Toward the Development of Potentially Healthy Low-Energy-Density Snacks for Children Based on Pseudocereal and Pulse Flours.

The main objective of this study was the development of gluten-free cracker-type snacks with a balanced supply of essential amino acids, a lower glycemic index, and a lower caloric intake that were sensorially acceptable. For this purpose, chickpea flour was replaced by quinoa (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50%) and the fat was partially (75%) replaced by chicory inulin. The flours were characterized in terms of their proximate composition, individual mineral content, particle size distribution, and functional properties. The parameters analyzed for the crackers, once baked, were the water content, water activity, weight, dimensions, color, and texture. A sensory analysis was performed as well, using the formulations containing 50% chickpea flour and 50% quinoa flour (g/100 g flour), with and without inulin, as well as those made with 100% chickpea flour. From the analysis of the raw flours, it can be concluded that snack products developed from them could be a nutritive option for children, in terms of the protein, magnesium, and fiber content. The functional properties revealed that both flours are suitable for producing doughs and baked products. The obtained results indicate that snacks made with 50% quinoa flour (g/100 g flour) and 75% chicory inulin (g/100 g high oleic sunflower oil) could be an interesting alternative for children as, in addition to offering a very interesting nutritional contribution, the energy intake from fat is reduced by 57%.

Assessment of the Volatile Profiles and Identification of Differentiating Aromas of Wild Undervalued Plants.

Wild edible plants have played an important role in traditional diets, including the Mediterranean diet. Many of these plants have acquired an undervalued status, since they are under-appreciated in terms of their nutritional, organoleptic qualities, or their seasonality. However, some of these species are still used in local gastronomy for their aromatic and taste characteristics. This study has investigated the quantitative and qualitative aromatic characteristics of seven undervalued wild plants that determine their organoleptic characteristics. Volatiles of the fresh leaves of each species have been determined by head-space solid-phase microextraction, a sensitive and solvent-free technique, coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. A total of 37 compounds with remarkable quantitative and qualitative differences were identified. In general, benzenoids and monoterpenoids were the most abundant groups, while branched unsaturated hydrocarbons, fatty alcohols, and sesquiterpenoids were the minor groups. Benzyl nitrile, benzyl isothiocyanate, p-cymene, and 2-hexenal were the main individual volatiles, while benzyl alcohol, eugenol, and α-copaene were the differentiating aromas. The results display that the undervalued species studied could be a suitable choice to include as new environmentally friendly crops, providing a double benefit to producers, because they are a possible way to achieve sustainable production systems, and they are an alternative for consumers, because these plants provide flavors that have high organoleptic qualities.

Nutritional Composition, Bioactive Compounds, and Volatiles Profile Characterization of Two Edible Undervalued Plants: Portulaca oleracea L. and Porophyllum ruderale (Jacq.) Cass.

Wild edible plants are an important source of healthy food and have played an important role in traditional Mediterranean diets. In this paper, quality characteristics were typified in Portulaca oleracea L. and Porophyllum ruderale (Jacq.) Cass, undervalued plants inherent to the spring-summer season in the Valencian coastal region. Nutritional composition and bioactive compounds were analyzed and compared between plants in wild and organic cultivation conditions. Proximate analysis was carried out according to Association of Official Analytical Chemists methods. Total antioxidants were measured as 2.2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl hydrate and total polyphenols content via the Folin-Ciocalteu procedure. The HS-SPME technique was used to characterize the volatiles profile, and the polyphenol profile was evaluated by HPLC. The most important microelement was iron. Total antioxidants ranged from 4392.16 to 7315.00 µmol Trolox·equivalents 100 g-1 fw, and total phenolic content ranged from 99.09 to 391.18 mg gallic acid equivalents·100 g-1 fw. Results show that the content of antioxidants and phenols was higher in wild species than in cultivated ones. The volatiles profile revealed that P. ruderale was rich in monoterpenoids (48.65-55.82%), and fatty alcohols were characteristic in P. oleracea species (16.21-54.18%). The results suggest that both plants could be healthy foods and could have new sustainable agro-ecological potential for the local commercial sector.

Five undervalued edible species inherent to autumn-winter season: nutritional composition, bioactive constituents and volatiles profile.

BACKGROUND: Wild edible herbs have historically been used as local nutritional and medicinal sources. These plants grow spontaneously, depending on the season. They adapt well to different edaphoclimatic conditions, generating a diversity constituent beneficial to health. They impart compounds needed in the human diet in regard to macro and micronutrients. When consumed raw, they keep their properties intact and provide health benefits. Five undervalued edible plants: Stellaria media (L.) Vill, Tropaeolum majus L., Sonchus oleraceus L., Chenopodium album L. and Diplotaxis erucoides (L.) DC are characteristic of the autumn-winter season in the Valencian coastal region and could have new sustainable agro-ecological potential for the local commercial sector. However, little information is available from the nutritional quality and bioactive composition viewpoint for these species. Concurrently, the volatiles compounds profiles describing the characteristic flavors are unknown. METHODS: Nutritional characteristics, bioactive compounds, and other chemical components of the fresh leaves were analyzed. In addition, the volatiles composite profile was performed. The analyzed species come from the soil reservoir; their wild growth is adjusted to the autumn season. The proximate analysis was carried out by Association of Official Analytical Chemists methods. Total antioxidants were measured as 2.2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrzyl hydrate (DPPH) and total polyphenols content via the Folin-Ciocalteu procedure. Volatiles profile was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The vegetative part analyzed was the tender leaves with edible potential. RESULTS: A high variability has been obtained in the composition of the species studied. The proximate analysis found a considerable content of fiber (1.22-5.4 g·100 g-1), potassium (157.7-1,250.6 mg·100 g-1), iron (0.6-2.0 mg·100 g-1), and a low caloric value (16.1-43.02 kcal·mg·100 g-1). In bioactive compounds analysis, a high level of antioxidants was highlighted (1,604.3-4,874.6 µmol·100 g-1), followed by chlorophylls. Volatiles profile revealed that the species were rich in benzenoids (33.8-89.9%) as the majority family. The pyrazines class was characteristic only in D. erucoides L. DISCUSSION: Fresh edible leaves of the undervalued plants show considerable nutritional potential and a high bioactive components level, which highlight the antioxidant capacity. Leaves of C. album L. stand out due to their higher concentration of nutritional compounds, while D. erucoides L. is noted for its higher antioxidant capacity. Aromatic descriptor of pyrazines detected in the leaves of D. erucoides L. is associated with the slightly spicy flavors that characterize this species. Results suggest that studied species could be of great relevance in introducing these five edible herbs as a source of new grown material, postulating them as healthy food ingredients with attractive flavors for the gourmet cuisine industry.

Role of Hydrocolloids in the Structure, Cooking, and Nutritional Properties of Fiber-Enriched, Fresh Egg Pasta Based on Tiger Nut Flour and Durum Wheat Semolina.

The aim of this work concerns the manufacturing process of fresh egg tagliatelle labeled as a "source of fiber" based on tiger nut flour and wheat semolina. An attempt to improve the quality attributes and cooking properties of the obtained product was made by means of structuring agents. More specifically, a combination of three hydrocolloids (carboximethylcellulose, CMC; xanthan gum, XG; and locust bean gum, LBG) was tested. A Box-Behnken design with randomized response surface methodology was used to determine a suitable combination of these gums to achieve fewer cooking losses, higher water gain and swelling index values, and better texture characteristics before and after cooking. Positive effects on textural characteristics were observed when incorporating XG into the pasta formulation. Cooking and fiber loss also significantly diminished with the XG-CMC combination over 0.8%. No significant effect was found for the other evaluated parameters. A synergistic interaction between LBG and XG was only significant for the water absorption index. The cooked pasta was considered a source of fiber in all cases.

Fruit composition profile of pepper, tomato and eggplant varieties grown under uniform conditions.

The study of the diversity within and between major Solanaceae crops (pepper, tomato, eggplant) is of interest for the selection and development of balanced diets. We have measured thirty-six major fruit composition traits, encompassing sugars, organic acids, antioxidants and minerals, in a set of 10 accessions per crop for pepper, tomato and eggplant, grown under the same cultivation conditions. The aim was to evaluate the diversity within species and to provide an accurate comparison of fruit composition among species by reducing to a minimum the environmental effect. Pepper, tomato and eggplant had a clearly distinct composition profile. Pepper showed the highest average content in total sugars and organic acids. Fructose and glucose were the major sugar compounds in the three species, although in pepper and tomato sucrose was present only in trace amounts. Citric acid was the major organic acid in pepper and tomato, while in eggplant it was malic acid. Pepper and eggplant had the highest total antioxidant activity. Vitamin C content was much higher in pepper than in tomato and eggplant, while eggplant accumulated high concentrations of chlorogenic acid. Furthermore, eggplant was the species with higher content in most minerals, particularly for K, Mg and Cu, while pepper was the richest in Fe. Due to their complementary nutritional profiles, a combined regular consumption of the three vegetables would supply more than 20% of the Dietary Reference Intake of several of the analysed phytochemicals. The large diversity within each species is of interest for selecting varieties with better nutritional and organoleptic profiles, as well as for breeding new cultivars.

Aproximación fenomenológica a la salud sexual y reproductiva en mujeres jóvenes de etnia gitana / Phenomenological approach to sexual and reproductive health in young gypsy women

Objetivo principal: conocer la experiencia relativa en salud sexual y reproductiva en un grupo de mujeres jóvenes de etnia gitana. Metodología: estudio cualitativo con enfoque fenomenológico. Se utilizaron ocho entrevistas semiestructuradas individuales para la recolección de datos y análisis del contenido. Resultados principales: se obtuvieron tres categorías temáticas: "roles de género en el ámbito reproductivo", "hábitos y costumbres en la vida sexual" y "etapa reproductiva en embarazo, parto y puerperio". Conclusión principal: tanto los factores culturales propios de la etnia gitana como la división de roles de género influyen en el desarrollo de la etapa sexual y reproductiva de las mujeres jóvenes de etnia gitana. El conocimiento de la etapa reproductiva permite el acercamiento de los profesionales sanitarios hacia la realidad percibida de estas mujeres, para ayudarles a mantener sus hábitos, favoreciendo a la vez, una buena salud reproductiva

Objective: knowing the experience on sexual and reproductive health in a group of young Roma women. Methods: a qualitative study with phenomenological approach, using eight individual semi-structured interviews in order to collect data and carry out the analysis of the same. Results: were obtained as follows: : "Gender roles in the reproductive field", "habits and customs in the sexual life" and "reproductive stage in pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium". Conclusions: both the cultural factors of the Roma ethnic group as the division of roles gender influence development of sexual and reproductive stage of the gypsy ethnic group of young women. Knowledge of the reproductive stage of the women allows health professionals to get nearer the truth that is perceived about them in order to help them while their customs are maintained and at the same time encouraging good reproductive health

Simultaneous determination of thiamine and its phosphate esters by a liquid chromatographic method based on post-column photolysis and chemiluminescence detection.

A sensitive method for the post-column detection of thiamine (T) and its phosphate esters is described. The procedure is based on the on-line photolysis of the analytes into photoproducts which have a strong enhancing effect on the CL permanganate-luminol reaction. The complete separation of the thiamines was obtained on a RP-amide C(16) column in isocratic elution with an analysis time of less than 7 min. Under the optimum conditions, analytical curves, based on standard solutions, were linear over the range 10-1000 nM for thiamine and 100-2000 nM for its mono- and di-phosphate esters. Intra- and inter-day precision values of less than 1.14% relative standard deviation (RSD) (n=10) and 1.86% RSD (n=15), respectively, were obtained. The method was successfully applied to the determination of the thiamines in pharmaceutical preparations and baby foods.

A sensitive post-column photochemical derivatization/fluorimetric detection system for HPLC determination of bisphosphonates.

A new reversed-phase ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method has been developed for the determination of the following bisphosphonic acids: alendronic acid (ALEN), etidronic acid (ETID), ibandronic acid (IBAN) and risedronic acid (RISE). Separation was achieved on a C(18) column using a mixture of 50 mmol L(-1) borate buffer pH 9.0 containing 0.25 mmol L(-1) tetrabutylammonium chloride and 0.5 mmol L(-1) EDTA and acetonitrile (97:3) as the mobile phase. The sensitive detection of the above bisphosphonic acids was based on their oxidation to orthophosphate by the on-line peroxydisulfate-assisted photolysis followed by post-column reaction with molybdate to yield phosphomolybdate. This subsequently reacted with thiamine to generate thiochrome and, finally, the fluorescence of thiochrome was measured at 440 nm with excitation at 375 nm. The developed method is precise with a mean relative standard deviation of 1.3%, sensitive (with a detection limit at the nmol L(-1) level), accurate, specific, rapid (analysis time approximately 13 min) and inexpensive because to the low cost of the reagents. The assay was applied to the analysis of the four bisphosphonic acids in commercial dosage formulations, in which the excipients did not interfere with the determination. The method was also applied to the determination of etidronate, risedronate and ibandronate in human urine. Sample preparation involves precipitation of the analytes from urine along with endogenous phosphates such as calcium salts by addition of calcium chloride at alkaline pH and dissolution of the precipitate in 0.05 mol L(-1) ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid.

Simultaneous determination of amiodarone and its metabolite desethylamiodarone by high-performance liquid chromatography with chemiluminescent detection.

A novel method was developed for the determination of amiodarone and desethylamiodarone by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with chemiluminescent (CL) detection. The procedure is based on the post-column photolysis of the analytes into photoproducts which are active in the tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(III) [Ru(bpy)(3)(3+)] CL system. Ru(bpy)(3)(3+) was on-line generated by photo-oxidation of the Ru(II) complex in the presence of peroxydisulfate. The separation was carried out on a Mediterranea C(18) column with isocratic elution using a mixture of methanol and 0.017 mol L(-1) ammonium sulfate buffer of pH 6.8. Under the optimum conditions, analytical curves, based on standard solutions, were linear over the range 0.1-50 microg mL(-1) for amiodarone and 0.5-25 microg mL(-1) for desethylamiodarone. The detection limits of amiodarone and desethylamiodarone were 0.02 and 0.11 microg mL(-1), respectively. Intra- and inter-day precision values of 0.9% relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) (n=10) and 1.6% R.S.D. (n=15), respectively, were obtained. The method was applied successfully to the determination of these compounds in serum and pharmaceutical formulations.

Chemiluminescent determination of EDTA and related compounds using tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(III) photogenerated on-line.

A rapid and sensitive chemiluminescence method using flow-injection has been developed for the determination of EDTA. The method is based on the chemiluminescent reaction of EDTA with tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(III), which is generated on-line through the photooxidation of tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) with peroxydisulfate. After optimizing the different experimental parameters, a calibration graph was obtained over the concentration range of 7 x 10(-8) M to 3 x 10(-6) M, with a minimum detectability of 7.2 x 10(-9) M (S/N = 3) observed. The correlation coefficient was 0.9992 (n = 8). The repeatability was 0.88 % (for a level of 4 x 10(-7) M) expressed as the relative standard deviation (n = 10), and the reproducibility (studied on five consecutive days) was 1.5%. The method was successfully applied to the determination of EDTA in ophthalmic collyrium and sauce samples. The method is also useful for determining other aminopolycarboxylic acids, such as NTA, EGTA, DTPA, DCTA and EDDS.