Almond (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus dulcis</Emphasis> L.) Protein Quality

Three marketing varieties of almonds; Carmel, Mission, and Nonpareil; were analyzed for proximate composition and protein nutritive quality. Moisture, lipids, protein, ash, sugars, and tannins ranges were 3.05-4.33%, 43.37-47.50%, 20.68-23.30%, 3.74-4.56%, 5.35-7.45%, and 0.12-0.18%, respectively. No detectable hemagglutinating and trypsin inhibitory activities were present in Carmel, Mission, and Nonpareil almonds. Amino acid analyses indicated the sulfur amino acids (methionine + cysteine), lysine, and threonine to be the first, second, and third limiting amino acids in almonds when compared to the recommended amino acid pattern for children 2-5-year old. However, compared to the recommended amino acid pattern for adults, sulfur amino acids were the only limiting amino acids in almonds tested. True Protein Digestibility (% TPD) values for Carmel, Mission, and Nonpareil were 88.55 +/- 1.26, 92.25 +/- 1.05, and 82.62 +/- 1.47, respectively. Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Scoring (PDCAAS) values suggested almond proteins to be of poor nutritional quality.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">In vivo</Emphasis> Antioxidant Properties of Extracts from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Coptis chinensis</Emphasis> Inflorescence

The inflorescence of cultivated Coptis chinensis has been valued for tea production for many years in China. The antioxidant activities of C. chinensis inflorescence extracts prepared by various solvents were investigated by using several established in vitro systems: 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS), α,α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and superoxide radical scavenging assays, reducing power assay, and ferrothiocyanate (FTC) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assays. The results showed that the 70% ethanol extract (EE) had the strongest antioxidant activity in vitro among the various extracts. Based on the in vitro results, EE was used to evaluate the antioxidant activity of C. chinensis inflorescence in vivo. The liver and kidney of intoxicated animals showed a significant decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH) levels, while the malondialdehyde (MDA) level showed a significant increase. These changes were significantly reversed after treatment with EE and the standard vitamin E. Thus, the C. chinensis inflorescence may be a valuable natural source that can be applicable to food industries.     

Effect of the Extrusion on Functional Properties and Mineral Dialyzability from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phaseolus Vulgaris</Emphasis> Bean Flour

The effects of extrusion conditions on cooking degree, flour dispersion viscosity and mineral potential availability of extruded bean flour were studied. Phaseolus vulgaris beans of the agronomic cultivar “Flor de mayo” were ground and dehulled to obtain grits and then extruded at different temperatures (140, 160 and 180 °C) and moisture contents (17, 20 and 23%), according to a bifactorial experimental design. Degree of cooking was estimated by water solubility (WS) and specific mechanical energy (SME). The effect of variables on WS and SME were analysed by surface response methodology. Flour dispersion viscosity and mineral availability (estimated by in vitro dialyzability), were also evaluated on selected samples. Results showed that, within the ranges of the variables used for this study, only the effect of temperature was significant on the degree of cooking. No direct correlation was observed between water solubility and SME, although a maximum value of WS corresponded to a range of SME values of 400–500 J/g was observed. Dispersion viscosity decreases as WS increases, so if high calorie density is desired, for instance in order to produce a cream soup formula, bean grits should be extruded at high temperature and as low moisture as possible, in our case 180 °C and 17% moisture. On the other hand, the effects of extrusion variables on iron and zinc dialyzability were not much affected.     

Volatile Compounds of Dry Beans (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phaseolus vulgaris</Emphasis> L.)

Volatile compounds of uncooked dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars representing three market classes (black, dark red kidney and pinto) grown in 2005 were isolated with headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME), and analyzed with gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 62 volatiles consisting of aromatic hydrocarbons, aldehydes, alkanes, alcohols and ketones represented on average 62, 38, 21, 12, and 9 x 10(6) total area counts, respectively. Bean cultivars differed in abundance and profile of volatiles. The combination of 18 compounds comprising a common profile explained 79% of the variance among cultivars based on principal component analysis (PCA). The SPME technique proved to be a rapid and effective method for routine evaluation of dry bean volatile profile.     

Maturity-Adjusted Resistance of Potato (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Solanum tuberosum</Emphasis> L.) Cultivars to Verticillium Wilt Caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Verticillium dahliae</Emphasis>

Verticillium wilt is a fungal disease of potato caused by two species of Verticillium, V. dahliae and V. albo atrum. The pathogen infects the vascular tissue of potato plants through roots, interfering with the transport of water and nutrition, and reducing both the yield and quality of tubers. We have evaluated the reaction of 283 potato clones (274 cultivars and nine breeding selections) to inoculation with V. dahliae under greenhouse conditions. A significant linear correlation (r = 0.4, p < 0.0001) was detected between plant maturity and partial resistance to the pathogen, with late maturing clones being generally more resistant. Maturity-adjusted resistance, that takes into consideration both plant maturity and resistance, was calculated from residuals of the linear regression between the two traits. Even after adjusting for maturity, the difference in the resistance of clones was still highly significant, indicating that a substantial part of resistance cannot be explained by the effect of maturity. The highest maturity-adjusted resistance was found in the cv. Navajo, while the most susceptible clone was the cv. Pungo. We hope that the present abundance of data about the resistance and maturity of 283 clones will help potato breeders to develop cultivars with improved resistance to V. dahliae.     

Comparative Study on the Chemical Composition,Antioxidant Properties and Hypoglycaemic Activities of Two <Emphasis Type="Italic">Capsicum annuum</Emphasis> L. Cultivars (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Acuminatum</Emphasis> small and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cerasiferum</Emphasis>)

The present study aimed to evaluate for the first time the phenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin content and the antioxidant and hypoglycemic properties of Capsicum annuum var. acuminatum small and C. annuum var. cerasiferum air-dried fruits. The ethanol extract of C. annuum var. acuminatum small, characterized by the major content of total poliphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids and capsaicinoids, showed the highest radical scavenging activity (IC₅₀ of 152.9 μg/ml). On the contrary, C. annuum var. cerasiferum showed a significant antioxidant activity evaluated by the β-carotene bleaching test (IC₅₀ of 3.1 μg/ml). The lipophilic fraction of both C. annuum var. acuminatum and C. annuum var. cerasiferum exhibited an interesting and selective inhibitory activity against α-amylase (IC₅₀ of 6.9 and 20.1 μg/ml, respectively).     

Potentials of Gum From <Emphasis Type="Italic">Detarium microcarpum</Emphasis> (DM) and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mucuna flagellipes</Emphasis> (MF) Seeds as Raw Beef Burger Stabilizers

Raw beef burgers containing graded levels (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0%) of polysaccharide gums extracted from Detarium microcarpum (DM) and Mucuna flagellipes (MF) were produced. Unstabilized beef burgers and beef burgers containing gum tragacanth (TR) were also produced simultaneously to serve as control. The raw beef burgers were evaluated for selected physicochemical and sensory properties so as to assess the stabilization potentials of DM and MF polysaccharide gums relative to the conventional TR. Beef burgers containing the polysaccharide gums had significantly (P<0.05) lower shrinkage, higher water holding capacity (WHC), and better stability under ambient conditions (27±1°C and RH 90.6%) then the unstabilized burgers. Among the stabilized burgers, DM gum burgers had lower (P0.05) shrinkage and higher WHC than MF and TR gums burgers. All the gum-stabilized beef burgers required 9–26% higher compression force indicating a less friable product than the unstabilized burgers. At 0.25 and 0.5% levels of gum incorporation DM gum burgers had comparable compression force with TR gum burgers and this was lower (P0.05) than the compression force of MF gum burgers. Sensory panel results indicated a lower score for finger feel in gum-stablized burgers than the unstabilized burgers. DM and TR gum burgers had comparable scores with TR gum burgers in all the sensory attributes tested. Overall acceptability score showed that all the gum-stabilized beef burgers were acceptable. It was evident from the study that polysaccharide gums from DM and MF seeds can serve as effective stabilizers in beef burgers without adverse effect on the quality of the product.     

Hypolipidemic Effect of Avocado (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Persea americana</Emphasis> Mill<Emphasis Type="Italic">)</Emphasis> Seed in a Hypercholesterolemic Mouse Model

Avocado seed contains elevated levels of phenolic compounds and exhibits antioxidant properties. We investigated the effect of Avocado Seed Flour (ASF) on the lipid levels in mice on a hyperlipidemic diet. The concentration of phenols was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography, antioxidant activity was evaluated using the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity method, and dietary fiber was measured using the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) method. The LD₅₀ of ASF was determined using Lorke’s method and hypolipidemic activity was evaluated in a hypercholesterolemic model in mice. Protocatechuic acid was the main phenolic compound found in ASF, followed by kaempferide and vanillic acid. The total phenolic content in the methanolic extract of ASF was 292.00 ± 9.81 mg gallic acid equivalents/g seed dry weight and the antioxidant activity resulted in 173.3 μmol Trolox equivalents/g DW. In addition, a high content of dietary fiber was found (34.8%). The oral LD₅₀ for ASF was 1767 mg/kg body weight, and treatment with ASF significantly reduced the levels of total cholesterol, LDL-C, and prediction of the atherogenic index. Therefore, the antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds and dietary fiber in ASF may be responsible for the hypocholesterolemic activity of ASF in a hyperlipidemic model of mice.     

Antioxidant in Mango (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Mangifera indica</Emphasis> L.) Pulp

This work was carried out to investigate the pulp composition of four mango cultivars (Haden, Tommy Atkins and Ubá) at the ripening stage in relation to three components with antioxidant potential (total phenolics, carotenoids and ascorbic acid). Total phenolic compound content was estimated by the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and total carotenoid content by spectrophotometry at 450 nm. The contents of β-carotene and total vitamin C (ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid) were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography. Differences were found among the four mango cultivars in all the components analyzed. The content of phenolic compounds ranged from 48.40 (Haden) to 208.70 mg/100 g (Ubá); total carotenoid from 1.91 (Haden) to 2.63 mg/100 g (Palmer); β-carotene from 661.27 (Palmer) to 2,220 μg/100 g (Ubá) and total ascorbic acid ranged from 9.79 (Tommy Atkins) to 77.71 mg/100 g (Ubá). These results corroborated previous information that mangoes are a good source of antioxidants in human diet.     

Bioactivity Improvement of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Olea europaea</Emphasis> Leaf Extract Biotransformed by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Wickerhamomyces anomalus</Emphasis> Enzymes

Olive leaves represent a quantitatively significant by-product of agroindustry. They are rich in phenols, mainly oleuropein, which can be hydrolyzed into several bioactive compounds, including hydroxytyrosol. In this study, water extract from olive leaves ‘Biancolilla’ was analyzed for polyphenol profile, DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity and protective effect on differentiated Caco-2 cells. The efficacy of two enzymatic treatments in promoting the release of bioactive phenols was investigated: a) enzymatic extract from Wickerhamomyces anomalus, characterized by β-glucosidase and esterase activities; b) commercial β-glucosidase. Composition and bioactivity of the resulting extracts were compared. The results showed that the yeast-treated extract presented hydroxytyrosol content and DPPH radical scavenging activity comparable to those obtained using commercial β-glucosidase; however, it was showed the additional presence of hydroxycinnamic acids. In experiments on Caco-2 cells, the leaf extracts promoted the recovery of cell membrane barrier at different minimum effective concentrations. The high specificity of W. anomalus enzymatic extract may represent an effective tool for the release of bioactive phenols from olive by-products.     

Identification and fine mapping of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bph33</Emphasis>, a new brown planthopper resistance gene in rice (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oryza sativa</Emphasis> L.)

Background

Host-plant resistance is the most desirable and economic way to overcome BPH damage to rice. As single-gene resistance is easily lost due to the evolution of new BPH biotypes, it is urgent to explore and identify new BPH resistance genes.

Results

In this study, using F_2:3 populations and near-isogenic lines (NILs) derived from crosses between two BPH-resistant Sri Lankan rice cultivars (KOLAYAL and POLIYAL) and a BPH-susceptible cultivar 9311, a new resistance gene Bph33 was fine mapped to a 60-kb region ranging 0.91–0.97 Mb on the short arm of chromosome 4 (4S), which was at least 4 Mb distant from those genes/QTLs (Bph12, Bph15, Bph3, Bph20, QBph4 and QBph4.2) reported before. Seven genes were predicted in this region. Based on sequence and expression analyses, a Leucine Rich Repeat (LRR) family gene (LOC_Os04g02520) was identified as the most possible candidate of Bph33. The gene exhibited continuous and stable resistance from seedling stage to tillering stage, showing both antixenosis and antibiosis effects on BPH.

Conclusion

The results of this study will facilitate map-based cloning and marker-assisted selection of the gene.

     

Nutrient Content of Carob Pod (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ceratonia siliqua</Emphasis> L.) Flour Prepared Commercially and Domestically

Although the fruit of the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L. Fabaceae) is nutritious and widely available in Turkey, especially in West and South Anatolia, much remains to be learned about its nutrient composition. The main goal of our study was to determine if there are differences in the content of certain nutrients in commercially-prepared carob flour (CPCP) and domestic or home-prepared carob powder (HPCP). Sucrose was the main sugar in CPCP and HPCP. Total protein was 40% lower in CPCP than HPCP due mainly to decreases in the content of several essential amino acids. However, except for lysine in CPCP, HPCP and CPCP compared favourably to a WHO protein standard. There were large differences in terms of their content of the two essential fatty acids, linoleic and α-linolenic acid, and the linoleic acid/α-linolenic acid ratio was 3.6 for CPCP, and 6.1 for HPCP. Manganese and iron were 2.5-fold higher in HPCP than CPCP. This study demonstrates that carob flour prepared in either the household or industrially is a good source of many, but not all essential nutrients, and that commercial processing of carob fruit into flour seems to affect its content of several important nutrients.     

Variations of Main Quality Components of Tea Genetic Resources [<Emphasis Type="Italic">Camellia sinensis</Emphasis> (L.) O. Kuntze] Preserved in the China National Germplasm Tea Repository

The variations of the main quality components of tea, tea polyphenols, catechins, amino acids, caffeine, and water extract of 596 accessions Chinese tea genetic resources, preserved in the China National Germplasm Tea Repository (CNGTR), were analyzed. Tea polyphenols content on a dry weight basis varied from 13.6 to 47.8%, averaging 28.4%.The tea polyphenols content increases gradually from northern and easternprovinces to southern provinces, the highest is in Yunnan tea resources.The content of catechins ranged from 81.9 g/kg to 262.7 g/kg, averaging 144.6 g/kg. The genetic resources from Hunan province had the highest catechins content, inconsistent with the tea polyphenols, which were highest in Yunnan tea resources. The amino acids content ranged from 1.1 to 6.5%, with an average of 3.3%. It was much lower in the southern provinces compared with northern and eastern provinces. The average caffeine content was 4.2%, varying from 1.2 to 5.9%. Yunnan province has plentiful high caffeine genetic resources, next is Fujian province. Caffeine content of Chinese and Japanese tea genetic resources were very similar.The average of water extract content was 44.7%, varying from 24.4 to 57.0%. The variation pattern was similar to that of tea polyphenols.Tea genetic resources of transnormal components are valuable and they could be used directly or indirectly for commercial functional components extract, breeding, and production.     

Antioxidant and Antifungal Activity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Verbena officinalis</Emphasis> L. Leaves

The scavenging activity against DPPH (1,1-diphenil-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical and the antifungal effect against chloroform, ethyl acetate and 50% methanolic extracts of Verbena officinalis leaves were investigated. The activity of different fractions of 50% methanolic extract and some isolated compounds were also investigated. The results suggest that 50% methanolic extract and caffeoyl derivatives could potentially be considered as excellent and readily available sources of natural antifungal and antioxidant compounds.     

Antioxidative and Anticancer Activity of Extracts of Cherry (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus serrulata</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">spontanea</Emphasis>) Blossoms

Organic solvent (methanol, ethanol, and acetone) extracts and water extracts of cherry (Prunus serrulata var. spontanea) blossoms were prepared, and antioxidant activities of the extracts were evaluated. Methanolic CBE (100 μg/ml) showed the highest total phenol content (104.30 μM), radical scavenging activity (34.2%), and reducing power (0.391). The effect of CBE on DNA damage induced by H₂O₂ in human leukocytes was evaluated by Comet assay. All CBE was a potent dose dependent inhibitor of DNA damage induced by 200 μM of H₂O₂, methanolic CBE showed the most strong inhibition activity. The methanolic CBE of 500 μg/ml showed 38.8% inhibition against growth of human colon cancer cell line HT-29. These results indicated that cherry blossoms could provide valuable bioactive materials.     

Bio-efficacy of the Essential Oil of Oregano (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Origanum vulgare</Emphasis> Lamiaceae. Ssp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hirtum</Emphasis>)

The aim of this study was to investigate the bioactivity of the essential oil isolated from Origanum vulgare L. (EOv). We analyzed the in vivo anti-inflammatory properties in a mouse-airway inflammation model and the in vitro antimicrobial activity, genotoxicity over the anaphase-telophase with the Allium cepa strain and its cytotoxicity/viability in A549 culture cells. In vivo, EOv modified the levels of tumor necrosis factor -α and viable activated macrophages and was capable to mitigate the effects of degradation of conjugated dienes. In vitro, EOv reduced the viability of cultured A549 cells as well as the mitotic index and a number of chromosomal aberrations; however, it did not change the number of phases. We found that EOv presents antimicrobial activity against different Gram (?) and (+) strains, measured by disc-diffusion test and confirmed with a more accurate method, the AutoCad software. We postulate that EOv presents antibacterial, antioxidant and chemopreventive properties and could be play an important role as bioprotector agent.     

Optimization of Hairy Root Induction in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Solanum tuberosum</Emphasis>

An efficient protocol for hairy root induction in Solanum tuberosum was established using Agrobacterium rhizogenes. Transformation of Desiree was more efficient than with Shepody or Purple Majesty. Transformation efficiency of Desiree tuber discs (97% transformation efficiency) was higher in comparison to root (67% transformation efficiency), stem (61% transformation efficiency) and leaf (14% transformation efficiency) explants. Bacterial density, culture parameters, explant type, and genotype influenced the transformation efficiency, as well as the growth of hairy roots. Hairy root transformation efficiency in explants treated with acetosyringone was enhanced from 72 to 89% in Purple Majesty tubers and 56 to 80% in roots during co-cultivation. The growth rate of hairy roots from tuber discs was about 5 times greater than that of hairy roots from leaves. Tuber hairy roots were highly resistant to kanamycin in the absence of NPT II. This study describes the efficient generation of hairy roots in different potato tissues and cultivars that can provide a fast method to generate transformed tissue or be used for production of secondary metabolites.     

The Low Potential of Teff (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Eragrostis tef</Emphasis>) as an Inoculum Source for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Verticillium dahliae</Emphasis>

Teff (Eragrostis tef) is a fine stemmed annual grass and gluten free small grain that is of interest as a forage, cover, or a rotation crop. Little is known about the susceptibility of teff to many diseases. Teff could be grown in rotation with potato in the northwestern United States provided teff cultivation is economical and does not increase soil populations for pathogens affecting rotation crops such as Verticillium dahliae. Verticillium dahliae infects a wide range of dicotyledonous plants, making it one of the most important fungal pathogens of crop plants in North America, including potato. The objective of this study was to quantify the susceptibility of teff to eight V. dahliae isolates and compare the susceptibility of teff to eggplant. Teff was confirmed as a host for V. dahliae, as indicated by the presence of microsclerotia in teff stems and roots after artificial inoculation in two years of greenhouse studies. The number of microsclerotia produced in teff did not differ between mint and potato pathotypes of V. dahliae. No V. dahliae isolate produced significantly greater numbers of microsclerotia than any of the seven other isolates tested in a two-year study. Microsclerotia production of V. dahliae in teff was consistently less than in susceptible eggplant cv. Night shadow in both greenhouse experiments (P?<?0.02). It is unlikely that teff infected by V. dahliae will proliferate microsclerotia of mint or potato-aggressive pathotypes, especially when compared to susceptible eggplant cultivars.     

Bread Supplemented with Amaranth (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Amaranthus cruentus</Emphasis>): Effect of Phytates on <Emphasis Type="Italic">In Vitro</Emphasis> Iron Absorption

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the bread supplemented with whole amaranth flour (0, 20 and 40%) on iron bioavailability using Caco-2 cells model. The phytate and lower myo-inositol phosphates content in in vitro bread digests were measured by high pressure liquid chromatography. The breads made with amaranth showed significant increase of soluble phytates levels (up to 1.20 μmol/g in dry matter for the 40% of substitution) in comparison with controls, which have not detectable values. A negative correlation among phytate and Fe availability was found when increased levels of amaranth. Ferritin concentration was found 2.7- and 2.0-fold higher (P < 0.05) in cultures exposed to 20% and 40% of amaranth formulated bread samples, respectively, compared to control bread. The soluble phytate/Fe molar ratio explained the whole amaranth flour-mediated inhibitory effect associated to the limitation of available Fe; however, the use up to 20% of amaranth in bread formulation appears as a promising strategy to improve the nutritional value of bread, as indicated by the ferritin concentrations quantified in cell cultures. Higher proportion of amaranth flour increased Fe concentration although there was not detected any increase in Fe uptake.     

Antioxidant and Antihypertensive Potential of Protein Fractions from Flour and Milk Substitutes from Canary Seeds (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phalaris canariensis</Emphasis> L.)

Canary seed (Phalaris canariensis) is used to feed birds but it has been recently considered a promising cereal with nutraceutical potential for humans. The aim of this work was to analyze the protein fractions from canary seed flour and from milk substitutes (prepared by soaking the seeds in water 12 and 24 h), and to evaluate antioxidant and antihypertensive capacity of peptides obtained after in vitro digestion. Prolamins were the major protein fraction, followed by glutelins. After digestion, albumins and prolamins fractions from milks presented higher levels of peptides than flour, globulins showed more peptides in flour and glutelins were found in similar concentrations in all samples; 24 h milk prolamins had the highest concentration of peptides. Purification by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), sequencing of peptides, in vitro antioxidant ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis, 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assays, and antihypertensive capacity (angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) assay), indicated that peptides from canary seed prolamins were the most efficient compounds with antioxidant and antihypertensive activity. Canary seeds may be considered an accessible and cheap source to prepare milk substitutes with high contents of bioactive peptides with remarkable functional properties to promote better human health and healthy ageing.