ABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate the fatty acid contents of raw white sardinella fish and their two fermented products, fish paste [Tareeh] and fish sauce [Mehiawah]. Design: A Prospective Experimental Basic Science Study. Setting: University of Bahrain, Bahrain
Method: Four raw Oom fish, four fish paste, and four fish sauce samples were used from each batch. Raw fish samples were first grinded separately and one gram of each grinded raw fish, Tareeh and Mehiawh were homogenized with 10mL of 10% saline solution and 6mL of the homogenate were used. The homogenates were extracted with a mixture of methanol: chloroform [1:1 v/v] Lipids were extracted from the food samples, and their fatty acids methyl esters [FAMEs] were analyzed by gas chromatography
Result: The concentrations of saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids were significantly lower in the fermented samples compared to raw samples, whereas the concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids were significantly higher. The amount of omega-6, omega-3, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid were higher in the fermented samples. The unsaturated fatty acid C20:4 n6 was not present in the raw fish samples but was detected in the fermented samples. The findings of the present study have indicated the presence of some degree of desaturation and elongation activities during the fermentation process
Conclusion: The findings of the present study have indicated the presence of some degree of desaturation and elongation activities during the fermentation process which might have resulted in the production of fermented fish products with elevated levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids [PUFAs], eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA], and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]
ABSTRACT
To evaluate the effect of short-term exposure to 50 Hz [1 mT] extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields [ELF EMFs] on the Ca[2+] concentration in 4 different regions of the mice brain [cortex, cerebellum, hippocampus and brainstem]. University of Bahrain, Arabian Gulf University. Prospective Randomized Controlled Study. Adult BALB/c male mice were exposed to 50 Hz [1 mT] ELF-EMFs for 2 hours/day for five consecutive days and were treated orally with the calcium channel blocker Amlodipine. Calcium was extracted from the mice brain tissues and the concentration of Ca[2+] was determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The effect of ELF EMFs exposure on the Ca[2+] concentrations varied in different regions of the brain, with a significant increase [P<0.05] only in the hippocampus and the brainstem. This increase occurred during short-term exposure to ELF EMFs and the Ca[2+] concentrations started to decrease during the interval of no exposure. The rise in Ca[2+] concentration due to ELF EMFs exposure did not occur in mice treated with the calcium channel blocker Amlodipine. The increase in Ca[2+] concentrations could have involved activation of the voltage-gated calcium channels [VGCCs] by ELF EMFs