Effect of selected cereal flours on chemical composition, rheological properties and cake quality

THIS RESEARCH was carried out to substitute 10, 20 and 30% levels of wheat flour with rice, barley or yellow corn flour and their effects on rheological and baking properties, as well as, the acceptability of the cake. Water absorption increased by increasing the levels of rice flour. Meanwhile, development time, extensibility and energy were decreased. Dough Stability and maximum resistance to extension were gradually increased with increasing the replacement level with barley flour in comparison to control. The maximum viscosity value increased with addition of rice, barley or yellow corn flour. While, set-back values were decreased gradually with increasing the level of rice or barley flour. The results revealed that crude fiber, lipid and ash contents of cakes had gradually increased with increasing the levels of barley or yellow corn flours. Protein content was gradually increased with increasing the level of barley flour. Gradual improvement in both of cake weight and volume were noticed for cake samples prepared with rice or barley flour .The replacement of wheat flour by rice or barley flour retarded the rate of staling. This point was considered very important because of the major economic losses that stale bakery products may entail. The sensory evaluation data demonstrated that, the rice, barley or yellow corn flour successfully replace wheat flour in produced cake up to 20% without any unfavorable change

Studies on the phytochemistry and antimicrobial activity of four plant species from Egypt

The antimicrobial and phytochemical properties of four medicinal plants [Anastatica hierochuntica, Artemisia monosperma, Juniperus phoenicae and Nigella sativa] were screened. The crude alcoholic plant extracts [80% ethyl alcohol] were tested against two bacteria [Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes], two yeast [Candida tropicalis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae] and two moulds [Aspergillus oryzae, Bipolaris hawayensis]. The antimicrobial activity of the alcoholic extracts was tested using two antimicrobial assay methods, i.e. disc-agar diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC]. The Gram-positive bacteria [Listeria monocytogenes] was more sensitive than the Gram-negative [Escherichia coli]. Anastatica hierochuntica showed the highest activity against most test organisms. The phytochemical screening of the crude alcoholic plant extracts detected tannins, sterols, terpenes, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, resins, phenols and glycosides in the extracts of the four plants except resins was not found in Nigella sativa. Phenols, flavonoids and saponins were found in significant amount in the extracts of plants. Saponins represented the major components in the extracts of the four plants