Current Nutrition & Food Science - Volume 16, Issue 4, 2020

Background: Cajuína is obtained through clarification of cashew apple juice (Anacardium occidentale L.), a non-diluted and non-fermented beverage, which is prepared from the edible part of the pseudo-fruit. Objective: This study sought to identify and quantify phenolic compounds, determine vitamin C content, total flavonoid content, and the antioxidant activity of two commercial brands of clarified cashew apple juice (cajuína) produced in Piauí, Brazil. Methods: Spectrophotometric and high performance liquid chromatography were used. Results: A high vitamin C content was found mainly in brand A. A high total phenolic content was observed in brand A, and there was no significant difference in flavonoid content between the two brands. Cajuína had high antioxidant activity, which was confirmed by two methods. The highest value was found for brand A by the DPPH method. Conclusion: We concluded that this clarified cashew apple juice has a high antioxidant compound content, and it is a functional food.

Background: The extrusion cooking is the most widely used process so the development and consumption of extruded snack products having health and nutritious benefits would help increase the health status of the population. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of storage days on physical, microbial activity and sensory characteristics of extruded snacks and kinetics of extruded snacks. Methods: Extruded snacks were produced by extrusion cooking at optimized conditions of temperature, moisture and screw speed of 110°C, 12% (db) and 200 rpm. The products were packed in lowdensity polyethylene (LDPE) and laminated pouches (LP) and were stored at an accelerated temperature condition of 40 ± 2°C. The storage stability in terms of quality parameters such as moisture, hardness, bulk density, color, lateral expansion, sensory characteristics and total plate count was investigated. Results: An increase (p≤0.05) in the value of moisture, bulk density, a*, and total plate count was observed during the storage period, whereas hardness, L*, b*, ΔE and sensory characteristics showed significant (p≤0.05) decreased order with storage period. No significant effect on the lateral expansion of the extruded product was observed. A significant decrease in total carbohydrate, fat and protein content was found during the storage period. The average sensory score and microbial analysis suggested that extruded snacks packed in LDPE pouches can only be acceptable up to the 60th day and extruded snacks packed in LP can be acceptable to more than 90th day. The kinetics of color and hardness suggest first order kinetics. Conclusion: Overall investigation suggested that extruded snacks were more stable in the LP as compared to LDPE pouches.

Background: Tofu industry in Indonesia commonly used fermented whey as coagulant. There is a lack of study about tofu producing process which used fermented whey. Generally, the society determine the tofu quality from the texture, however, the industry itself tend to produced tofu rendement. In the tofu industry, the yield and texture of tofu is a very important process parameter. The yield and texture are influenced by various factors, such as the soybean extraction process, cooking temperature, coagulation pH, length of coagulant addition, intensity of coagulant addition, or duration of shaping and pressing. However, every tofu factory applies different levels for each factor. This condition causes the variation in the characteristics of tofu, especially with regard to its texture and yield. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the factors that affect the quality and quantity of tofu. Methods: The survey study was conducted among the 21 tofu factories using fermented whey as the coagulant. Results: Based on the survey results, there were seven variables that determine the yield of tofu; the soybean type, soybean and water ratio, pH of fermented whey (coagulant), coagulation temperature (°C), coagulation pH, intensity of coagulant addition (time), and duration of molding (minutes). Conclusion: The six factors that influenced the tofu texture were soybean type, soybean and water ratio, coagulation temperature (°C), coagulation pH, coagulation time (minutes), and duration of molding (minutes).

Background: The Algerian medicinal plant Thymus pallidus Coss. is traditionally known to be used as an anti-infective, expectorant, healer of wounds and against inflammatory and gastrointestinal diseases. Objective: The aim of the present study is to investigate the antioxidants and the antibacterial activities of the aerial part extracts of this plant. Methods: Polyphenols extraction was performed with methanol 85%, followed by preliminary fractionation based on the polarity of the solvent. The extraction and fractionation process gave the crude extract (CrE), chloroform extract (ChE), ethyl acetate extract (EtAE) and aqueous extract (AqE). The antioxidant activity of extracts was evaluated using in vitro assays. While the antimicrobial activity was determined using disk diffusion method. Results: Quantitative analysis of polyphenol and flavonoids showed that EtAE includes the highest amount (P≤0.001) with 495.12±1.91 μg GAE/mg of extract and 97.25±2.84 μg QE/mg of extract, for both polyphenols and flavonoids respectively. The results of the antioxidant activity of extracts showed that the EtAE exhibited the highest inhibition activity on XO (IC50 =51.6±0.2 μg/ml) compared to other extracts (P≤0.001). Moreover, the EtAE was the most effective fraction in free radical scavenging assay against ABTS radical and hydrogen peroxide (EC50= 3.21±0.03 μg/ml and EC50 =12.12±0.05 μg/ml, respectively) compared to other extracts (P≤0.01). Using β-carotene/ linoleic acid bleaching assay, the AqE and ChE recorded a considerable inhibition effect on linoleic acid oxidation with a ratio of 81.81% and 80.86%, respectively. In the antimicrobial activity evaluation, the extracts exhibited moderate antibacterial activity against bacterial strain, with inhibition zone ranging from 07 to 14 mm. In addition, the EtAE showed a good action spectrum against six bacterial strains. In conclusion, the EtAE of Thymus pallidus showed good antioxidant activity and antibacterial effect. Conclusion: The obtained results revealed the presence of a strong correlation between the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the extract and its total phenolic content. Furthermore, they reported that the EtAE has a considerable antioxidant capacity. This can be considered as an alternative natural source of antioxidants used generally as additives in food and pharmaceutical preparation.

Background: Highly cross-linked phosphate starch (HCPS) and modified cellulose (MC) were newly developed and modified dietary fiber materials to prevent lifestyle-related diseases. Objective: We investigated the physiological property of HCPS and MC to be a dietary fiber. Methods: HCPS was made from tapioca starch by polymerization in the presence of 0.5% phosphoric acid, and MC was made from cellulose, maltodextrin and karaya gum by high-speed mixing. In the present study, rats were raised on a diet containing 10% or 15% HCPS, or 10% MC for four weeks, and physical effects such as growth, organ weights, blood biomedical parameters, fecal weight, and hydrogen excretion were recorded. Results: Growth was normal among all groups, and there was no significant difference in total body weight gain. Some organ weights including the adipose tissues differed slightly among groups, but no difference based on diet composition was observed. Blood biomedical parameters were normal and not significantly different among groups. Cecum tissue and content weights were significantly greater in the 15% HCPS, 10% MC, and 10% fructooligosaccharide (FOS) groups than in the control group, and fecal weight was significantly increased in the 10% and 15% HCPS, and 10% MC groups compared with the control group. Hydrogen excretion over 24 h was negligible when HCPS was administered orally to rats non-acclimatized to HCPS but increased significantly in rats acclimatized to 10% HCPS diet for one week. Conclusion: We conclude that both HCPS and MC could be suitable for use as low energy bulking materials.

Background: The earliest determinant of progression to type 2 diabetes is a loss of early insulin secretion, a defect which results in postprandial hyperglycemia and is often believed to reflect insulin resistance. In Asian countries including our country, noodle is the traditional food which has been eaten from ancient times and is taken one or two times a day. The functional noodle is a staple meeting nutritional requirements for the prevention and treatment of Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT). Methods: FNs were prepared using the noodle making machine according to Barak et al. with slight modifications. After giving FNs prepared by three mixing ratios of main materials to the IGT-induced rats for 30 days, the levels of postprandial 2h-blood glucose in all experimental groups and control group were measured to determinate the optimal mixing ratio of FN. After the IGT subjects in experimental group ate 200g of FN (dried weight) in exchange for a lunch for 60 days, the levels of postprandial 2h-blood glucose and of TG and TC in serum were measured to compare with that in the control group who had not undergone control in their diet. Result: After 30 days of experiment, the levels of postprandial 2h-blood glucose in rats of pl group 4 were lowest. The levels of postprandial 2h-blood glucose in the control group that most of them had not undergone control in their diet were increased, but that in experimental group who had taken FN decreased from 30 days of experiment to be significantly different after 60 days. The concentrations of serum TC and TG of IGT subjects in the experimental group were decreased compared with that in the control group, but significance among two groups was achieved only in the concentration of serum TC. Conclusion: FN made in the 4:3:3 ratio of powder of corn, powder of bean cake defatted and powder of peeled whole potato is more effective to decrease the levels of postprandial 2h-blood glucose. FN is a staple type of functional food that could be used for the treatment of IGT.