Total Phenolic Substances Research Articles

Phytochemical composition, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and wound healing activities of Thermopsis turcica.

The antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic, wound healing activities and phenolic substance profile of aqueous extracts prepared using branch, leaf, flower parts and above-ground parts of Thermopsis turcica were determined in the study. The analyses indicate that the total phenolic substance contents and total antioxidant status are higher in the mix, flower, and leaf extracts. The extracts reduced cell viability in HGF cells more than in A549 cells. It shows that the extract has low anticarcinogenic activity in A549 cells. Flower extract had the highest wound closure rate. Quinic acid, cyranoside and luteolin were found in high concentrations in all extracts with LC/ESI-MS/LC analysis. It has been determined that the flower extract of the species is the most critical part showing antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic and wound healing properties. While the leaf and mix extracts stand out with their antioxidative and antimicrobial properties, the branch extract is effective in wound healing.

Epsilon-poly-l-lysine and methyl jasmonate synergistically inhibit Pseudomonas tolaasii-caused brown spot disease in postharvest button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus)

The brown spot disease, caused by Pseudomonas tolaasii is a serious disease that significantly affects the quality of Agaricus bisporus. To develop a safe and effective method to protect mushrooms from disease, the effects of epsilon-poly-l-lysine (ε-PL) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA), either alone or in combination, on brown spot disease caused by P. tolaasii in A. bisporus were investigated. Our results showed that both ε-PL (100 mg L−1) and MeJA (100 μmol L−1) effectively reduced the incidence rate and disease index, inhibited the activity of polyphenol oxidase activated by P. tolaasii, and suppressed the production of malonaldehyde, and their combination achieved a more effective effect; the reason for this result was not due to their coordinated antibacterial activity in vitro, but rather the synergistic induction of disease resistance in mushrooms. The combined treatment of ε-PL and MeJA not only increased the content of pathogenesis-related proteins (PRs), the activities of defense enzymes and antioxidant enzymes, but also enhanced the activities of phenylpropanoid pathway-related enzymes and the accumulation of total phenolic and total flavonoid substances. Furthermore, the combined treatment was also more effective in increasing JA levels and the activities of lipoxygenase and allene oxide synthase compared to treatment with either ε-PL or MeJA alone. Correlation analysis further demonstrated the important role of defense-related enzymes and PRs as well as phenylpropanoid pathway-related enzymes and metabolites in the inhibition of ε-PL and MeJA alone or in combination on the incidence rate and disease index. Taken together, our results showed that ε-PL combined with MeJA treatment has good prospects for alleviating mushroom brown spot disease.

Characterization of Palmyra palm (Borassus flabellifer Linn.) sap after harvest across different pH ranges for production of palm sugar

The quality of palm sap harvested from the inflorescence of Palmyra palm (Borassus flabellifer Linn.) trees can vary significantly from one container to another, affecting the production of palm sugar. Assessing the pH of the sap is a quick and convenient method for farmers to gauge its quality in Palmyra palm fields. In this study, palm sap collected from various containers was categorized into four groups based on different pH ranges. The objectives were to assess the physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics of each group and to correlate these characteristics using principal component analysis, as well as to produce palm sugar from each group. The findings revealed that the palm sap with a pH below 5.0 (pHA) exhibited higher levels of reducing sugars, titratable acidity, and total phenolic substances, along with increased lactic acid bacteria (LAB) loads, larger particle sizes, lower contents of total and non-reducing sugar, protein, amino acids, and browning color values compared to sap from other pH ranges (pHB: 5.6–6.5, pHC: 6.9–7.5, and pHD: above 8.0). Principal component analysis indicated similarities between the palm sap groups of pHC and pHD, which were highly correlated with protein and total amino acids, total sugar contents, browning index, and color values of a* and b*. Conversely, pHA was distinct, being highly correlated with reducing sugar and total phenolic contents, titratable acidity, LAB loads, L* value, and particle volume. Meanwhile, pHB showed a high correlation with potassium and calcium contents, % transmission, electrical conductivity, and coliform loads. Crystallization of palm sugar derived from pHA sap was challenging, whereas sugar from the other sap groups readily crystallized. It can be concluded that pH evaluation strongly contributed to parameters of palm sap quality for palm sugar production.

Determination of Some Antioxidant Activity Values in Wines of Vitis vinifera L. Karalahna, Karasakız and Çavuş Grape Varieties Produced in Bozcaada

Vinifera linné subsp., whose traditional names are Karalahna, Çavuş and Karasakız, in Çanakkale Bozcaada region, which has witnessed different cultures and periods for centuries due to its strategic location. It is known that wines made from grapes belonging to vinifera species have been consumed by local people for years. Wine is a traditional fermented beverage rich in phenolic substances and antioxidant properties, where product is kept in red wine with its skins, especially during maceration stage, due to production process. Phenolic content and antioxidant properties vary depending on grape variety, and these properties are important for human health. In this study, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (red wine), çavuş (white wine) and karasakız (red wine) wines produced from karalahna, karasakız (kuntra) and çavuş grapes of the 2020-2021 harvest period were examined. DPPH• free radical scavenging activity, total phenolic substance (Folin-Ciocalteu), Fe+3 reducing power, total flavonoid, anthocyanin, condensed tannin properties were examined.

Physicochemical Characteristics, Phenolic Components, and Antioxidant Capacities of Lavender Honey (Lavandula Spp.) from Isparta Region of Türkiye.

Lavender honey is one of the most desirable blossom honeys for its unique taste and aromatic qualities and can vary significantly from one region to another. In this study, melissopalynological, physicochemical and antioxidant properties of lavender honey from the Isparta region of Türkiye were investigated. The ration of the Lavandula spp. pollen were identified ranging from 9 % to 76 % in the thirteen samples. The average pH, conductivity, moisture, Hunter Lab* and proline values were 3.72, 0.22 mS/cm, 17.17 %, L*: 66.56, a*: 66.32, b*:18.41 and 576.92 mg/kg, respectively. The average F+G and F/G were 67.66 % and 1.02, respectively. The average of total phenolic (TP) and flavonoid (TF) substance were found to be 39.40 mg GAE/100 g and 3.23 mg QUE/100 g, respectively. The average total antioxidant capacity (FRAP) and DPPH radical scavenging activity values were found to be 178.28 μmol FeSO4 ⋅ 7H2O/100 g and 53.09 mg/mL, respectively. In the phenolic component analysis performed with HPLC-PDA, p-OH-benzoic acid, p-coumaric acid, chrysin and pinocembrin were detected as common polyphenols in the samples. Conclusively, despite considerable variability in their monofloral characteristics, no significant differences were observed in the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of lavender honeys.

Valorization of the Caragana waste via two-stage bioaugmentation: Optimizing nutrition composition, palatability, and microbial contaminant control

Caragana korshinskii kom. (CKK) waste, a common forestry byproduct in northwest of China, presents challenges in its transformation into alternative ruminant feed due to its initial nutritional limitations and unappealing palatability. Conventional strategies, such as ensiling and fungal-based solid-state fermentation (SSF) cannot effectively address this issue in practice. Herein, a two-stage bioaugmentation (TBA) process was devised, leveraging the benefits of ensiling and SSF. During the anaerobic ensiling phase, CKK waste was inoculated with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LP1, effectively suppressing potential animal pathogens such as Aspergillus and Nocardiopsis while enriching the material with potential probiotics like Pediococcus and Lactiplantibacillus, reaching an abundance of 95.7%. In the subsequent aerobic SSF stage, the ensiled CKK underwent inoculation with the white-rot fungus Irpex lacteus F17, which became enriched to 87.9%. Comprehensive multi-omics analysis identified Irpex as the key taxon, possessing an extensive redox enzyme system that led to the improvement in nutrient composition, reduction of astringent phenolic substances, and mitigation of mycotoxins. As a result, the crude protein content of the CKK increased by 39.2%, while lignin, total phenolic substances, and tannic acid content decreased by 24.4%, 52.2%, and 51.4%, respectively. The mycotoxin levels, including aflatoxin B1, zearalenone, and vomitoxin, were rendered negligible, confirming the safety. Overall, this study demonstrates the TBA strategy can successfully transform challenging and unpalatable CKK waste into a nutrient-enriched and safe mycelium-based bioproduct, thereby enabling the valorization of a previously underutilized forestry resource as a promising alternative feed.

Evaluation of Bee Pollen Produced in Wild Mustard (Sinapis arvensis L.), Rock Rose (Cistus criticus) and Wild Lavender (Lavandula Stoechas) Fields in Aydın Vicinity as Monofloral Bee Pollen and Determining Some Chemical Properties

In this study, the possibility of producing pollens harvested in certain periods from wild mustard (WM), rock rose (RR) and wild lavender (WL) fields, which are common in the region, as single plant pollen was evaluated and some chemical properties were determined in bee pollen collected from these plants. In the research, 4 colonies each were moved to WM fields in Aydın-Efeler, and to the RR and WL fields in Gaffarlar village of Koçarlı district of Aydın province. In these colonies, the plant origins of the pollen pellets taken from each group, separated according to their colors, were determined. Pellet weights, moisture contents, crude protein and total phenolic substance amounts were determined in the samples taken from WM, RR and WL pollen pellets of defined plant origin. WM, RR and WL pellet weights were 10,42±0,440 mg, 11,69±0,393 mg and 10,40±0,34 mg, respectively. In the same order as the moisture content were determined as 22,10±0,934%, 19,82±0,613%, 20,55±0,667%. In this study, the crude protein contents of WM, RR and WL bee pollen are; 20,5±0,47%; 13,8±2,51%; 16,5±0,95% also in the same order; total phenolic substance values were determined as 21,53±0,514 mg GAE/g, 16,12±0,539 mg GAE/g and 20,31±0,677 mg GAE/g. With this study, it was relize that the bee pollen produced in WM and RR fields in the Aydın precinct can be considered as monofloral bee pollen. Crude protein content and total phenolic substance content of RR bee pollen were found to be lower than the other two plants. It will be possible to establish standards with more comprehensive chemical analyzes on more WM and RR bee pollen samples collected from different vicinity.

Mass Yields, Antioxidant and Anti-DU145 Prostate Cancer Cell Proliferation Properties of ProSoy Soymilk as Affected by Extraction Methods and Cooking.

Both the soybean variety and processing method affect the end soybean product's characteristics. This study's objective was to characterize the effects of four extraction methods (variations of soaking and grinding) combined with cooking on the content and composition of phenolic substances and the antioxidant and anti-DU145 prostate cancer cell proliferation properties of soymilks prepared from a yellow soybean of the ProSoy variety, which is a high-protein variety. The results showed that the soymilk processing yield was the greatest using method 4, although method 2 gave the highest solid and protein yields by about 14 and 12%, respectively. Method 4, a two-step grinding method, also gave increased yields (8 and 7% for solids and proteins, respectively), and in all but one instance produced higher total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), condensed tannin content (CTC), and total isoflavone content values in both raw and cooked soymilks as compared to method 1. Cooking the soymilks reduced 14-17% of their total phenolic substances. Cooking reduced the anti-cancer capacity of the phenolic extracts from the soymilk prepared using method 4 by increasing the IC50 value from about 4.9 mg/mL to 6.8 mg/mL. The increases in phenolic compounds and antioxidants produced in the Prosoy soymilks using methods 2 and 4, with simultaneous increases in product and solid yields, are of significant benefit to the soymilk industry and consumer health.

Changes in Polyphenols and Antioxidant Activity in Fermentation Substrate during Maotai-Flavored Liquor Processing.

To investigate the changes in phenols and antioxidant capacity in fermented grains during different stages of the fermentation process (Xiasha, Zaosha, and single-round stages) of Maotai-flavored liquor, the total phenolic contents of 61 samples, collected in different stages, were analyzed via the Folin-Ciocalteu method, and the phenolic compounds were then identified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Subsequently, the antioxidant activities were determined using the DPPH free radical scavenging rate and ABTS and FRAP antioxidant capacities. The correlations among the total phenolic contents, individual phenolics, and three antioxidant activities of the samples were analyzed. The results show that the total phenolic contents of the fermented samples did not change significantly in the Xiasha and Zaosha stages but showed an upward trend in the single-round stage. A total of 12 phenol acids were identified in the fermented grains, including 5 phenolic acids (e.g., ferulic acid and caffeic acid), 4 flavonoids (e.g., luteolin and apigenin), and 3 proanthocyanidins (e.g., apigeninidin), for which the DPPH free radical scavenging rates and ABTS and FRAP antioxidant capacities of all of the fermented grain samples ranged from 78.91 ± 4.09 to 98.57 ± 1.52%, 3.23 ± 0.72 to 13.69 ± 1.40 mM Trolox, and 5.06 ± 0.36 to 14.10 ± 0.69 mM FeSO4, respectively. The total phenolic contents of the fermented grain samples were significantly and positively correlated with the ABTS and FRAP (p ≤ 0.05), while no significant correlations were found between total phenolic content and DPPH. In general, the total phenolic content, phenolic substances, and antioxidant capacity of the fermented grains exhibited changes during the fermentation process in liquor production, and the phenolic components contributed more to the antioxidant properties of the fermented grains. The present study provides a theoretical reference for analyzing the dynamic changes and antioxidant properties of functional phenolic components in fermented grains.

Physicochemical Properties of Different Melon Seed Oils Dried at Different Temperatures

In this study, the effect of the drying process on the quality of oils obtained from different melon seeds was investigated. The seeds of two different melon varieties (Kırkağaç, Hasanbey) were separated and dried in the oven at different temperatures (30, 50 and 70 °C). Moisture, 1000 grain weight, width, length, thickness, oil yield, free fatty acidity, peroxide value, color values (L*, a*, b*), and total phenolic substance amounts and fatty acid composition were examined. The average of initial moisture values was 6.42% and 5.48%. The drying process was carried out until the moisture rate of melon seeds reached 1%. The average of most values of the cores varied from 4.55-5.16 mm, length 12.82-13.18 mm, thickness 1.21-1.38 mm and 1000 grain weights varied from 52.40-45.70 g. The amount of total phenolic substances of Kırkağaç melon seed oil was found in the range of 584-691 mg GAE /kg, and Hasanbey melon seed oil in the range 780-840 mgGAE / kg. The amount of total phenolic substance decreased with the applied heat treatment. The peroxide values of the oil obtained from Kırkağaç and Hasanbey beans in terms of meqO2 / kg varied between 6.9-8.4 and 7.2-9.1, respectively. The highest peroxide value was observed in oil obtained from beans dried at 70°C in both varieties. It has been observed that oleic and palmitic acids are also followed by linoleic acid compared to fatty acid composition compared to other fatty acids. According to the results obtained, it was determined that the most effective drying temperature was 50°C in terms of efficiency and quality.

Food Supplement Production from Propolis, Honey, and Mulberry Molasses Its Optimization

Abstract Turkish people have been producing and consuming molasses widely for many years. Nowadays, molasses is produced not only from grapes, but also from various fruits. Mulberry molasses are rich in potassium, magnesium, and calcium and have a strong antioxidant effect. It contributes to the healthy functioning of the body in terms of biological functions such as bone development, maintaining heart health, and strengthening the immune system. Honey is a natural sweetener and nutritional source. While it provides energy with its components such as fructose and glucose, organic acids, and polyphenols, it is also a real source of healing. Propolis, instead, is a natural bee product obtained by bees from plant buds and other plant materials. It has antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune system supporting properties. In this study, 12 different mixtures were created by adding different amounts of honey (15-78.5%) and propolis (1.5-5%) to mulberry molasses to increase their antioxidant, nutritional, and mineral values, and these mixtures were compared with mulberry molasses by performing analysis for pH value, electrical conductivity, water-soluble dry matter, ash content, HMF (Hydroxymethylfurfural), water activity, sugar profile, antioxidant content by the FRAP method, mineral content, total phenolic substance by the gallic acid method, aflatoxin, total acidity, and color (L, a, b). It was determined that the amount of antioxidant and phenolic substances increased as the percentage of propolis in the mixtures increased, thus providing the product with antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune system supporting properties. It was observed that the nutritional content was enriched due to the increase in the amounts of fructose and glucose with the increase in the percentage of honey. As a result, it is thought that the products obtained by adding propolis and honey to mulberry molasses can be used as natural antioxidant functional food or functional food additives.

Pulsed electric field processing of fruit juices with inactivation of enzymes with new inactivation kinetic model and determination of changes in quality parameters

Pulsed electric fields (PEF) processing of fresh grape, orange and tomato juices by 17.2–24.1 kV/cm electric field strengths, 130.0–1040.5 μs treatment times and 1.43–29.13 J/kg energies with respect to determination of the changes in the physical and bioactive properties, color parameters in addition to inactivation of pectin methyl esterase (PME), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and lipoxygenase (LOX) enzymes were studied. In general, decrease in pH, increase in conductivity (except for grape juice), total phenolic substance content, and total antioxidant capacity with no significant change (p > 0.05) in total soluble solids were observed by PEF treatment for all juices. Except for hue value for orange juice, no significant changes (p > 0.05) were observed in color values. Inactivation of the enzymes were increased with increased energy, and calculated electrical activation energies for PME, PPO, and LOX enzymes were 8.31, 7.06, and 4.31 kJ/mol, respectively. Industrial relevanceEnzymes in addition microorganisms causing quality degradation is of great concern in fruit juice industry as most of the enzymes are resistant to processing technologies. Increased PEF treatment time provided over 95% inactivation on PME, PPO, and LOX enzymes with no adverse effect on quality properties of grape, orange, and tomato juices revealing a viable alternative to juice processing industry.

Variation of the Content and Antioxidant Activity of Active Substances in the Kombucha Fermentation of Mulberry Leaves

With the increasing emphasis on healthy living, Kombucha beverages are becoming more and more popular. Recently, fermented Kombucha with different materials and investigated the efficacy have become hot topics. In this paper, mulberry leaves were used as substrates for Kombucha fermentation. The active substances contents and antioxidant activities of the fermented mulberry leaf infusion were significantly enhanced. After being fermented for 10 days, the total phenolic substances and total flavonoids in the Kombucha fermented mulberry leaf infusion were 7.38 and 12.24 times higher than those in the unfermented mulberry leaf infusion, respectively. While the mulberry leaf infusion that fermented for 6 days had the highest antioxidant capacity. The Ferric (Fe3+) reducing power, ABTS+ radical scavenging capacity, and hydroxyl radical (·OH) scavenging capacity were enhanced by 90.3%, 21.82%, and 46.2%, respectively. In conclusion, after being fermented by Kombucha, the antioxidant properties of mulberry leaf infusion were significantly improved, which will contribute to expanding the subsequent development and application of mulberry leaf.

The role of germinating, roasting and boiling on bioactive properties, fatty acid, phenolic components and biogenic element contents of soybean seeds

SummaryIn this study, the effects of germination, roasting and boiling processes on bioactive substances, mineral profiles, fatty acid composition and phenolic profiles present in soybean seeds and soybean oil extracted from soybean were investigated. While the acidity value of the crude and roasted soybean seed oils are 0.89% and 1.09%, the acidity values of the germinted and boiled soybean oils were 1.58% and 1.21%, respectively. The free fatty acid value of the germination sample group was established to be higher than the other treatment groups. The amounts of total phenolic substance were reported between 10.22 and 33.78 mgGAE/100 g. Linoleic acid amounts of soybean oil varied between 55.72% and 56.14%. The total carotenoid and flavonoid amounts of seeds were measured to be between 0.53 (control) and 2.83 μg g−1 (germination) to 43.60 mgCE kg−1 (boiled) to 126.60 mgCE kg−1 (roasting), respectively. Protein results of the seeds were established between 43.94% (control) and 46.94% (germination). The amount of K ranged from 10 883 (boiled) to 13 994 mg kg−1 (roasting), while the amount of P range from 5340.8 (control) to 5695.9 mg kg−1 germination. The amount of Ca of the samples varied between 4606.1 (control) and 5216.1 (boiled). While linoleic acid is determined at the highest rate in soybean oil obtained from crude soybean, linoleic acid amount was determined as highest in oil obtained after roasting, germination and boiling processes applied to soybean rutin contents of soybean seed samples were determined between 3.52 and 7.81 mg kg−1. Boiling and germination increased the routine value in soybean seed samples and was determined as 7.62 and 7.81 mg kg−1, respectively. Roasting, germination and boiling processes reduced the cinnamic acid values of soybeans.

Investigation of the Antioxidant and Total Phenolic Substance of Fomes fomentarius and Ganoderma applanatum Mushrooms Showing Therapeutic Properties

Fomes fomentarius (Ffo) and Ganoderma applanatum (Gap), which are mushroom species used in traditional medicine in Far East Asia, are widely found in our country and attract great attention with their antioxidant properties. In this study, the antioxidant activities of these mushrooms grown in our country were examined spectrophotometrically using the DPPH method. The results were expressed as percent inhibition and also the IC50 values of the fungal samples were calculated using concentration equations. IC50 values for Ganoderma applanatum and Fomes fomentarius were found to be 0.515 and 0.463 mg/mL, respectively. Additionally, total phenolic substances were analyzed by the Folin-Ciocalteu Method. Phenol content in methanolic extracts expressed in gallic acid equivalents (GAE) was found to be 8,447 and 10,300 mg/L for Ganoderma applanatum and Fomes fomentarius, respectively. In this study, it was determined that both types of mushrooms are valuable in terms of both their phenolic content and antioxidant properties.

Comparison of Cold Storage Abilities of 'Ayvaniye' and 'Granny Smith' Apple Cultivars

The aim of this study is to compare the 'Granny Smith' apple variety, which is well-known to withstand storage, and the 'Ayvaniye' apple, a local variety, in terms of some quality characteristics, and to determine their suitability for storage. The apples included in the experiment were stored at 1±0.5 °C and 90±5% relative humidity for 6 months. Measurements and analyses were done once a month from the beginning to the end of storage. The parameters examined in the trial are: Weight loss, fruit flesh firmness, pH, titratable acidity (TA), soluble solids content (SSC), total phenolic substance content (TPC), total antioxidant activity (TAA) and fruit outer colour (L*, a*, b*). As a result; weight loss, pH, TA, SSC, TAA, L* and a* parameters were found higher in 'Ayvaniye' variety. In terms of TPC and b* parameters, 'Granny Smith' variety was better. Additionally, the flesh firmness of 'Granny Smith' variety was higher at the beginning of storage. When all parameters were evaluated, 'Ayvaniye' variety is more suitable for cold storage for 6 months, but weight loss may be a problem for storage longer than 6 months.

A holistic approach to the recovery of valuable substances from the treatment sludge formed from chemical precipitation of fruit processing industry wastewater

In this study, recovery of phenolic substances with Soxhlet extraction, (SE) ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAS), and supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2) extraction methods from chemical sludge obtained with chemical precipitation (FeCl3/PACS, Ca(OH)2/PACS, perlite/PACS, FeCl3/cationic polyelectrolyte) of lemon processing wastewater was investigated. The effect of used coagulants/flocculants and pH on COD and total phenolic substance content (TPC) removal was researched. Recovered phenolic substance profiles were also determined with HPLC-DAD. Additionally, response surface methodology was used to determine optimum treatment conditions. ANOVA analysis showed that pH is a more important variable than coagulant/flocculant doses for all chemical precipitation experimental sets. The highest removal efficiencies for COD and TPC was obtained in FeCl3/PACS (COD: 72.0 %, TPC: 93.7 %). Optimum dose values were determined as pH: 4, FeCl3: 3000 mg/L, PACS: 400 mg/L for FeCl3/PACS, pH: 6.5, Ca(OH)2: 1500 mg/L, PACS: 300 mg/L for Ca(OH)2/PACS, pH: 5.5, PACS: 7000 mg/L, perlite: 50 g/L for perlite/PACS, pH: 4.5, FeCl3: 500 mg/L, polyelectrolyte: 4 mg/L for FeCl3/polyelectrolyte. TPC removal efficiencies were determined as 55 %, 35 %, 57 % and 58 % in these conditions, respectively. Maximum TPC in extracts was determined as 39.03 mg GAE/g extract, 8.81 mg GAE/g extract, and 4.34 mg GAE/g extract for SE, UAS, and SC-CO2, respectively. TPC recovery efficiencies (RTPC) for all chemical sludge were SE > UAS > SC-CO2. Additionally, the TPC profile has shown a difference depending on the extraction method.According to the results of this study, it was concluded that the coagulation-flocculation process may be a suitable alternative for fruit juice processing industry wastewater in terms of both reducing environmental pollution and recovering polyphenolics from formed sludge. Consequently, this study presented a different perspective on the recovery from wastes with valuable substance recovery from chemical sludge.

The effects of Equisetum arvense L. extracts prepared using different solvents and extraction methods for antioxidant and antimicrobial activity

Our study aimed to determine the solvent and extraction method that reveals the biological activities and phenolic contents of the plant Equisetum arvense at the maximum rate. Leaf and stem extracts of Equisetum arvense were prepared using the soxhlet and maceration method in the presence of 5 different solvents. The extracts' total phenolic content (TPC) was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu method, the antioxidant activity by the DPPH radical scavenging test, and the antimicrobial activity by the disc diffusion method. When the antibacterial activity results were examined, the methanolic leaf extract prepared by the maceration method showed the inhibition zones as 14.5 mm on S. aureus, 14.2 mm on S. epidermidis and 14 mm on E. faecalis. From leaf parts, it was determined that the methanolic extract prepared by the soxhlet method was 85.1%, the acetonic extract 84.5%, the methanolic extract prepared by the maceration method 83%, and the acetonic extract 84.1% scavenged DPPH radical. As a result of the study, it was determined that the maceration method showed better results in evaluating the total phenolic substance amount and antimicrobial activity and the soxhlet method in determining the antioxidant activity. It has been determined that methanol and acetone were the ideal solvents for TPC antioxidant and antimicrobial activity studies to be carried out with E. arvense plant. In this study, plant leaves and stems were studied separately for the first time and their biological activities were compared. In addition, our study provides integrative data investigating and comparing the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the E. arvense plant in detail with various solvents and methods.

Siirt İlinde Yetiştirilen Zivzik ve Pervari Nar Genotiplerinin Pomolojik ve Fizikokimyasal Özellliklerinin Karakterizasyonu

Commercial pomegranate cultivation in Siirt province is concentrated in Şirvan and Pervari districts. Although Zivzik pomegranate variety is a registered pomegranate variety, it is not well known outside the region where it is grown (Zivzik, Sarıdana, Kapılı and Pirinçli villages). Pervari pomegranate is grown in the regions between Bitlis stream, Hizan and Pervari. In this study, pomological and physicochemical characteristics of different sized fruits of Zivzik (n=8) and Pervari (n=10) pomegranate genotypes collected from different locations in Siirt province were investigated. The pomological characteristics examined were fruit weight, aril yield, 100 aril weight, fruit width-length, aril width-length, rind (peel) skin and aril colour, juice yield, juice density and colour. The physicochemical properties analysed were total soluble solids, total acid, pH, ascorbic acid, total sugar, reducing sugar, total phenolic substance, anthocyanin, antioxidant capacity (DPPH), moisture and ash content. It was found that the most abundant organic acid in Zivzik and Pervari pomegranates was citric acid (3.34-4.67 g/L) and malic acid was found more in Zivzik pomegranate (1.76 g/L). Zivzik pomegranate was found to be richer in terms of the amount of phenolic compounds. Quercetin and caffeic acid are the most abundant phenolic compounds in the fruit of both varieties.

Investigation of the effects of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus thuringiensis as Bio-agents against powdery mildew (Podosphaera xanthii) disease in zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.)

Fungi, bacteria, and viruses cause highly devastating diseases in species of the Cucurbitaceae family. Powdery mildew, a fungal disease, is one of the most important diseases of cucurbits. The pathogen, Podosphaera xanthii, is the most common causal agent of powdery mildew disease within cucurbits. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the combined formulations of two biological agents, B. subtilis and B. thuringiensis, in combating powdery mildew disease, which represents a significant threat to C. pepo cultivation in Kayseri, Türkiye. The efficacy of six different treatments in controlling the disease agent P. xanthii was evaluated in susceptible zucchini genotypes. It was found that full-dose bacteria dilution application, before and after powdery mildew infection, as well as three- and five-fold bacteria dilutions application significantly prevented (1–2 scale value) powdery mildew disease on infected zucchini plants than the control application. There was a decrease in vegetative growth in the control-treated crops while plant growth increased significantly in bacterial-treated crops. Also, our findings showed that combined formulations made from Bacillus subtilis (61.29e and 3.3a strains) and Bacillus thuringiensis (2B3-1 and 2B2-2 strains) significantly increased the synthesis of plant defense enzymes such as DPPH, antioxidant, proline production, total phenolic substance, and total flavonoid content. The application of B + PM resulted in the highest enzyme contents, quantified as follows: 22.91 mg AAE/g antioxidant, 2.01 mg/g KU proline, 10.03 mg GAE/g TPC, and 7.756 mg CE/g TFC. These enzymes may have played vital roles in triggering zucchini defense mechanisms, thereby significantly preventing powdery disease in the bacteria-treated crops.