Evaluation of Various Drying Methods on Bioactives,Ascorbic Acid and Antioxidant Potentials of Talinum triangulare L., foliage

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - The aim of this study was to assess the efficiency of different drying methods (room, sun, oven, microwave, cross-flow, infra-red, dehumidifier, and freeze-drying)...     

CD8alphaalpha-mediated survival and differentiation of CD8 memory T cell precursors

Memory T cells are long-lived antigen-experienced T cells that are generally accepted to be direct descendants of proliferating primary effector cells. However, the factors that permit selective survival of these T cells are not well established. We show that homodimeric alpha chains of the CD8 molecule (CD8alphaalpha) are transiently induced on a selected subset of CD8alphabeta+ T cells upon antigenic stimulation. These CD8alphaalpha molecules promote the survival and differentiation of activated lymphocytes into memory CD8 T cells. Thus, memory precursors can be identified among primary effector cells and are selected for survival and differentiation by CD8alphaalpha.     

Glyphosate applied preharvest induces shikimic acid accumulation in hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Glyphosate is a nonselective herbicide used as a harvest aid in a variety of crops. Glyphosate is absorbed into the foliage and translocated to metabolically active regions in the plant where it interferes with the shikimic acid pathway. Experiments were conducted to determine the accumulation and distribution of shikimic acid in wheat treated with glyphosate at soft and hard dough stages of kernel development and to determine the fate of shikimic acid during milling and bread making. Elevated levels of shikimic acid were detected throughout the wheat plant. Shikimic acid concentrations peaked 3-7 days after treatment and then declined until harvest. Shikimic acid content was 3-fold greater in flour and 2-fold greater in the bread derived from treated wheat than nontreated wheat. Similarly, elevated levels of shikimic acid were found in the crumbs and crust of bread made with flour from glyphosate treated wheat. Glyphosate applied preharvest resulted in shikimic acid accumulation in hard red spring wheat and subsequent end-use products.     

Staling of Bread as Affected by Waxy Wheat Flour Blends

Crumb softness and improved shelf life of bread is often achieved by incorporating expensive shortenings in the formulation. We hypothesized that similar results could be achieved by blending bread wheat flour with waxy (low amylose) durum wheat flour. White pan bread was baked from 10, 20, and 30% waxy durum wheat flour composites and evaluated for loaf volume and crumb firmness over a period of 0, 3, and 5 days. The loaf volumes were not affected by the waxy flour blends. However, as staling progressed over 3–5 days, significant firming of crumb was observed in the control sample compared with loaves containing waxy flour. The firmness was inversely proportional to the level of waxy flour used in the blend. A 20% waxy wheat flour blend was optimal in retarding staling while producing bread quality comparable with the control. It was further established that bread made with 20% waxy flour gave lower firmness values after 5 days of storage in comparison to bread made with 3% shortening. These results suggest that 20% waxy wheat flour could substitute for use of shortening to achieve desirable crumb softness and to retard staling upon storage.     

Influence of Nitrogen Fertilizer Treatments on Spring Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Flour Characteristics and Effect on Fresh and Frozen Dough Quality

Growers are targeting hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (HRSW) for frozen dough end uses. Consequently, it is important to determine whether increasing nitrogen (N) fertilizer rates and grain protein content (GPC) improve frozen dough quality. Four HRSW cultivars were grown in low‐N soils at three locations over two years in North Dakota and fertilized with N rates of 0 kg/ha, 67.2 kg/ha, and 134.4 kg/ha. End use characteristics were analyzed using farinograph, extensigraph, and baking tests. Fresh and frozen doughs were analyzed to determine the effects of N treatments on frozen storage. A cultivar × N treatment interaction existed for extensigram curve area of fresh dough. A significant increase in GPC existed between the 0 and 67.2 kg/ha N treatments. Farinograph water absorption, arrival times, and peak times increased significantly at the 67.2 kg/ha N treatment. Bread loaf volume of fresh dough increased significantly with all treatments, while loaf volume of frozen dough increased significantly only at the 67.2 kg/ha N treatment. Therefore, aside from fresh dough loaf volume, there appears to be no improvement in frozen dough quality with the use of higher than typical N application.     

Diversity of Starch Pasting Properties in Iranian Hexaploid Wheat Landraces

Wheat landraces possess a wide diversity in starch physical properties that could be useful in breeding for improved quality of specific products, such as various types of Asian noodles. The pasting properties (using a Rapid Visco-Analyser [RVA]) and flour swelling volume (FSV, using silver nitrate to inactivate α-amylase activity) of wholemeal, were measured for 242 hexaploid accessions of Iranian landrace wheat. FSV values and the peak viscosities were positively correlated (r = 0.73***). FSV values in the landraces ranged from 8.3 to 15.9 mL/g and peak viscosities ranged from 139 to 305 RVA units (RVU). In comparison, FSV of cvs. Eradu and Klasic were 18.6 and 15.0 mL/g, and peak viscosities were 355 and 303 RVU, respectively. Of the landraces, Iranian Wheat Accession (IWA) 8602488 had the highest peak viscosity (305 RVU) and exceptionally high hot- and cool-paste viscosities. Two accessions, IWA 8602430 and 8600544, displayed pasting characteristics considered desirable for high-quality Japanese white-salted noodles. Four landraces were identified that had starch with unusually high resistance to shearthinning. Texture profile analysis was done on the wholemeal gels formed in the RVA canister. The variation in parameters such as hardness, chewiness, and adhesiveness in the landraces greatly exceeded that in the cultivars. The hot-paste viscosity, breakdown, setback, and final viscosity values, but not the peak viscosity or FSV, were highly significantly correlated with the hardness, chewiness, and adhesiveness of the gel. The Iranian landraces appear to present useful genetic variation for developing wheats for special uses.