Toxicological Assessment of Wistar Rats Fed with Feed Fortified with Processed Breadfruit

Background: The seed of breadfruit is a major food consumed in some parts of Nigeria. It has been identified as an important leguminous food that is highly rich in carbohydrates and protein with abundant minerals and vitamins and is known to contain important anti-nutrients. Aim: This study aims to assess the possible toxicological effect of feed fortified with cooked, parboiled, and grilled breadfruit on the liver and kidney function parameters of Wistar rats. Method: Kidney and liver function tests were carried out using standard diagnostic methods. Results: The results of the kidney function test carried out revealed that feed fortified with 30% cooked and parboiled breadfruit showed a significant (p<0.05) increase in the creatinine level while a significant increase (p<0.05) in the Urea level was observed in all the groups fed with the processed breadfruit with respect to the normal control group. The liver function test carried out showed an increase (p<0.05) in Alanine Transaminase (ALT) activity in the group fortified with 30% cooked breadfruit, a significant increase in Aspartate Transaminase (AST) activity (p<0.05) in all fortified groups with an exception to the group fortified with 30% cooked breadfruit. A significant increase (p<0.05) in Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was seen in the group fortified with 50% grilled breadfruit. Conclusion: The rise in the level of kidney function parameters and liver function enzymes in the blood of the rats fed with feeds fortified with processed breadfruit is an indication that prolonged consumption of breadfruit may have an adverse effect on the renal and hepatic function.

Effect of Malted African Breadfruit (Treculia africana) Seed Flour Inclusion on In-vitro Glycemic Index, Starch and Protein Digestibility of Fibre Rich Snack Bars

The study was carried out to elucidate the suitability and utilization of malted African breadfruit (Treculia africana) seed flour in snack bars production. Malted African breadfruit seeds, maize and coconut were processed to flour and evaluated of their proximate composition, phytochemical composition and particle sizes. Six (6) products were developed from the flour blends in the respective ratio of 0:95:5 (T0), 20:75:5 (T20), 25:70:5 (T25), 30:65:5 (T30), 35:60:5 (T35) and 95:0:5 (T95). Soluble dietary fibre (SDF = 5.15 – 3.15%) decreased while insoluble (IDF = 7.23 – 19.23%) and total dietary fibre (TDF = 12.33 – 22.39%) increased significantly (p<0.05) with increasing malted African breadfruit inclusion. In vitro glycemic index (IVGI) and starch digestibility (IVSD) decreased significantly (p<0.05) from 57.30 – 45.65% and 57.48 – 31.44% respectively, with increasing substitution of malted African breadfruit seed flour. A negative correlation was observed between the TDF and IVGI content of the snack bars. In vitro protein digestibility ranged from 68.19 to 87.45%. With reference to standard classifications, the formulated malted African breadfruit seed based snack bars could be referred to as ‘high fibre’ and ‘low glycemic’ foods, and may have positive health benefit to the consumers, especially the diabetics and those interested in weight management.

Maná sobre el océano: los viajes del árbol del pan / Manna over the ocean: the breadfruit's voyages

Ending the nineteenth century the King of England sent Captain Bligh with orders to take from Tahiti to Jamaica plants of the breadfruit tree, searching for a chip and nutritive food for his slaves in the New World. The first voyage failed because the famous Bounty's mutiny; in the second, with the Providence and the Assistance, Bligh did successfully his task and today the tree growths well all around the Caribbean Sea, being not only a popular food, but also, in hands of a good chef, a gourmet's dish.

Providing added value to local uses of paparahua (Artocarpus altilis) in Amazonian Ecuador by phytochemical data review

Abstract Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson ex F.A.Zorn.) Fosberg, Moraceae, is a native tree of Southeast Asia introduced to South America at the beginning of the 19th century. It has been used by several indigenous communities. This paper aims to preserve the traditional knowledge at risk of loss and to validate some of the applications found. Current ancestral practices were documented, by interviews in a scarcely contacted Amazonic Kichwa community from the Bobonaza River (Ecuador). The findings were compared with bibliographic citations from other Amazonian cultures. A bioinformatics literature survey of articles that report experiments on the chemical constituents was executed. The major findings are that some uses given in this population may be considered surprising, but the molecular profile of this species justifies its local value. It has cycloartenol (terpenoid), artoindonesianin F (stilbenoid), and different groups of flavonoids (chalcones, prenylflavones, oxepinoflavones, pyrano-flavones, xanthones). This information can prove effective in a search for novel drugs, focused to merge potential innovative uses of the plant.

Potencial do latex da fruta pão (Artocarpus altilis) como agente coagulante do leite

Breadfruit is an exotic tree in Brazil, very well acclimatized. Despite of being a laticifer plant, the knowledge about its latex is scarce. However, it is known that proteolytic enzymes represents over 50% of the latex composition in laticifers plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis var. Apyrena) latex as a source of milk clotting proteases and partially characterize it. The proteolytic activity of the fraction of crude extract was assessed using azocasein and quantitation of total protein, the bicinchoninic acid (BCA). Milk-clotting activity was analyzed using skim milk at 12%. The enzyme activity was analyzed under different temperature conditions (35 to 80°C) and pH (5.8 to 10.7) presenting optimum activity in alkaline pH (8.5) and 50°C; being stable to the two variables at 120 minutes during the test. The clotting activity was directly proportional to the temperature at the better concentration of CaCl2 (10mmol L-1). The results indicate that enzyme is a possible replacement for calf rennet.

A fruta-pão é uma árvore exótica no Brasil, onde se aclimatou muito bem. Embora seja uma planta lactífera, o conhecimento sobre seu látex é escasso. No entanto, sabe-se que enzimas proteolíticas correspondem a mais de 50% da composição do látex em plantas lactíferas. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o potencial do látex da fruta-pão (Artocarpus altilis var. Apyrena) como fonte de protease coagulante do leite e caracterizar parcialmente a enzima. A atividade proteolítica da fração de extrato bruto foi avaliada utilizando azocaseína e, para a quantificação das proteínas totais, o ácido bicinconínico (BCA). A atividade de coagulação do leite foi testada utilizando leite desnatado a 12%. A protease foi testada em diferentes condições de temperatura (35 a 80°C) e pH (5,8 a 10,7) e apresentou atividade ótima a 50°C e pH alcalino (8,5) sendo estável a estas variáveis durante 120 minutos. A atividade coagulante no leite foi diretamente proporcional à temperatura na melhor concentração de CaCl2 a 10µmol L-1. Os resultados indicam que a enzima analisada é uma possível alternativa à quimosina.

A Review on Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson) Fosberg (breadfruit).

Artocarpus altilis (Family: Moraceae) is commonly referred to as breadfruit as it is similar to freshly baked bread. Synonyms of Artocarpus altilis are Artocarpus communis and Artocarpus incisus. Basically Artocarpus species consists of phenolic compounds which include flavonoids, stilbenoids, arylbenzofurons and Jacalin, a lectin. Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) is originated from A. camansi Blanco (bread nut) which is native to New Guinea, Moluccas (Indonesia) and the Philippines. Many on-going researches are testing the pharmacological activities of Artocarpus altilis. Some of the researches that are being carried out on this plant includes antiinflammatory, antioxidant, antifungal, sexual behavior, immunomodulatory effect, antidiabetic effect and antibacterial effect. This review will help to provide detailed information on recent researches done on this plant.

African Breadfruit (Treculia africana) Seed as Adjunct in Ethanol Production.

African breadfruit seeds have the potentials as carbon source for ethanol production with a carbohydrate value of 72.19%. On malting the seeds at 28±2oC for 9 days it yielded a 96% germination capacity and total malting loss of 25.70%. Grain dormancy was broken by the second day of malting. Malted breadfruit seeds were ground and defatted to 0.78% fat content. Full fat breadfruit and defatted breadfruit flours were used as adjuncts in the ratio of 3:5 (adjuncts: barley). Fermentation parameters such as wort fermentable sugar, specific gravity, extract yield and ethanol were measured over the 9 days of fermentation. Extract yields were 12.59, 9.66 and 11.23% while ethanol production was 5.79, 6.39 and 6.10% for wort from defatted breadfruit, full fat breadfruit and maize, respectively.