The Impact of Chlorella vulgaris Fortification on the Nutritional Composition and Quality Characteristics of Beef Burgers.

Chlorella vulgaris (C.V) is known for its high protein and nutrient contents and has been touted as a potential functional ingredient in food products. For this study, beef burgers were formulated with varying levels of Chlorella vulgaris fortification (0%, 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5% by weight). The nutritional composition, including proximate analysis and mineral content, was determined for each treatment group. The quality characteristics evaluated included thiobarbituric acid (TBA), total volatile base nitrogen (TVBN), pH, and total acidity. The study included extracting the active substances from Chlorella vulgaris using three solvents, 50% ethanol, 95% ethanol, and water, to evaluate the effect on the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. The results showed that the water extract had the highest total phenolic content (183.5 mg gallic acid equivalent per gram) and the highest flavonoid content (54 mg quercetin per gram). The aqueous extract had the highest content of total antioxidants, followed by the 95% ethanol and 50% ethanol extracts. Meanwhile, the 50% ethanol extract showed the best antimicrobial activity, while the aqueous extract had less of an effect on Gram-positive bacteria and no effect on E. coli. For the burger treatments, at the end of the storage period, it was observed that the microbial load of the treatments decreased compared to the control, and there was a high stability in the total volatile base nitrogen (TVBN) values for the treatments compared to the control, reaching a value of 22.4 at month 5, which is well above the acceptable limit, indicating spoilage. The pH values were higher for all of the treatments, with a lower total acidity for all of the treatments compared to the control. In conclusion, utilizing Chlorella vulgaris algae as a natural preservative to extend the freshness of burgers is a sustainable and innovative approach to food preservation. By harnessing the power of this green superfood, we not only enhance the shelf life of our food products but also contribute to a healthier and more environmentally friendly food industry.

Potential of Low Cost Agro-Industrial Wastes as a Natural Antioxidant on Carcinogenic Acrylamide Formation in Potato Fried Chips.

Acrylamide is classified as a toxic and a prospective carcinogen to humans, and it is formed during thermal process via Maillard reaction. In order to find innovative ways to diminish acrylamide formation in potato chips, several extracts of agricultural wastes including potato peels, olive leaves, lemon peels and pomegranate peels extracts were examined as a soaking pre-treatment before frying step. Total phenolic, total flavonoids, antioxidant activity, and the reduction in sugar and asparagine contents were additionally performed. Proximate composition of these wastes was found to be markedly higher in fat, carbohydrate and ash contents. Lemon peels and potato peels showed almost similar phenolic content (162 ± 0.93 and 157 ± 0.88 mg GAE /g, respectively) and exhibited strong ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activities than the other wastes. The reduction percentage of reducing sugars and asparagine after soaking treatment ranged from 28.70 to 39.57% and from 22.71 to 29.55%, respectively. HPLC results showed higher level of acrylamide formation in control sample (104.94 mg/kg) and by using the wastes extracts of lemon peels, potato peels, olive leaves, and pomegranate peels succeeded to mitigate acrylamide level by 86.11%, 69.66%, 34.03%, and 11.08%, respectively. Thus, it can be concluded that the soaking of potato slices in the tested wastes extracts as antioxidant as pre-treatment before frying reduces the formation of acrylamide and in this way, the risks connected to acrylamide consumption could be regulated and managed.

Improvement of Selected Morphological, Physiological, and Biochemical Parameters of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) Grown under Different Salinity Levels Using Potassium Silicate and Aloe saponaria Extract.

Two successive field trials were carried out at the experimental farm of the Agriculture Department of Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt, to investigate the sole or dual interaction effect of applying a foliar spray of Aloe saponaria extract (Ae) or potassium silicate (KSi) on reducing the stressful salinity impacts on the development, yield, and features of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) plants. Both Ae or KSi were used at three rates: 0% (0 cm3 L-1), 0.5% (5 cm3 L-1), and 1% (10 cm3 L-1) and 0, 30, and 60 g L-1, respectively. Three rates of salinity, measured by the electrical conductivity of a saturated soil extract (ECe), were also used: normal soil (ECe < 4 dS/m) (S1); moderately-saline soil (ECe: 4-8 dS/m) (S2); and highly-saline soil (ECe: 8-16 dS/m) (S3). The lowest level of salinity yielded the highest levels of all traits except for pH, chloride, and sodium. Ae at 0.5% increased the values of total soluble sugars, total free amino acids, potassium, anthocyanin, a single-photon avalanche diode, stem diameter, fruit number, and fresh weight, whereas 1% of Ae resulted in the highest plant height, chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm), performance index, relative water content, membrane stability index, proline, total soluble sugars, and acidity. KSi either at 30 or 60 g L-1 greatly increased these abovementioned attributes. Fruit number and fruit fresh weight per plant also increased significantly with the combination of Ae at 1% and KSi at 30 g L-1 under normal soil conditions.

Evaluation of Egyptian honeys and their floral origins: phenolic compounds, antioxidant activities, and antimicrobial characteristics.

This study reports the physicochemical characterization of clover (Trifolium hybridum) and citrus (Citrus sinensis) honeys produced in Fayoum, Egypt, by evaluating the analysis of moisture content, pH, total soluble solids (TSS), electric conductivity (EC), total sugars, crude protein, ash content, total acidity, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), and total phenolic compounds (TPC). Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of honey extracts and their flower extracts were determined. The results clearly indicated that ethanol gave the highest extraction yield of both clover and citrus flowers, while ethyl acetate showed the highest extraction recovery for the phenolic compounds, with TPC amounting to 338.5 and 536.4 mg gallic acid equivalent kg-1 fresh weight in clover and citrus flower extracts, respectively. Honey samples have less TPC than their flowers. The results showed that the TPC of citrus honey and its flowers was higher than clover honey and its flowers, respectively. Antioxidant activity was higher in extracts obtained from citrus flower than extracts of clover flower. The same trend was noticed for honey samples. Both clover and citrus honeys showed antimicrobial effects against tested microorganisms. HPLC analysis showed that p-coumaric acid was the main phenolic component in ethanol extracts of clover and citrus honeys, contributing about 83.0% and 52.2%, respectively. In citrus and clover flower extracts, syringic acid and quercetin were the main phenolics, respectively. It would be expected that characteristics of honey samples are mainly depended on the floral origin of nectar foraged by bees.

Chemical analysis of aqueous extracts of Origanum majorana and Foeniculum vulgare and their efficacy on Blastocystis spp. cysts.

BACKGROUND: Origanum majorana (O. majorana) and Foeniculum vulgare (F. vulgare) are traditionally used herbs in Egypt for treatment of several diseases including parasitic diseases. The Purpose was to determine the efficacy of O. majorana and F. vulgare aqueous extracts (AEs) on Blastocystis spp. in vitro, and to reveal their phenolic, flavonoids components and antioxidant activities through chemical analysis. METHODS: The Efficacy of both plant AEs on human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) viability was assessed using MTT assay. Isolated Blastocystis spp. cysts from patients' diarrhea samples were incubated with different concentrations of O. majorana and F. vulgare AEs for different incubation periods (24, 48 and 72 h) in comparison with nitazoxanide (NTZ) as a drug control. The total contents of phenolic and flavonoid compounds in the AEs and their ability to reduce DPPH were assessed. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis for quantitative and qualitative determination of the phenolic and flavonoid contents was performed. RESULTS: O. majorana AE at a dose of 400 µg /ml showed efficacy rates of 96% and 100% against Blastocystis parasite after 48 and 72 h, respectively, which nearly equivalent to NTZ at a dose of 500 µg/ml. F. vulgare at a dose of 250 µg/ml showed less efficacy rate of 56.4% after 48 h and increased to 70.7% after 72 h. Both extracts contain high phenolic and flavonoid compounds that possess antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities. CONCLUSION: O. majorana and F. vulgare AEs showed dose and time dependent anti-Blastocystis activity.

Chemical analysis and giardicidal effectiveness of the aqueous extract of Cymbopogon citratus Stapf.

Searching for new effective and safe treatment of Giardia lamblia (G. lamblia) parasite is mandatory. The aim was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo effectiveness of an aqueous extract prepared from the leaves of Cymbagogon citratus (CcAE) against G. lamblia and to reveal the phenolic and antioxidant properties of CcAE. METHODS: CcAE (25, 50, 100, 200, 400, and 500 µg/ml) was in vitro incubated with G. lamblia trophozoites in comparison with metronidazole (MTZ 10 and 25 µg/ml). Growth inhibition was evaluated after 3, 24, and 48 h of drug exposure. Infected groups of mice were orally treated for 7 days with CcAE at 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg/day/mouse, in comparison with a group treated with 15 mg/kg/day/mouse MTZ for the same period. The total phenolic components (TPC), the total flavonoid components (TFC), the 2,2,diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, and the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for quantitative and qualitative phenolic content were chemically estimated. After 24 and 48 h of in vitro incubation, the estimated minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were 500 and 400 µg/ml, respectively, and the concentrations that induced 50% growth inhibition (IC50) were 93.8 and 60.4 µg/ml, respectively (P < 0.001). Mice given 500 mg/kg CcAE showed 100% stool clearance of G. lamblia stages, similar to MTZ-treated control group (P < 0.001). The TPC was 10.7 ± 0.2 mg GAE/g and the TFC was 23.9 ± 0.3 mg quercetin/g, and the estimated IC50 for DPPH free radical scavenging was 16.4 ± 0.1 mg/ml. HPLC revealed the major phenolic components of CcAE to be carnosic acid, p-coumaric acid, cinnamiac acid, quercetin, rutin, and chlorogenic acid. In conclusion, CcAE is significantly effective against G. lamblia in vitro and in vivo, and has considerable phenolic and antioxidant properties.

Oxidative stability of DHA phenolic ester.

Docosahexaenoic acid vanillyl ester (DHA-VE) was synthesized from docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester (DHA-EE) and vanillyl alcohol by a solvent-free alcoholysis process catalysed by Candida antarctica lipase B. Oxidative stability of pure DHA-VE and the crude reaction medium consisting of 45% DHA-VE and 55% DHA-EE were compared with that of DHA-EE under various storage conditions. Oxidation progress was followed by determination of conjugated dienes and FTIR measurements. Analyses showed that DHA-EE was rapidly oxidised under all storage conditions in comparison with DHA-VE and crude reaction medium, whatever the temperature and the storage time. The grafting of vanillyl alcohol appeared as a powerful way to stabilize DHA against oxidation. Thanks to their stability, both DHA-VE and the crude reaction medium, allowing the production of the ester, offer huge potential as functional ingredients.