Pesticides `contamination of lactating mothers’ milk in the north-western Himalayan region of India

Aim: The objective of the study was to develop and characterize the properties of sago (sabudana) from cassava based reconstituted dry starch with addition of pre-gelatinized starch and wet starch as binders.Methodology: The dry starch was soaked for 12 hrs at 30 % concentration and then sago was prepared at 40% moisture content with addition of pre-gelatinized starch and wet starch as binders in different treatment combinations. Results: The sago developed from the combination of reconstituted dry starch (75%) and wet starch (25%) had an optimal commercial size (3.36 mm) and shape (sphericity value, 76 %). The swelling power (5.98%) was high in reconstituted dry starch sago and solubility (13.42 %) was high in wet starch sago without the addition of any binders. The increase in cooking time (10.37%) and decrease in cooking loss (1.73%) were observed for sago developed with pre-gelatinized starch as binder. The lowest oil absorption index (0.45 g g-1) was noticed for sago prepared with wet starch as a binder. The storage modulus was comparatively lower for sago paste prepared using wet starch and thus the sago gel behaved like a dilute solution with increase in storage modulus and phase angle. Interpretation: The physico-functional properties of the cassava -based reconstituted dry starch sago can be improved by adding wet starch as a binder due to less retrogradation rate. Further, the addition of pre-gelatinized starch as a binder with reconstituted cassava dry starch can reduce the cooking loss in sago.

Effect of nitrate on nitrogen fixation and nitrate assimilation in Azorhizobium-Sesbania rostrata symbiotic system.

Root nodule formation was inhibited by 30% and 50% respectively at low concentration of 1 mM and 2 mM nitrate, while stem nodule formation was enhanced by 50% only at 1 mM nitrate. The nodule specific nitrogenase activity decreased with the increasing concentration of nitrate. At 1 mM nitrate nitrogenase activity per plant stem nodule was not affected, but it was less than 50% in the root nodules as compared to control. Increasing concentration of nitrate increased in vivo activity of nitrate reductase (NR) significantly in stem, root nodules and leaves. Nodule cytosolic NR utilized both NADH and succinate as electron donor, but not reduced MV. However bacteroidal NR utilised reduced MV as reductant more efficiently than succinate.

Effect of combined nitrogen on the expression of nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase in Azorhizobium caulinodans.

In aerobically grown Azorhizobium caulinodans strain IRBG 46, in vivo expression of nitrate reductase (NR) and nitrite reductase (NiR) requires the presence of either nitrate or nitrite. On the contrary mere microaerobic conditions are sufficient for the expression of NR and NiR, however, addition of nitrate to the growth medium enhanced the activities of the enzymes. Optimum concentration of nitrate for maximum expression of NR and NiR activities was different in aerobic and microaerobic conditions. Nitrite was released into the medium both in aerobic and microaerobic conditions beyond a particular concentration of nitrate in the medium. Dissimilatory nitrate reduction was affected to a lesser extent by ammonium compared to assimilatory nitrate reduction.