Liaoyannuo developed by the Res Inst of Saline-alkaline Utilization of Liaoning Province

Liaoyannuo, a glutinous japonica type rice, had an average yield of 8.08 t / ha in two-year provincial trials, which is 12.6% higher than the CK Fengjin. Its average yield in two-year provincial production trials was 9.53 t/ha, 15.2% higher than the CKs Liaoyan 5 and Fengjin, respectively. Liayannuo is of moderate resistance or resistance to blast, bacterial blight of rice, sheath and culm blight of rice, rice aspergillus, response to fertility and endurance to saline and alkaline, drought and cold temperature.     

Changes in β-carotene and ascorbic acid content of fresh amaranth and fenugreek leaves during storage by low cost technique

Leafy vegetables are highly perishable and their shelf life depends on duration and conditions of storage. A low cost storage structure was used to extend the shelf life of amaranth and fenugreek and their quality was evaluated on the basis of retention of -carotene, ascorbic acid and chlorophyll during storage. Losses of -carotene ranged from 46.5 to 85.0% for amaranth and 24.0 to 73.0% for fenugreek depending on duration and conditions of storage. Similarly ascorbic acid retention varied from 9–32% for amaranth and 23–80% for fenugreek. Results showed that the degradation of quality parameters was faster at ambient conditions and packaging of leaves in low density polyethylene bags was beneficial in improving shelf life and nutritive value. Low cost storage structure was similar to low temperature storage for retention of -carotene, ascorbic acid, chlorophyll content and enhancement of shelf life.     

Effect of germination-hydrothermal treatments followed by fractionation on inhibitory factors, β-carotene and iron-zinc bioaccessibility in pearl millet fractions

Combination of strategies involving germination-hydrothermal treatments and fractionation were adopted to separates the native and treated grain into coarse (bran & germ) and fine (endosperm) fractions. The inhibitory factors, polyphenol oxidase, and phytase activity were higher in coarse fractions. On treatment, the phytic acid content in the coarse fraction decreases significantly by 49% while polyphenols decreased 13% in the fine fraction and increased 6% in the coarse fraction. Galloyls reduced by 21% and 48% in the fine and coarse fraction while catechols increased by 74% in the fine fraction and reduced by 27% in the coarse fraction. In the fine fraction, the soluble and insoluble fibre increased by 27.8% and 28.7% while in the coarse fraction is reduced by 23.5% and 24.1%. The β-carotene content reduced slightly in the coarse fraction with no variation in the fine fraction. Iron bioaccessibility was enhanced from 1.79 to 5.7% in the fine fraction and 3.06–6.05% in the coarse fraction. Zinc bioaccessibility increased from 15.44 to 24.67% and 18.59–47.6% in the fine and coarse fraction, respectively. In the treated coarse fraction the iron-zinc bioaccessibility increased due to a significant reduction in phytic acid (49%), insoluble dietary fibre (24%), galloyls (48%) and catechols (27%).     

Levels of β-carotene and effects of processing on selected fruits and vegetables of the arid zone of India

Some locally available fruits and vegetables of the arid zone of Rajasthanwere analyzed for their -carotene content; the selected fruits and vegetables were: Dansra (Rhus myserensis), Kachri (Cucumis collosus), fruit Kachri (Cucumis collosus), Kair (Capparisdecidua) and Sanghri (Prosopis cineriria). The -carotene contents of the samples were estimated in fresh and various processed states (blanched, dried and roasted). The results showed the heat lability of -carotene. Among the samples, kair was found to be the richest source of -carotene. Variety, too, had an impact on the content of this fat soluble vitamin.     

Red palm oil as a source of β-carotene for combating vitamin A deficiency

Twenty four school children of 7–9 years of age were divided into two groups of six boys and six girls each. One group was given a daily supplement of Suji halwa, a sweet snack made with semolina and red palm oil, supplying 2400 µg of -carotene and the second group was the control group which was given 600 µg of oral vitamin A palmitate, for 60 days. Vitamin A status before and after supplementation was assessed by the Modified Relative Dose Response Assay (MRDR). Results indicated that serum vitamin A levels increased from the basal level of 0.86±0.13 µmol/l to 1.89±0.23 µmol/l in the Red Palmoil (RPO) group and from 0.74±0.09 to 1.94±0.21 µmol/l in the control vitamin A group. Dehydroretinol/Retinol (DR/R) ratio decreased from 0.073±0.025 to 0.023±0.004 in the RPO group and from 0.090±0.023 to 0.023±0.004 in the vitamin A group, indicating liver saturation with vitamin A after feeding RPO snacks, comparable to synthetic vitamin A. This study indicates that RPO is an efficient source of -carotene which is found to be bioavailable in all the subjects tested, hence it can be used for supplementary feeding programmes to combat vitamin A deficiency in target population.     

The biochemical oxidation of β -carotene

Summary -carotene has been oxidized with a lipoxidase-linoleate system. Chromatography of the products shows that several of the bands have spectra corresponding to epoxide of -carotene. Three of the other fractions have been examined more closely by spectrophotometric methods and it is suggested that they are conjugated polyene ketones.Oxidation of -carotene by a ferrous phthalocyanine — linoleate system shows that the products vary depending upon the physical state of the oxidizing system.

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Zusammenfassung -Karotin wurde durch ein Lipoxydase-Linoleat-System oxydiert. Die Chromatographie der Oxydationsprodukte zeigt, dass mehrere Banden typische Spektren zeigen, die auf das Epoxyd von -Karotin hinweisen. Drei andere Fraktionen wurden mittels der spektrophotometrischen Methode genau untersucht; es wäre möglich, dass diese Substanzen konjugierte Polyen-Ketone wären. Die Oxydation von -Karotin durch ein System Eisen-2-Phthalocyanin-Linoleat zeigt, dass die Produkte variieren mit dem physikalischen Zustand des Oxydations-Systems.

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Résumé Le carotène- a été oxydé par le système lipoxidase-linoléate. La chromatographie des produits d'oxydation montre plusieurs bandes dont les spectres correspondent aux époxydes du -carotène. Trois autres fractions ont été examinées de près par les méthodes spectrophotométriques, et il est possible de suggérer que ce sont des polyénes conjugués à fonctions cétones à qui nous ne pouvons pas encore donner de formules. L'oxydation du -carotène par le système phthalocyanine ferreux-linoléate, montre que les produits d'oxydation varient en fonction de l'état physique du système oxydant.

     

Reversed phase HPLC analysis of α- and β-carotene from selected raw and cooked vegetables

Traditional AOAC colorimetric procedures for carotenoid analysis are known to lack specificity and accuracy. Newer HPLC methods provide the investigator with a more precise tool for carotenoid quantification in foods and tissues. In the present studies, reverse phase HPLC was utilized to evaluate the - and -carotene content in raw and cooked leaves of lettuce, spinach and winged bean as well as in the carrot root. The vegetables were boiled or steamed and the true retention of - and -carotene in the cooked products was determined. Boiling for 30 minutes resulted in a 53 and 40% loss of -carotene from lettuce and carrots, respectively. Full retention or even an increase in -carotene content in boiled winged bean leaves and spinach was noted. Steaming resulted in very good retention of - and - carotene in all vegetables (83–139% retention). Thus, although cooking procedures (especially boiling) may result in oxidative loss of carotenoids in some vegetables, heat treatment increases the chemical extractability of - and -carotene in others. The presence of carotenoproteins in some vegetables may effect the heat stability of extractability of - and - carotene.     

Effect of xanthan gum on the degradation of cereal β-glucan by ascorbic acid

Oat and barley β-glucans are polysaccharides known for their beneficial effects on glycemia and cholesterol. These physiological effects seem to be related to increased viscosity in the digestive tract. It has recently been shown that free radicals derived from the reaction of ascorbic acid and oxygen can cause a viscosity loss in β-glucan due to depolymerization through the Fenton reaction. However, recent studies have reported a synergistic effect between xanthan gum and β-glucan on viscosity in heat-treated fruit juices. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine if xanthan gum has a protective effect against OH radical-induced depolymerization of β-glucan by ascorbic acid. Oat β-glucan (0.4%) solutions were studied in water at pH 4. Ascorbic acid concentrations and viscosity profiles were measured over a period of 56 days. The addition of ascorbic acid caused a rapid decrease in β-glucan viscosity. The presence of xanthan gum reduced the viscosity loss (p ≤ 0.0001) but did not provide complete protection for β-glucan over time. Therefore, incorporation of β-glucan in food formulations still presents a challenge in ensuring its physical and nutritional stability in the final product. The use of OH radical scavengers such as sugars and antioxidant compounds could be used in addition to xanthan gum to obtain improved protection.     

Bioavailability trials of β-carotene from fresh and dehydrated drumstick leaves (Moringa oleifera) in a rat model

Male albino rats (Charles Foster, n = 40) were fed a synthetic diet deficient in vitamin A for 4 weeks. Six rats died during the depletion period. Of the 34 surviving, 5 rats were continued on the vitamin A deficient diet for 4 more weeks and 24 were repleted with vitamin A (4000 IU/kg diet) in the form of vitamin A acetate (group A, n = 8), fresh drumstick leaves (group B, n = 8) or dehydrated drumstick leaves (group C, n = 8) for 4 weeks. The remaining 10 rats were continued on the vitamin A adequate diet for 4 (n = 5) and 8 weeks, respectively (n = 5). A marked reduction in food intake, body weight, accompanied by clinical signs of vitamin A deficiency and a decline in serum vitamin A (29.2 to 19.1 g/dL) and liver vitamin A (3.7 to 2.0 g/dL) were seen at the end of 4 weeks of feeding a vitamin A deficient diet. On repletion significant improvements in clinical signs, food intake and body weights were noted in the three groups compared to the baseline (n = 5) and at the end of 4 weeks of depletion. The gain in body weight was highest for the group repleted with dehydrated drumstick leaves. Among the repleted groups, the serum vitamin A was highest for group A (34.7 g/dL) given synthetic vitamin A, compared to group B (25.8 g/dL) and group C (28.2 g/dL) given drumstick leaves. All these were significantly higher than the serum vitamin A values seen at the end of 4 weeks of depletion (19.1 g/dL). A significant improvement was also observed in the liver retinol levels on repletion for 4 weeks in the three groups, compared to the vitamin A depleted rats. These results imply that -carotene from drumstick leaves was effective in overcoming vitamin A deficiency although serum vitamin A levels remained somewhat lower compared to the group repleted with vitamin A acetate. In terms of growth parameters, the fresh and dehydrated drumstick leaves were better than the synthetic vitamin A. It is therefore concluded that in the developing countries like India, sources of vitamin A such as drumstick leaves are valuable in overcoming the problem of vitamin A deficiency.     

Utilization of Aromatic Rice in Improving Grain Quality of Hybrid Rice

ThesuccessfuldevelopmentandcommercialuseofhybridricehasgreatlyraisedriceyieldlevelinChina .However ,ithasbeenagreatchallengeforbreederstoim provethegrainqualityofhybridricewithoutsacrificeofitsyield ,i.e .,todevelophybridricecombinationswithgoodgrainqualityaswellashighyield .AromaticricelikeBasmatiinIndiaandPakistanandJasmineinThailand ,isfamousforitshighqualityandu niquepleasantflavorofaroma ,soitishighlyfavoredbyriceconsumersaroundtheworld .Itmightbeaneffectiveapproachtoimprovethegrainqual…     

Some preliminary observations on treatments which increase and decrease the stability of β-carotene in preserved,moist leaf protein

-carotene in leaf protein extracted from some species is destroyed in a few days when incubated with salt as a preservative. Its shelf-life can be greatly extended by pretreatment with oxalate, ascorbate mercaptans, phenolic substances, extracts made from leaves in which carotene is more stable, and by tight compaction. Treatment with alum reverses the protective effect of these chemical pretreatments, it also increases the lability of carotene in leaf protein extracted from species which usually give a relatively stable product. In these preparations of leaf protein, which were heated to 90 °C during preparation, carotene is only partially extractable into some solvents which are miscible with water. It seems therefore to be present in more than one state, but differences in extractability could not be correlated with differences in lability.     

Effect of home processing on ascorbic acid and β-carotene content of spinach (Spinacia oleracia) and amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor) leaves

The present investigation was conducted to study the concentration of ascorbic acid and -carotene in spinach and amaranth leaves as affected by various domestic processing and cooking methods which included storage of leaves in polythene bags or without packing for 24 and 48 hours in refrigerator at 5 °C; at 30 °C in polythene bags; drying (sun and oven); blanching (5, 10, 15 min); open pan and pressure cooking. Ascorbic acid content of fresh leaves was 624.1 to 629.0 mg and -carotene content was 35.3 to 53.1 mg/100 g dry weight. The percent loss of ascorbic acid ranged from 1.1 to 6.3 and 55.3 to 65.9 while lower losses (0.0 to 1.3 and 1.5 to 2.1) of -carotene were observed in leaves stored in refrigerator and at 30 °C, respectively. A markedly greater reduction in ascorbic acid and -carotene was observed in dried, blanched and cooked leaves. The study recommended the storage of leaves in refrigerator, drying in oven, blanching for shorter time and cooking in pressure cooker for better retention of these two vitamins.     

Customizing Properties of β-Chitin in Squid Pen (Gladius) by Chemical Treatments

The squid pen (gladius) from the Loligo vulgaris was used for preparation of β-chitin materials characterized by different chemical, micro- and nano-structural properties that preserved, almost completely the macrostructural and the mechanical ones. The β-chitin materials obtained by alkaline treatment showed porosity, wettability and swelling that are a function of the duration of the treatment. Microscopic, spectroscopic and synchrotron X-ray diffraction techniques showed that the chemical environment of the N-acetyl groups of the β-chitin chains changes after the thermal alkaline treatment. As a consequence, the crystalline packing of the β-chitin is modified, due to the intercalation of water molecules between β-chitin sheets. Potential applications of these β-chitin materials range from the nanotechnology to the regenerative medicine. The use of gladii, which are waste products of the fishing industry, has also important environmental implications.     

Analysis of bioaccessibility of campesterol,stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol in maize by in vitro digestion method

The content of campesterol, stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol in raw and cooked Big Flint Maize (BFM), Pop Corn Maize (PCM) and Red Maize (RM) were analyzed by using a chemical method and using in vitro digestion of cooked samples. RM contained 15.14, 8.36, and 72.19 mg/100 g campesterol, stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol, respectively, which were higher compared to in BFM and PCM. Samples cooking resulted in 6–48% increase in phytosterol content, while cooked RM had the highest phytosterol content. Using the in vitro digestion method, 44–61% reduction in phytosterol content was observed in contrast to the chemical method. The difference bioaccessible campesterol and β-sitosterol contents among varieties was insignificant, except for stigmasterol in RM. The bioaccessibility of campesterol was 44–56% higher than those of stigmasterol and β-sitosterol, and it was higher in BFM and PCM. In conclusion, phytosterol contents estimated in different maize samples using in vitro digestion can be another determinative for the ultimate content and reveals the necessity to consider with chemical method of determination.     

Fisiogenetica della pigmentazione nei pomodori e selezione per ricchezza in vitamina C ed in β-carotene

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - L'A. riassume i risultati delle sue ricerche sulla fisiogenetica dei pigmenti carotenoidi nei pomodori (incroci tra varietà diL. esculentum e con altre...     

Treatment of Cotton by β-Cyclodextrin/Triclosan Inclusion Complex and Factors Affecting Antimicrobial Properties

The efficacy of antimicrobial treatment of cotton fabrics depends on various parameters of the coating process, such as the chemical nature and concentration of the antimicrobial agent, the composition of the crosslinking formulation, and the curing temperature. The inclusion complex of triclosan with β-cyclodextrin (βCD) was synthesized and characterized by FTIR, XRD, NMR, Raman, SEM, and TGA. The minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of the complex against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus were compared to those of its precursor. A multifactorial study included an evaluation of the effects of triclosan complexation with β-cyclodextrin, a comparison between the glyoxal and tetracarboxylic acid as crosslinkers, an investigation of the effect of crosslinker and catalyst concentrations, and a comparison of curing at 120°C and 180°C. The cotton was characterized by FTIR-ATR, the micrographs of treated samples were obtained by SEM and the weight add-on was calculated. The bactericidal properties were determined according to AATCC-147. The correlation between the coating process parameters and the antimicrobial efficacy was determined. The optimal combination leading to the highest weight add-on and the antimicrobial coating that was most durable to multiple detergent washes at an elevated temperature was the use of complexed triclosan grafted onto the cotton in the presence of tetracarboxylic acid, followed by curing at 180°C. The curing temperatures were 120°C (P=0.002) and 180°C (P=0.008), catalysts were 1 % and 2 % aluminium sulfate and sodium hypophosphite (P<0.001), and the crosslinkers were 5 % and 10 % glyoxal and butanetetracarboxylic acid (P<0.001); these parameters significantly enhanced the antimicrobial properties of the treated fabrics. The study showed that βCD did not have antimicrobial activity, while the βCD/triclosan-treated textile exhibited potential antimicrobial properties. Overall, the bactericidal activity of fabrics can be enhanced by using βCD/triclosan with 10 % butanetetracarboxylic acid as a cross-linker and 5 % sodium hypophosphite as a catalyst at a curing temperature of 180°C.     

Growth and lipid metabolism as affected by feeding of hull-less barleys with and without supplemental β-glucanase

Three hull-less barleys, Washonupana (WSNP), Waxbar (WXB), and Bangsa (BGS), were fed to broiler chicks in 21% protein diets containing 0.5% cholesterol in replicate trials. A corn-based diet, with added cholesterol, served as a control. Alternate diets were supplemented with -glucanase (ENZ). -glucan content ranged from 4.9% to 6.1% and soluble dietary fiber (SDF) from 3.6% to 7.5% in the barleys. Data from the two trials were pooled for statistical analysis by the SAS General Linear Models procedure. In body weight gain, chicks fed WSNP — ENZ were lower (P<0.05) than all other treatments. The -glucanase supplement to the WXB and BGS barley tended to improve gains, but the differences were not significant for either barley. Feed to gain ratios were lowest (P<0.0001) for corn fed chicks and lower (P<0.05 toP<0.0001) for those fed the barley+ENZ diets compared to barley –ENZ. Chicks fed barley diets had lower (P<0.05) total serum cholesterol (TSC) and LDL-cholesterol than those fed corn diets, regardless of ENZ supplementation. For chicks on barley –ENZ diets, TSC levels for WSNP, WXB, and BGS were 146, 152, and 142 mg/dl respectively and for chicks on barley +ENZ diets, 218, 200, and 178 mg/dl. LDL-cholesterol levels followed the same trend and there was little difference in serum triglycerides. The BGS+ENZ lowered TSC 30% from the corn control compared to 10.7% and 18% for WSNP+ENZ and WXB+ENZ, suggesting additional hypocholesterolemic factors, possibly tocotrienol and SDF other than 13, 14 -D-glucans.Contribution No. J-2487, Montana Agricultural Experiment Station. This research was supported, in part, by a grant from the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee, Great Falls, MT, U.S.A.     

The Development of β-Glucanase and Degradation of β-Glucan in Barley Grown in Scotland and Spain

The barley mutant TR49 and the cultivar from which it was derived, Troubadour, were grown in Scotland and Spain and harvested in 1991 and 1992. The development of β-glucanase together with the breakdown of β-glucan and the reduction in milling energy were followed during malting. While similar amounts of β-glucan were found in samples from both sites, TR49 showed less response to environmental conditions. Grain from Spain showed higher levels of β-glucanase activity, differences being apparent after steeping and 1–2 days of germination. The milling energy of grain was the same, but, during malting, samples from Spain showed a greater reduction in milling energy than those from Scotland. The most extreme environment in the study was the 1991 season at the Spanish site and was the driest and hottest. But even in the cooler, wetter season of 1992, Spanish grown material showed a greater production of β-glucanase than Scottish grown samples. These findings have important implications for plant breeding as well as the growing and trading of malting barley on a European scale.     

Utilization of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in the determination of water status on rice seeds

The relation between seed viability and waterstatus in seed was studied. The experimentwas carried out at Zhongshan University.Seeds of hybrid rice Shanyou 63 were collectedfrom Guangdong Academy of Agriculture Sci-ences in 1993 and then stored for one year inopen air or with silica gel. Before and afterstorage, the relative content of free water and