Nutritional Value Research Articles

Dietary resveratrol improves the flesh quality of Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) by enhancing myofiber growth, nutrient accumulation and antioxidant capacity

BackgroundIn aquaculture, sturgeons are generally maintained in the confined spaces, which not only hinders sturgeon movement, but also threatens their flesh quality that seriously concerned by aquaculture industry. As a typical antioxidant, resveratrol can improve the flesh quality of livestock and poultry. However, the mechanism of resveratrol’s effect on the muscle of Siberian sturgeon is still unclear.ResultsIn this study, the dietary resveratrol increased the myofiber diameter, the content of the amino acids, antioxidant capacity markers (CAT, LDH and SOD) levels and the expression levels of mTORC1 and MYH9 in muscle of Siberian sturgeon. Further transcriptome analysis displayed that ROS production-related pathways (“Oxidative phosphorylation” and “Chemical carcinogenes-reactive oxygen species”) were enriched in KEGG analysis, and the expression levels of genes related to the production of ROS (COX4, COX6A, ATPeF1A, etc.) in mitochondria were significantly down-regulated, while the expression levels of genes related to scavenging ROS (SOD1) were up-regulated.ConclusionsIn summary, this study reveals that resveratrol may promote the flesh quality of Siberian sturgeon probably by enhancing myofiber growth, nutritional value and the antioxidant capacity of muscle, which has certain reference significance for the development of a new type of feed for Siberian sturgeon.

Co-existence of potentially sustainable indigenous food systems and poor nutritional status in Ho indigenous community, India: an exploratory study

Indigenous food (IF) systems comprise culturally important foods derived from natural resources with shorter farm to plate chains, as compared to modern counterparts. These food systems are at epicenter of sustainable food systems with potential to alleviate malnutrition and protect ecosystems. The Ho indigenous community of Jharkhand have access to diverse IFs, yet experience malnutrition. A sequential mixed-method study was conducted to explore local food systems with assessment of diet quality and nutritional status of Ho women. Focus group discussions (n = 10) and free-listing (n = 7) were conducted to capture community’s perspectives on IF systems, associated sustainable attributes and perceived challenges towards IF utilization. Scientific names and nutritive values of IFs were documented through secondary review; in case of no information in literature, IFs were identified through ethnobotanist with nutritional analysis in laboratory. 24 h recalls (n = 284 in winter and n = 154 in monsoon) and anthropometric assessments (n = 273) were conducted to estimate women’s dietary diversity and nutritional status. Findings revealed rich traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) producing a diverse list of IFs (n = 243) mainly accessed from natural food environment (wild and cultivated). Among listed foods, 171 IFs were taxonomically classified and among these, nutritive values were documented for 121 IFs. Potentially sustainable traits of Ho’s IF systems included high nutrient density of IFs, community’s preference towards their consumption because of their flavorsome attributes, climate resilient properties and cultural heritage. However, impacts of climate variability, changing farming practices and market-integrated life ways challenged the sustained production, access and consumption of IFs. This was evident in poor diversity in diets (diet diversity scores of 2.9 in winter and monsoon) and chronic energy deficiency (36%) in women. The unique TEK systems of indigenous communities need to be integrated into mainstream policies and programs for safeguarding and promoting their potentially sustainable food systems to support food and nutritional security.

Loquat and its phytochemical potential: A promising application in food technology

AbstractThis review study highlights the importance of loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) in terms of its nutritional, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical value. The entire plant, including its seeds, leaves, flowers, fruits, and peel, contains a wide range of bioactive compounds, such as phenolics, carotenoids, triterpenic acids, and organic acids. These compounds exhibit a wide range of beneficial properties such as fighting cancer, reducing inflammation, managing diabetes, combating viruses, preventing mutations, inhibiting nitrosamine formation, killing harmful microorganisms, lowering blood sugar levels, inducing cell death, and protecting the liver. The extraction and separation of such compounds will greatly enhance and expand its potential. Furthermore, the waste generated from the seeds and peel can be effectively used for submerged and solid state biomass production.

Comparative analysis for nutrients, flavor compounds, and lipidome revealed the edible value of pond-cultured male Pelodiscus sinensis with different ages

Pelodiscus sinensis is an aquatic product with a long growth cycle in pond culture and high nutritional value meat. The flavor compounds, nutrients, and lipidome were investigated to explore the edible value changes of turtle meat aged 3 to 6 years (Y3 to Y6). Typically, P. sinensis meat is rich in high-quality protein (EAAI ≥81.22, AAS ≥86.47). Y6 has the highest level of Se, protein, amino acids, and high unsaturated fatty acids, including EPA + DHA. Y5 has the most delicious amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and key odorant content. The stronger flavor of Y5 may be mainly related to C18:2n6t and C18:2n6c. Further, triacylglycerols (TAG) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) were significant changes in Y5. Additionally, PI (16:0/18:1) was identified as the potential biomarker. These results provided available information on P. sinensis marketing age and revealed the potential impact of nutrients on the formation of VOCs.

Edible Offal as a Valuable Source of Nutrients in the Diet-A Review.

The global increase in demand for meat leads to substantial quantities of by-products, including edible offal from both wild and domesticated animals raised for diversified consumption products within an agricultural framework. Information on the nutritional value of offal is scattered and limited. This review aims to synthesize scientific publications on the potential of offal as a source of nutrients and bioactive substances in human diets. The literature review included publications available in ISI Web of Science and Google Scholar published between 2014 and 2024. Findings indicate that edible offal is characterized by a nutrient concentration often surpassing that found in skeletal muscle. This review discusses the yield of edible offal and explores factors influencing human consumption. Selected factors affecting the nutritional value of offal of various animals and the importance of individual nutrients in ensuring the proper functioning of the human body were analyzed. The optimal use of offal in processing and catering can significantly benefit aspects of human life, including diet quality, food security, and conservation of natural resources.

Scaling-up fungal pretreatment of lignocellulose biomass: Impact on nutritional value, ruminal degradability, methane production, and performance of lactating dairy cows

Scaling-up fungal pretreatment of lignocellulose biomass (LCB) for ruminant nutrition has become a major research challenge in recent years. This study systematically investigated the effectiveness of fungal (Pleurotus ostreatus) pretreatment (for 30 days under solid state fermentation (SSF)) of large quantities (8400 kg) of lime-pasteurized wheat straw, in terms of improvement in nutritional value, in vitro ruminal fermentation characteristics and methane (CH4) production potential. We further investigated the effects of stepwise replacement of untreated wheat straw (UTWS) with the lime pasteurized P. ostreatus treated wheat straw (PTWS) on dry matter intake (DMI), apparent total tract digestibility, production performance, CH4 emission and feed efficiency of lactating dairy cows. The results revealed that PTWS had lower lignin (P< 0.001), hemicellulose (P< 0.001) and cellulose (P< 0.05) contents and higher crude protein (CP; P< 0.001) content and cellulose to lignin ratio (P< 0.01), as compared to UTWS. The PTWS had higher in vitro DM digestibility (IVDMD; P< 0.001), total gas production (IVGP; P< 0.01), total volatile fatty acids (VFAs, P< 0.01) and propionate (P< 0.05) concentration, and lower (P< 0.05) pH and CH4 gas production during 72 h in vitro fermentation. Notably, the fungus degraded 33.3 % lignin at the expense of 6.56 % cellulose, and markedly increased CP content (46.3 %), IVDMD (20.2 %), IVGP (16.8 %) and VFAs (10.0 %) production, and decreased CH4 production (10.3 %). The aflatoxin B1 concentration of PTWS was <5.0 µg/kg, and mycelium concentration was 181.9 mg/kg DM, reflecting safe and effective tretment of the straw. Replacement of 32 % UTWS in total mixed ration with the PTWS, increased DMI (0.84 kg/day; P = 0.01), apparent total tract DM digestibility (5.5 g/100 g; P< 0.05) and milk yield (1.17 liter/day; P= 0.032), and decreased CH4 emission (1.45 g/kg DMI; P< 0.05). In conclusion, hydrated lime can replace traditional high-tech pasteurization methods for the fungal pretreatment of LCB, and present prospects for scaling up the process for ruminant nutrition.

Forage Biomass and Nutritive Value of Grasses and Legumes Grown Under Agrivoltaic Systems

Forage crops grown underneath ground-mounted photovoltaic systems (PV) may provide a feed source for livestock production. The objective was to evaluate forage biomass and nutritive value of crops, grasses and legumes grown under different PV conditions. Forages were planted underneath a 30-kilowatt PV site (30kW), a 50-kilowatt PV site (50kW) and one control site without PV (CON) in May 2022 with four replicates per site. Forage crops included alfalfa, field peas, meadow fescue, orchard grass, red clover, brown midrib sorghumsudan grass, white clover and 3 grass and legume mixes with either alfalfa, red clover, or white clover. Biomass samples were clipped at appropriate maturity levels for grazing. Samples were sorted for botanical composition and analyzed for nutrient value. Crop biomass, dry matter and nutrient values were analyzed with PROC Mixed of SAS with the fixed effects of site (30kW, 50kW, or Con), crop nested within site, and cutting (1st or 2nd) and the random effect of replicate nested within site. Forages produced less biomass at the 30kW (563.7 kg/ha) and 50kW (446.4 kg/ha) solar sites compared to CON (1099.7 kg/ha). The 50kW forages had greater crude protein on a dry matter basis (25.8%) than the 30kW (21.4%) and CON (20.9%). The 50kW (57.1%) forages also had greater total tract neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility than the 30kW (52.5%) and CON (51.0%). Additionally, the 50kW forages had greater percent calcium (1.05%) compared to the 30kW (0.75%) and CON (0.84%). Forage biomass and nutrient values varied based on the solar array design and amount of sun exposure.

Temporal variation in nutritive value of forage in kermes oak shrublands

This study was carried out to determine the seasonal floristic composition of grasses, forbs, and shrubs in a kermes oak (Quercus coccifera L.) shrubland in Chalkidiki, Greece, to estimate their nutritive value and to relate it to the nutritional requirements of small ruminants. All the herbaceous and woody species that were present in the study area were identified and collected at the beginning of each season. The samples were categorized into grasses, forbs, and shrubs. Dry matter (DM), ash, ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fiber assayed with heat stable amylase (aNDF), crude protein (CP), in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), calcium (Ca), and phosphorus (P) contents were determined. Forty-three plant taxa were identified (30 forbs, 7 grasses, and 6 shrubs). Forbs had higher mean values of ash (94.7 g/kg DM), CP (120.9 g/kg DM), Ca (16.9 g/kg DM), P (1.2 g/kg DM), and IVDMD (590.5 g/kg DM) compared to grasses (72.5 g/kg DM, 86.5 g/kg DM, 3.9 g/kg DM, 0.9 kg-1 DM, and 517.8 g/kg DM), and shrubs (44.5 g/kg DM, 79.9 g/kg DM, 11.0 g/kg DM, 0.7 g/kg DM, and 494.7 g/kg DM), respectively. Cool-season grasses can offer sufficient nutrients to grazing animals during autumn and winter, while shrubs support them during spring and winter.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis allows to overcome phosphorus deficiency in soilless culture of Lactuca sativa: A phenotypic and transcriptomic analysis

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is an annual autogamous diploid plant belonging to Asteraceae and is among the top ten most profitable crops worldwide due to its nutritional value. Nevertheless, lettuce is an intensive crop with high input demand, especially fertilisers, both in soil-bound and soilless culture, with negative impact on the environment and production costs. In this context, arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses could help to reduce the impact of fertilisers, improving plant nutrition, particularly regarding phosphorus, and contributing to growing healthier plants for human consumption. In our work, we compared lettuce plants (cv. Salinas) grown in soilless culture with optimal phosphorus concentration in the nutrient solution, with sub-optimal phosphorus nutrition and with plants grown with sub-optimal phosphorus concentration and inoculated with the fungus Funneliformis mosseae before transplanting.Higher levels of primary and secondary metabolites along with increased biomass were observed for mycorrhizal plants compared to lettuces grown with optimal and sub-optimal concentrations of phosphate. Gene expression profile was analysed in both roots and leaves, and transcriptomic values were associated with growth and biochemical parameters. Three-thousand and fifty-seven genes were differentially regulated by mycorrhizal symbiosis and 2,606 genes by optimal phosphate nutrition.Different genes related to photosynthesis, solute transport, metabolism of phytohormones, redox homeostasis, and transcriptional regulation resulted differentially regulated between culture conditions. Mycorrhizal plants also boosted the activation of genes involved in phenylpropanoids and carotenoids metabolism. In conclusion, growth, biochemical, and transcriptomic data show that symbiotic plants benefit both plant growth and leaf content of health promoting phytochemicals through genetic pathways that largely differed those activated in plants grown with optimal phosphorus supply.

Functional yogurt: An approach to enhance yogurt quality with peanut polyphenols

This study aimed to investigate the impact of adding peanut polyphenols on the microbiological, physiochemical, and nutritional properties of yogurt. Polyphenols were extracted from peanuts and incorporated in yogurts formulations at 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5%. The total phenolic content of yogurt with 1.5% peanut extract was greater (89.59 ± 0.0328 mg GAE/100 mL) than others. Addition of peanut polyphenols resulted in significant (p ≤ 0.05) increases in protein, fat, ash, and total solids content. Moreover, polyphenol supplementation significantly (p ≤ 0.05) influenced titrable acidity and water holding capacity. Titrable acidity increased over storage periods and water holding capacity improved with polyphenol addition. Gross energy was higher in yogurt with 1.5% fortification (85.5 ± 0.0145 Kcal/100 g) than in other formulated yogurts. Fortification significantly improved the total viable counts and total lactobacillus counts while total coliform count was undetectable. Sensory analysis indicated that yogurt fortified with 1.0% peanut polyphenols was preferred, considering all evaluated organoleptic parameters. These findings provide insights into optimizing yogurt fortification with peanut polyphenols to enhance its physicochemical and nutritional values.

Co-ensiled rice straw with whole sugar beet and its effect on the performance of lactating cows

This study investigated the effect of co-ensiled rice straw (RS) with whole sugar beet (SB) on lactating cows’ performance. Ensiled rice straw (ERS) as control (CGS) was incorporated with immersed corn grains (CG) for 24 h, while the 2nd and 3rd ensiled RS (LSB and HSB) contained SB substituted of 50 and 100% of CG on an energy basis (total digestible nutrients, TDN), respectively. In the experimental diets, D1, D2, and D3, which include CGS, LSB, and HSB provided ad-libitum, respectively, while a concentrated feed mixture (2% of body weight) was offered. The population of lactic acid bacteria was slightly higher with fed HSB, relative to LSB and CGS. The OM, CP, EE, NFC, and TCH contents of CGS were slightly higher than LSB and HSB, while the opposite happened with the aNDFom, and ADFom contents. The digestibility of DM, OM, aNDFom, and ADFom of the D3 group was higher (P < 0.05) than in D1 and D2. The D3 recorded the highest values (P < 0.05) of silage consumption, and palatability. Milk production, fat-corrected milk (FCM), and energy-corrected milk (ECM) were (P < 0.05) higher for cows fed D3 compared with D1 and D2. Fat, protein, lactose, and total solids were trending on the same track. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) of cows fed diet D3 was better than cows fed D1 diet. The level of glucose in the blood increased (P < 0.05) significantly with feeding on HSB than LSB, which was significantly (P < 0.05) higher compared to CGS. In conclusion, co-ensiling of RS with the whole SB plant consider a good method to improve its nutritional value.

Unveiling the aluminum tolerance by Tithonia diversifolia grown in acid soil: Insights from morphological, anatomical, and nutritional analysis

AbstractAcidic soils cover two‐thirds of Brazil's land, significantly reducing pasture productivity and resilience. Tithonia diversifolia has emerged as a promising forage alternative for such soils. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of different soil acidity levels, determined by base‐cation saturation (BCS) levels, on the anatomical, and morphological analyses of the roots, the nutritional status of the plants, as well as the root and shoot biomass production. A 107‐days greenhouse experiment was carried out, employing a randomized block design with a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement. The factors included two propagation methods (seeds and stem cuttings) and four BCS levels (19%, 39%, 52%, and 63%). There was no observed interaction between propagation methods and BCS levels regarding root and shoot biomass production. This indicates that T. diversifolia's tolerance to acidic soils is not affected by the propagation method. However, stem‐propagated plants exhibited significantly greater root (31% increase) and shoot (26% increase) biomass production compared to seed‐propagated plants. Regardless of the propagation method, T. diversifolia plants grown in soil with a 19% BCS level showed a substantial reduction in root (45% decrease) and shoot (31% decrease) biomass compared to the 63% BCS level treatment. The root anatomy and morphology of T. diversifolia are affected when cultivated in acidic soils with a 19% BCS level. Nevertheless, the Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) test detected some mucilage in T. diversifolia roots, suggesting a potential defense mechanism for Al3+. The shoot biomass of T. diversifolia plants cultivated in soil with a 19% BCS level exhibited greater nutritional values compared to the 63% BCS level. In conclusion, propagation methods have a limited impact on the tolerance of T. diversifolia to acidic soils. Despite the negative effects on root and shoot biomass production, T. diversifolia effectively maintains nutrient uptake even under acidic soil conditions with Al3+ availability of 5 mmolc dm−3.

Influence of growth stages on the nutritional value of Momordica balsamina leaf powder

The nutritive mineral element concentrations of most African leafy vegetables (ALVs) are influenced by the plant’s growth stages. Momordica balsamina is an ALV in the Cucurbitaceae family, rich with nutraceutical and pharmaceutical properties, available in the plant at different growth stages. A greenhouse study was conducted to determine the responses of the nutritional value of M. balsamina leafy vegetable harvested at different growth stages. Six growth stages, namely, vegetative (reference), bud development, flower initiation, fruit set, fruit development and physiological maturity, served as treatments, with 10 replicates and arranged in RCBD. Treatments had highly significant (P ≤ 0.01) effect on the tested nutritional quality, namely, potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe) and phosphorus (P). Relative to the reference, K was the highest (1206 mg/L) at flower initiation stage, whereas the highest Ca (127.70 mg/L) and Zn (2.21 mg/L) concentrations occurred at the fruit development stage. At the physiological maturity stage, the highest Mg (25.19 mg/L), P (16.54 mg/L) and Fe (5.49 mg/L) concentrations, were recorded. Noticeably, during early growth stages, P, Fe and Zn were negatively reduced, when compared to K, Ca and Mg, which were increasing at every growth stages. In conclusion, the greatest accumulation of the tested mineral elements was mainly observed as from when the leafy vegetable started setting fruit until physiological maturity stage.

Wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.): a review of the current evidence of nutritional and preventive health benefits*

Thymus serpyllum L. (Lamiaceae), known in English as ‘wild thyme’, is primarily found in the Palearctic realm (Eurasia, North Africa) and has been utilized traditionally for culinary, nutritional, medicinal, and aromatic purposes. The essential oil extracted from wild thyme is particularly noteworthy, being used extensively in the food industry as a flavoring agent and preservative. The plant’s aerial parts are commonly employed as an element of the diet (e.g., tea)/for culinary uses and in local/traditional medicine (primarily for managing respiratory and gastrointestinal conditions), similar to the use of common thyme. There is practically no information available on the species’ nutritional benefits. Pharmacological studies, including in vitro and in vivo research, alongside a limited number of clinical trials, have investigated extracts of Thymus serpyllum, although these extracts are often phytochemically poorly characterized in different experimental protocols and models. These studies have demonstrated a range of therapeutic effects, such as antimicrobial (notably the essential oil) and anti-inflammatory, as well as its preventative health benefits and nutritional value of wild thyme. Preclinical studies have corroborated the plant’s anti-inflammatory potential, particularly in conditions like inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and irritable bowel syndromes (IBS). Additionally, evidence of hepatoprotective activities and benefits in managing metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular health issues, such as lipid metabolism regulation, cholesterol reduction, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and immunomodulatory effects, have been observed predominantly in rodent models. Phytochemical analysis of wild thyme reveals an essential oil fraction below 1%, along with non-volatile compounds predominantly comprising phenolic acids (such as rosmarinic, salvianolic, and caffeic acids) and flavonoids (mainly glucosides of luteolin, apigenin, and their derivatives). These components are believed to contribute significantly to the plant’s medicinal, nutritional, and preventive health properties. Despite promising findings, there is a need for more rigorously designed controlled clinical trials using phytochemically characterized wild thyme. The plant has an excellent safety and tolerability record. This review at the interface of nutritional/preventive health properties and as pharmacological activities highlights the current role of wild thyme in nutrition and general healthcare as well as its future potential, and also points to important gaps in the literature.

Discovery of Epichloë as novel endophytes of Psathyrostachys lanuginosa in China and their alkaloid profiling

The Epichloë genus represents a significant group of above-ground endophytes extensively researched for their potential applications in agriculture and ecology. Additionally, Epichloë species synthesize bioactive alkaloids, which generally cause health problems in livestock and have detrimental effects on the performance of insect herbivores. Psathyrostachys lanuginosa serves as a valuable forage grass for livestock owing to its high nutritional value and resilience in adverse environmental conditions. Nevertheless, to date, no reports have documented Epichloë as endophytes of P. lanuginosa. In this study, four strains (PF5, PF9, QG2, and QG4) were isolated and identified through morphological, molecular, and phylogenetic analyses as endophytes of P. lanuginosa. Morphological analysis indicated colony characteristics and conidia features consistent with symbiotic Epichloë, with no significant differences observed in growth rates or conidia dimensions among the four strains. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed all strains as E. bromicola. Additionally, alkaloid biosynthetic genes were detected, revealing differences in the potential synthesis of peramine and indole diterpenoid alkaloids among strains from different geographic origins. However, all four E. bromicola strains exhibited similar potential for synthesizing ergot alkaloids, but not loline alkaloids. Overall, this study identified P. lanuginosa as a novel host for E. bromicola and provided insights into the alkaloid profiles of these strains, laying a solid foundation for the scientific and rational utilization of Epichloë resources.

Comparative Metabolome Profiling for Revealing the Effects of Different Cooking Methods on Glutinous Rice Longjing57 (Oryza sativa L. var. Glutinosa).

Glutinous rice (GR), an important food crop in Asia, provides prolonged energy for the human body due to its high amylopectin content. The non-volatile metabolites generated by different cooking methods that affect the nutritional value and color of GR are still poorly understood. Herein, a widely targeted metabolomics approach was used to understand the effects of different cooking methods (steaming, baking, and frying) on the metabolite profiles of GR. Compared with other treatments, steamed GR had a brighter color and significantly lower contents of total sugar, starch, amylopectin, and amylose, at 40.74%, 14.13%, 9.78%, and 15.18%, respectively. Additionally, 70, 108, and 115 metabolites were significantly altered in the steaming, baking, and frying groups respectively, and amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism were identified as the representative metabolic pathways based on KEGG annotations. Further evaluation of 14 amino acids and 12 carbohydrates in steamed GR, especially 4-aminobutyric acid, suggested its high nutraceutical value. Additionally, multivariate analysis indicated that total sugar content, amylose content, beta-alanine methyl ester hydrochloride, and 4-aminobutyric acid played a critical role in color formation in raw and cooked GR. Finally, the levels of major amino acids and carbohydrates were quantified by conventional methods to verify the reliability of the metabolome. Consequently, this in-depth understanding of metabolite profiling in normal cooking methods has provided a foundation for the processing of GR products.

Exploring the nutraceutical potential: Evaluating the nutritional and bioactive functions of five pomelo fruit varieties in Bangladesh

Pomelo (Citrus maxima), the largest citrus fruit, provides a variety of nutrients that have several health benefits, including antioxidant and antidiabetic functions. Antioxidants help combat oxidative stress by neutralizing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reducing cellular damage. On the other hand, antidiabetic properties involve mechanisms such as enhancing insulin secretion, improving insulin sensitivity, inhibiting carbohydrate digestion and absorption, and regulating glucose metabolism. However, there is a lack of data on the comparative analysis of the physicochemical composition, bioactive properties, and antidiabetic effects of pomelo fruits grown in Bangladesh. To address this issue, the most common and popular high-yielding five cultivars of pomelo fruits grown in Bangladesh including LOCAL, BARI-2 (BARI: Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Batabi Lebu-2), BARI-3, BARI-4, and BARI-6 were evaluated concerning proximate, minerals, and physicochemical properties with their antidiabetic and antioxidant properties. Research has revealed that all pomelo varieties contained a significant amount of proximate compositions and major minerals (Ca, Mg, K, Na, and Fe). The highest juice yield (75.37 ± 0.33 %), vitamin C content (79.56 ± 2.26 mg/100 mL of fresh juice), and carotenoid content (919.33 ± 0.62 μM β-Carotene Equivalent/g DM) were found in BARI-3 pomelo fruit and adhered to the sequence (p < 0.05): BARI-3 > LOCAL > BARI-4 > BARI-6 > BARI-2; BARI-3 > LOCAL > BARI-2 > BARI-4 > BARI-6, and BARI-3 > BARI-2 > BARI-6 > LOCAL > BARI-4, respectively. The anthocyanin content and inhibitory activity of α-glucosidase were found to be at their peak in the BARI-2 pomelo variety and the values were 50.65 ± 2.27 μg cyanidin 3-glucoside equivalents/100 g DM and 85.57 ± 0.00 μM acarbose equivalents/g DM, respectively. BARI-3 pomelo variety showed highest DPPH antioxidant capacity (170.47 ± 0.01 μM Trolox equivalents/g DM), while the BARI-6 pomelo variety exhibited the highest total phenolic content (6712.30 ± 1.84 μg gallic acid equivalents/g DM), and ferric-reducing antioxidant power activity (183.16 ± 0.01 μM Fe(II) equivalents/g DM). Therefore, this study explores the nutritional value and bioactivity of five popular pomelo varieties in Bangladesh, offering valuable insights for utilizing high-value citrus resources and understanding their health-promoting functions.

Peningkatan Pengetahuan Siswa Sekolah Dasar tentang Bahan Tambahan Pangan Berbahaya dengan Metode Eksperimen Laboratorium

Food Additives in general are to increase the nutritional value of food, improve the aesthetic and sensory value of food and extend the shelf life of food. There is abuse of food additives which can endanger consumers, such as adding borax and formaldehyde to food. This community service activity is an effort to increase elementary school students' knowledge of dangerous BTP using laboratory experimental methods. The results show that there is an increase in students' knowledge of dangerous food additives.

Vegan gummy candies with low calorie based on celery (Apium graveolens) puree and boswellia gum (Boswellia thurifera)

AbstractGummy candy is one of the main snacks for children, and conventional samples with high calorie illustrate no nutritional value; therefore, the aim of present research was to develop functional product on priority. Celery (Apium graveolens) puree (25%–50%), boswellia gum (10%–20%), lemon essential oil (0.25%–0.50%), and sugar (10%–20%) in two levels were considered for vegan gummy candy production. Based on central composite design, the 30 types of gummy candies were prepared; afterward, response surface methodology was applied to optimize results determined by texture (hardness, springiness, adhesiveness, gumminess, chewiness, and elasticity characteristics), physicochemical attributes (pH, sugar content, water activity, antioxidant function, and calorie restriction), and also sensory evaluation. In general, elevated concentration of celery puree and boswellia gum‐enhanced hardness, chewiness, and also gumminess for treated products. On the other hand, higher sugar with lemon essential oil improved adhesion, springiness, and elasticity features. More boswellia gum, celery, lemon essential oil, and reduction in sugar elevated water activity and also declined pH for treated samples. The celery puree, boswellia gum, and lemon essential oil significantly enhanced antioxidant function of treated gummy candies. According to attained results, sugar had a remarkable influence on acceptability and in treated samples calorie decreased. Based on all investigated factors, optimal formulation was achieved including 25% celery puree, 20% boswellia gum, 0.450% lemon essential oil, and 13.55% sugar. Regarding the results, obtained gummy candy with high nutritional value and low calorie demonstrated the potential to produce extensively in food sector.

Nutritional value, bioactive composition, physico-chemical and sensory properties of Ulva sp. and Fucus vesiculosus depending on post-harvest processing: a drying comparison study

Nutritional value, bioactive composition, physico-chemical and sensory properties of Ulva sp. and Fucus vesiculosus depending on post-harvest processing: a drying comparison study