of jowar and small millets increased due to areas effect. The consumption of these millets in the rural as well urban area has declined over the years. Thus, there is need of promoting awareness among the farmers and consumers about the importance of millets in a healthy diet which could increase their demand and consumption. This can be done through various means such as training programs, workshops, and awareness campaigns. The government could provide incentives and subsidies to farmers to encourage the cultivation of small millets.

Red Wine and Sexual Function in Men: An Original Point of View.

Red wine is a rich source of nutrients whose biological properties have inspired numerous scientific studies. Indeed, it has been widely reported that there is a correlation between the positive health effects of moderate consumption of red wine and its phenolic content, which, due to its antioxidant activity, has proved to be useful in the improvement of various diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, cognitive disorders, depression, and cancer. It is a common opinion that the antioxidant activity of red wine is to be ascribed to its entire content of polyphenols, which act synergistically and not as a single component. Furthermore, this health-promoting effect of red wine can also be linked to its ethanol content, which has shown a wide array of biological properties. Beyond this evidence, very little is known about a possible correlation between moderate consumption of red wine and male sexual function. This brief review aimed to evaluate the effects of moderate consumption of red wine on erectile function. To accomplish this, Pubmed and Google Scholar databases were searched to retrieve the most relevant studies on this topic. The evidence so far collected has shown that red wine, if consumed in moderation, can be potentially beneficial for patients with erectile dysfunction as well as can positively influence reproductive function through mechanisms that depend on the vasorelaxant properties of red wine and its antioxidant properties.

Climate change, site formation, and indigenous use of coastlines in Barbuda

This article explores the landscape dynamics at the island of Barbuda in the context of changing climate to understand (1) the environmental setting of indigenous settlements; (2) the impacts of current coastal processes; and (3) the potential threats moving forward toward increasing pressure of climate change. Focusing on the site of Seaview, on the east coast of Barbuda, we use geoarchaeological methods to reconstruct the ancient geomorphological setting, investigate changes post-abandonment, and identify the hazards faced under future sea-level projections. Our study shows that (1) sea level stabilization after the Mid-Holocene allowed the formation of coral reefs, seagrass beds and other benthic ecosystems that allowed for biogenic sediment accumulation and growth of sand dune retention ridges. (2) These environmental characteristics, including rich marine food sources, supported the establishment and flourishing of Seaview starting ca. 160 BC. (3) Occupation ended at some point between AD960 and 1000. This change coincided with a period of increased storminess, higher SSTs, and possible coral reef mortality that affected both food availability and sediment supply. (4) Lack of sediments triggered progressive sand dune erosion that continues today and has left the sand dune ridge past the tipping point of erosion. (5) Looking into a future of rapidly changing climate, sea level rise poses a severe and devastating threat to the land- and seascapes of Barbuda. With the lowland coastal plain at or only slightly above current sea level, a rate of SLR comparable to Mid-Holocene rates, and rapid loss of sand dune ridges and coral reefs as natural barriers, it is just a matter of time before the lowlands become transformed beyond recognition. The results of this analysis can be used to improve long-term management of the heritage resources of Barbudans and shed light on parallel challenges experienced on other tropical coastal locations.

Optimization of enzymatic hydrolysis condition of edible bird’s nest crumbs by response surface methodology and determination of biochemical characteristics of the hydrolysate

Edible bird's nest (EBN) crumbs are the by-product of the bird's nest industry. Despite having lower economic value compared to the original material, EBN crumbs still maintain high protein and carbohydrate content. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the optimal hydrolysis condition for EBN crumbs using protease to achieve the maximum degree of hydrolysis (DH). Plackett Burman design was employed to identify the important factors. The results showed that enzyme loading, temperature and hydrolysis time had the strongest effect on the DH. These factors were subsequently subjected to the optimization study using central composite design (CCD) of response surface methodology (RSM). The optimized conditions for the enzymatic hydrolysis of EBN crumbs were at an enzyme loading of 4%, temperature of 51ºC, and hydrolysis time of 90 min. The experimental DH obtained at the optimized condition (63.5%) was close to the predicted DH (64.1%). The enzymatic hydrolysate prepared at the optimal condition showed relatively high amino acid concentration (151.6 ± 1.29 µg/mL) and radical scavenging activity (64.97 ± 0.79%) compared to the boiled sample with values of only 50.1 ± 2.43 µg/mL and 18.36 ± 0.17%, respectively. The resultant hydrolysate had no effect on some of the microorganisms employed in this study. The EBN crumbs hydrolysate inhibited tyrosinase activity with an IC50 of 70.22 µg/mL, greater than that of boiled EBN (IC50= 108.9 µg/mL). The results indicated that the EBN crumbs hydrolysate could be further applied in the cosmetic industry as a rich source of nutrients and bioactive compounds for the formulation of beauty products.

Nutritional composition of some wild edible plants consumed in Southwest Ethiopia

Wild Edible Plants (WEPs), namely Chaw (Solanum nigrum L.), Shutamodoroy (Vigna membranacea A. Rich), Entut (Dioscorea praehensilis Benth.), Gagut (Trilepisium madagascariense D.C.), and Tikawoch (Cleome gynandra L.), are naturally grown WEPs and are consumed by the Meinit cultural community in the Bench Maji zone of southwest Ethiopia. However, their nutritional and anti-nutritional compositions of these WEPs have not been documented. In this regard, the proximate, mineral and anti-nutrient contents of the edible portions of these WEPs were analyzed using standard food analysis methods. The nutritional analysis revealed that the WEPs contain valuable nutrients in the following ranges: protein (4.0–21.7%), fat (0.7–6.1%), fiber (8.9–22.3%), carbohydrates (38.1–83%) and energy (275–371.1 kcal/100 g). These WEPs were also rich in macro and micro minerals such as calcium (3.7–594.8 mg/100 g), potassium (440.6–1487.8 mg/100 g), sodium (174.9–277.4 mg/100 g), magnesium (68.2–588.1 mg/100 g), iron (0.8–38.5 mg/100 g), zinc (2.4–5.9 mg/100 g) and copper (0.1–0.5 mg/100 g). The phytate, condensed tannin, and oxalate content of WEPs varied from 8.6 to 307.3 mg/100 g, 5.8–329.0 mg/100 g, and 43.7–443.9 mg/100 g, respectively. The result indicated that these WEPs are rich sources of nutrients that could help combat nutrient deficiencies, particularly in rural communities. The results of this study can be used as baseline information for the nutraceuticals industry and community-based nutrition practitioners.

Physico-chemical, textural and sensory properties of breads enriched with date seed powder

Despite being a rich source of fiber and other nutrients, date seed is typically discarded as a waste material after consumption of date pulp. This food waste can be used for processing of value-added food items. In this study, the quality parameters of date seed powder (DSP) and processed breads having different level of DSP (1 %, 5 % and 10 %) were assessed. Nutritional analysis revealed that the prepared DSP had 5.25 % protein, 0.86 % ash, 8.06 % fat and 63.26 %. Substitution of DSP in breads resulted in decreasing the protein, height, specific volume, and baking loss; while moisture, ash, fat, dietary fiber, weight and total phenolic content were increased. Both in the aspects of crumb and crust color, brightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) values were decreased while redness (a*) increased as the amount of DSP substitution increased. Textural properties resulted that 10 % DSP incorporation had significant (p ≤ 0.05) effects; both the pierce force and hardness were increased whereas the cohesiveness, springiness, and chewiness were decreased. Considering the sensory and other analyzed properties, this study revealed that fiber and phytochemical enriched breads can be processed using DSP by supplementing wheat flour up to 5 %.

Changes in Physical and Chemical Parameters of Beetroot and Carrot Juices Obtained by Lactic Fermentation

Fermented foods have gained popularity recently, especially lactofermented vegetable juice products that provide a rich source of nutrients. This study analyzed the properties of fermented beetroot, carrot and beetroot-carrot juices fermented with bacterial strains Lactiplantibacillus plantarum or Levilactobacillus brevis. Density, extract, dry matter content, pH, total acidity, pigments (betalain or carotenoids), color and LAB count were measured. The results showed that the LAB strains used were capable of fermenting the analyzed juices. It was proven that Lactiplantibacillus plantarum was the better strain for fermentation of vegetable juice. This might have been influenced by the fermentation temperature and the duration time. The highest number of lactic acid bacteria was observed for carrot juice fermented with L. brevis on the 4th day (9.41 log CFU/mL), while for L. plantarum the highest numbers were observed on the 5th–6th day (8.9–9.1 log CFU/mL). For beetroot and its mixture with carrot juices, higher results were observed on the 5th day for L. plantarum (9.0 and 8.3 log CFU/mL, respectively). In most variants of this process, fermentation can be completed after 4–5 days. During the fermentation of carrot and mixed juice slow degradation of carotenoids was observed, while in mixed juice an increase of red pigment (betanin) was observed. In beetroot juices huge degradation was observed for fermentation with L. brevis, while the second bacteria kept the same level of red pigment almost until the last day, while yellow decreased from the 3rd day. It can be concluded that the mixed juice was most stable according to the bacteria count and the pigment content. In our opinion, L. plantarum was better for the fermentation of juices than L. brevis. However, in future tests the time of fermentation can be shortened to 5 days and other LAB strains can be tested.

Proximate, mineral, sensorial and microbiological properties of chin-chin produced from okra seed and wheat flour blends

This research work focused on investigating the proximate, mineral, sensory and microbiological qualities of chin-chin produced from a blend of wheat and okra seed flours. The okra seed flour was prepared using standard procedures. The wheat flour was blended with the okra seed flour at ratio 100:0 (control), 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40 and 50:50. Crude protein, crude fibre and total ash increased with increase in proportion of okra seed flour incorporation. However, decreases were observed for moisture, crude fat and carbohydrate respectively. Bacterial and fungal counts were within the acceptable limits and ranged between 4.0 × 103 to 11.0 × 103 cfu/g and 1.0 × 103 to 15.0 × 103 cfu/g respectively. Chin-chin made up of 20% substitution with okra seed flour was the most preferred for the blended products in terms of general acceptability for sensorial attributes. The energy value of the okra seed chin-chin ranged from 364.55 ± 0.12 to 388.73 ± 0.19 kcal/100 g. The study has shown that the employment of okra seed in the production of chin-chin could be a veritable and rich source of nutrients.

Association of Pork (All Pork, Fresh Pork and Processed Pork) Consumption with Nutrient Intakes and Adequacy in US Children (Age 2-18 Years) and Adults (Age 19+ Years): NHANES 2011-2018 Analysis.

Pork is a rich source of high-quality protein and select nutrients. The objective of this work was to assess the intakes of all pork (AP), fresh pork (FP) and processed pork (PP) and their association with nutrient intake and meeting nutrient recommendations using 24 h dietary recall data. Usual intake was determined using the NCI method and the percentage of the population with intakes below the Estimated Average Requirement, or above the Adequate Intake for pork consumers and non-consumers, was estimated. About 52, 15 and 45% of children and 59, 20 and 49% of adults were consumers of AP, FP and PP, respectively, with mean intakes in consumers of 47, 60 and 38 g/day for children and 61, 77 and 48 g/day for adults, respectively. Among consumers of AP, FP and PP, the intakes of copper, potassium, selenium, sodium, zinc, thiamine, niacin, vitamin B6 and choline were higher (p < 0.05) and a higher (p < 0.05) proportion met nutrient recommendations for copper, potassium, zinc, thiamin and choline compared to non-consumers. There were additional differences (p < 0.05) in intakes and adequacies for other nutrients between consumers and non-consumers depending upon the age group and pork type. In conclusion, pork intake was associated with higher intakes and adequacies in children and adults for certain key nutrients.

Heavy metals in agricultural cultivated products irrigated with wastewater in India: a review

Abstract Indiscriminate industrialization and urbanization have negatively impacted our environment. One of the common environmental problems in semi-urban areas in India is the discharge of inefficiently treated municipal, industrial and domestic wastewater into the environment, resulting in the degradation of soil and water qualities. Depleting freshwater resources have led Indian farmers to look for easily available, cheaper, and nutrient-rich sources of irrigation water in the form of wastewater; however, this also led to increased pollutant transfer to the soils. Known as persistent pollutants, heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and a few others are potentially hazardous due to their non-biodegradable nature, extended biological half-lives, and biological interactions. These heavy metals can bind to soil surfaces and then be absorbed by plant tissues. Vegetables supply micronutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, and other nutrients essential for human growth. Therefore, the consumption of vegetables/crops grown in wastewater-irrigated land poses a potential threat to humans. Since wastewater irrigation cannot be eliminated in the Indian (semi-)urban areas because of the ever-increasing demand for irrigation water, it is important to assess the impact of wastewater irrigation. This review article congregates the findings of studies from India wherein heavy metal contaminations in vegetables have been reported. An attempt was made to estimate the risk to human health because of the long-term consumption of vegetables cultivated in wastewater-irrigated lands from the Indian sites.