ABSTRACT
This study evaluated the oligosaccharides, phytochemicals, dietary fiber, microbial count, pH and acidity of fonio (Digitaria exilis)/ricebean (Vigna umbellata) based complementary foods in order to ascertain the safety of the formulations. A 3 by 4 by 4 factorial design was used. A 70:30 (treated fonio): (72 h sprouted and dehulled ricebean) blend containing 30 % peeled dried carrot and 30 % crayfish (FNBN) was formulated. A similar blend with additional 20 % milk (FNBP), a third blend containing unsprouted and undehulled ricebean (FNBU) and a fourth containing only treated fonio and sprouted ricebean (FNBM) were also formulated. The level of stachyose and raffinose in the diets ranged from 0.21±0.00 -0.40±0.02 % and 0.05±0.00 -0.10±0.01 % respectively. The levels of stachyose and raffinose in the sprouted samples (FNBP, FNBN and FNBM) were comparable (p>0.05) and low suggesting absence of flatulence. The residual phytochemicals in the formulations ranged from 0.160±0.00-0.28±0.00 % (alkaloid), 0.17±0.02-0.35±0.01 % (flavonoid) and 0.39±0.02-0.530±0.01 % (saponin). These low values indicate absence of allergy. The dietary fiber contents of the blends were lower (p<0.05) than the recommended 5 % for complementary food indicating that the digestive system of the infants can handle it. The low bacterial load and zero fungal growth observed in the products depict high level of hygiene and sanitary quality while the near neutral pH and low acidity suggest caution during handling and feeding of the infant. These conditions favour growth of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. Results of the study show a high measure of safety of the formulations.
ABSTRACT
Aims: To study the effect of iso-osmotic potentials of drought and salinity during seedling growth stage in ricebean. Study Design: Completely randomised design. Place and Duration of Study: The lab experiment was conducted during the year of 2017- 2018 and 2018-2019 in ricebean variety Bidhan 1 at Department of Plant Physiology, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal, India. Methodology: For studying the effect of iso-osmotic potential of salinity and drought stress, the solutions of NaCl and PEG 6000 with -0.2, -0.4 and -0.8 MPa osmotic potential were used and the experiment was conducted in sand culture using modified Hoagland solution [1] under laboratory condition of diffused light, at around 80±1% relative humidity (R.H.) and at a temperature of 28±1°C. Results: All the biochemical parameters under study, in general were adversely affected by the both stress with the effects being more drastic as the intensity of stress increased. The highest intensity of salinity stress was found to produce more adverse effects than drought in respect of RLWC, leaf chlorophyll as well as protein content in leaves of ricebean in the present experiment. While the content of soluble sugar, starch and phenol in the leaf were more drastically affected by drought stress. Conclusion: The drought stress was found to register more drastic effects on seedling growth as compared to iso-osmotic potential of salinity stress, especially, at the highest intensity of stress in ricebean cultivar Bidhan 1.