[Possibility of using microalgae Spirulina platensis powder in industrial production of Iranian traditional cookies]

There are a few studies about wheat flour fortification with powdered Spirulina platensis microalgae to produce industrial cookies. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of Spirulina platensis microalgae used in production of traditional Iranian cookies on their nutritional value, color and texture. Samples of cookies were prepared using S. pirulina platensis at a level [% w/w] of 0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5%. The protein, iron and poluunsaturated fatty acid [PUFA] contents of the samples were measured by microkjeldahl, atomic absorption and GC mass chromatography, respectively; the peroxide value in the four samples was also determined. Sensory evaluation [hedonic scale 1-5] of the samples was made by 14 trained panelists. The iron, protein and gamma -linolenic acid contents of the fortified cookies were higher, and their peroxide value lower, than the respective control values. With regard to sensory evaluation, cookie samples containing 1.0% and 1.5% S. platensis scored highest following the control sample [p<0.05]. It is possible to produce cookies fortified with1.0-1.5% S. platensis with desirable nutritional and sensory characterstics

[Determination of furanic compounds from coffee powders in Tehran market using liquid phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry]

Furan was classified as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in 1995. The joint FAO/WHO Committee set the maximum permissible furan at 2 mcg/kg body weight/day in 2010. The furan content of coffee is high as compared to other processed foods. Considering the increasing trend of coffee consumption in Iran, this study was initiated to determine the furan content of different kinds of coffee powder available in Tehran Market by headspace liquid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography mass spectrometry [HS-LPMEGC-MS]. The e CCD mployed included 32 treatments at 5 levels for 4 factors with 8 replicates of center point. The furanic compounds from 66 different coffee samples were extracted by HSLPME atoptimal extraction conditions [salt 0 gram, stirrer rate 700 rpm, extraction temperature 45°C, and extraction time 15 min]. The effect of coffee brewing and coffee mix preparation on furanic compound content of coffee was also determined. The proposed method was validated by determining linearity, repeatability, recovery, enrichment factor, LOD, and LOQ. Determination of furan in coffee samples showed that there were significant differences [p<0.05] in furan concentration of different coffees [prepared by different methods] and that preparation method was the most important factor influencing the furan content of coffee. The coffee brewing and preparation of instant coffee and coffee mixes reduced furanic compounds concentration except furfural. The lowest and highest concentrations of furan in commercial coffee products were10 and 6320 ppb, respectively. In the present work, a simple, fast micro-extraction method [HS-LPME] for extraction and pre-concentration of furanic compounds in coffee samples was developed and validated. The advantages of this method are reduced solvent use, low-cost equipment use, simple experimental setup, acceptable precision and accuracy, a high enrichment factor, and no matrix interference. Differences detected in the furanic compound contents in the coffee samples are due to different green coffee bean species, coffee production process [roasting condition [time and temperature], time of degassing, and grade of grinding process]. Brewing coffee in open systems can result in decreases in the content of these compounds to an acceptable level

effect of sodium arsenite in induction of protein stress in chicken embryo model

Arsenic is one of the most important current environmental toxicants. Arsenic is one of the biggest protein stress inducer in several organs and systems. One of the basic and sensitive criteria for following protein stress is assessing carbonyl and thiol groups of proteins. Therefore, we assessed protein stress that produced by sodium arsenite in chicken embryos by measuring carbonyl and thiol proteins. After 4 days of incubation, 36 fertilized eggs were candled. The eggs that had alive embryos received a single injection of 0.1 and 0.5 ppm arsenite sodium in two separate groups of 12 eggs and the rest 12 [control group] received 0.5 ml saline into the yolk sac. After 20 days of incubation, teratogenicity and external defects in embryos were investigated, one ml of embryo blood was analyzed for assaying protein thiol and carbonyl as well. Data were analyzed by SPSS [version 16] with ANOVA test [tukey]. The mean of carbonyl protein was in 0.1 ppm group 0.835, 0.5 ppm group 0.844 and control group 0.804 and this change was significant and dose dependent. In addition, the mean of thiol protein was in 0.1 ppm group 0.053, 0.5 ppm group 0.014 and control group 0.054 and this change was also significant and dose dependent. The carbonyl and thiol protein alterations in serum of embryos exposed to arsenite sodium, suggest the embryotoxicity of this agent induction of plasma carbonyl and thiol protein stress

Nitrite residual changes in four types of heated red meat products during storage at 4 degrees centigrade

The consumption of meat products is increasing in Iran. The use of sodium nitrite as an antioxidant, preservative and color fixative is very common in the meat industry, which is a cause of concern due to its hazardous effects in humans; it may also be considered as a toxicant and carcinogenic compound due to conversion into nitrosamine compounds. Considering these alarming facts, this study was designed to determine the changes of sodium nitrite residue in four types of processed red meat products during storage at 40°C. In this descriptive study triplicate samples of four types of heated red meat, with meat contents of 40%, 55%, 80%, and 90%, and containing 120 ppm added sodium nitrite, from an Iranian meat processing plant were investigated. During processing and storage at 40°C for 87 days, the samples were analyzed for nitrite sodium residues, in duplicates, at 21 time points, according to AOAC method. The initial sodium nitrite residue in all the 4 product types decreased significantly by the end of the 87-day period, as follows: in the 40%-meat sample, from 66 ppm to 21 ppm; in the 55%-meat sample, from 63 ppm to 20 ppm; in the of 80%-meat sample, from 53 ppm to 4 ppm; and in the 90%-meat sample, from 51 ppm to 3 ppm. The data also showed that, as regards the final nitrite residue levels, there was no significant difference between samples with 40% and 55% meat content, or between those with 80% and 90% meat content. However, significant decreases were observed between the 40%- or 50%-meat samples and the 80%- or 90%-meat samples. With respect to the hazards that may be caused by nitrite and its derivatives for human health, it is recommended that the acceptable level of nitrite be based on meat content of the processed products, taking into consideration its anti-microbial and organoleptic characteristics