Effects of different roasting methods on formation of acrylamide in pistachio.

Drying and roasting are conventional processes in the nut industry. However, roasting as an important procedure in nuts manufacturing may cause some physicochemical changes in nuts. Acrylamide is one of these chemical compounds that is formed due to the roasting process. Acrylamide is known as a neurotoxicant, carcinogen, and reproductive toxicant. In this study, raw and salted pistachios were roasted under three conditions including hot-air, infrared (IR), and microwave methods. Then, 80 pistachio kernels were analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography. The results showed that all samples contained different ranges of acrylamide between 57 ± 0.86 and 851 ± 2.8 µg/kg. Besides, raw pistachios and sun-dried pistachios also contained acrylamide, with the amount of 57 ± 0.86 and 93 ± 1.07 µg/kg, respectively. The highest acrylamide amount was found in raw pistachio (unsalted) roasted by IR method, while lower acrylamide amount observed in the microwave method. The amount of acrylamide in salted and roasted pistachios was less than just roasted pistachios under the same conditions. Finally, in all the treatments, increasing temperature, time, voltage, and power lead to an increase in acrylamide levels. The results showed that acrylamide in the roasted pistachios may cause health problems. This study presents a novel investigation in the effects of roasting conditions (temperature, power, voltage, and time) on acrylamide content in pistachios.

Development of resveratrol loaded chitosan-gellan nanofiber as a novel gastrointestinal delivery system.

Resveratrol loaded chitosan:gellan (CS:Gel) nanofibers (NFs) were prepared for the first time using electrospinning technique. The NFs were prepared with CS (9% w/v) in trifloroacetic acid and Gel (2.5% w/v) at a concentration ratio of 95:5% w/v. Based on the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, the diameters of CS-Gel fibers at a ratio of 95:5 and 90:10% w/v were 166 ±â€¯37 and 291 ±â€¯41 nm, respectively. Resveratrol (0.05% w/v) was loaded in NFs of CS-Gel at a ratio of 95:5. Encapsulation efficiency (EE) of resveratrol in NFs of CS-Gel were 86 ±â€¯6%. The amount of resveratrol delivered in intestine region was in the range of 43-51% of the total encapsulated resveratrol (equivalent to ~840 µM). Antioxidant activities of resveratrol loaded NFs were significantly higher than that of free resveratrol. Furthermore, the resveratrol releasing ability of the NFs was proved through the MTT assay and revealed that the resveratrol NFs have almost the same cytotoxicity against HT29 cancer cells compared to free resveratrol. Based on the obtained results, the prepared NFs hold great potential as drug delivery carriers for resveratrol delivery.

Effects of Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation on Serum Values of Gamma-glutamyl transferase, Pseudocholinesterase, Bilirubin, Ferritin, and High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein in Women with Type 2 Diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a disease associated with increased oxidative stress which results from mitochondrial dysfunction. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an essential antioxidant for energy production in mitochondria. The purpose of this randomized double-blind clinical trial study was to evaluate the effects of CoQ10 supplementation on serum values of gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), pseudocholinesterase (PchE), bilirubin, ferritin, and high-sensitivity c-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and metabolic syndrome biomarkers in women with T2DM. MATERIAL & METHODS: Eighty women with T2DM enrolled in this study. Thirty six of them were randomized in the drug group (receiving 100 mg/day of CoQ10) and 44 women were randomized in placebo group. Intervention was continued for 12 weeks. In both groups 35 subjects finished the study and were included in the analysis. Serum levels of the variables were measured before and after supplementation. RESULTS: Serum values of FBS (P=0.039), HOMA-IR (P=0.01), ferritin (P<0.001), total cholesterol (TC) (P=0.006), LDL-C (P=0.007) decreased and HDL-C (P=0.02) increased significantly in the drug group after intervention. Serum levels of triglyceride (P=0.09) decreased marginally in CoQ10 group. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the current study had shown that after supplementation with 100 mg/day of CoQ10 for 12 weeks, serum values of FBS, HOMA-IR, TC, LDL-C and ferritin were decreased and values of HDL-C were increased in women with T2DM.

Effects of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on the serum levels of amylase, adenosine deaminase, catalase, and total antioxidant capacity in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Increased levels of reactive oxygen species is a key factor involved in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a nonenzymatic antioxidant that restores other antioxidants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial study has been designed to evaluate the effects of CoQ10 supplementation on serum values of amylase, adenosine deaminase, catalase (CAT), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) in women with T2DM. Serum levels of CoQ10 were measured too. Sixty-eight women with T2DM were enrolled in this study and randomly divided into two groups. One group received 100 mg/day of CoQ10 supplement for 12 weeks (n = 34), and the other group was given placebo for the same time duration and dosage (n = 34). RESULTS: After the intervention, serum CAT activity (P < 0.001), TAC (P = 0.006), CoQ10 (P = 0.001), and QUICKI (P = 0.005) increased and fasting blood sugar (FBS) (P = 0.05) decreased significantly in CoQ10 group. CONCLUSION: This study showed that daily supplementation with 100 mg of CoQ10 could increase TAC and CAT activity as, CoQ10 and QUICKI and could reduce oxidative stress and FBS in women with T2DM.

Enzyme-assisted extraction and ionic liquid-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography for determination of patulin in apple juice and method optimization using central composite design.

A simple and highly sensitive analytical methodology for isolation and determination of patulin in apple-juice samples, based on enzyme-assisted extraction (EAE) and ionic liquid-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (IL-DLLME) was developed and optimized. Enzymes play essential roles in eliminating interference and increasing the extraction efficiency of patulin. Apple-juice samples were treated with pectinase and amylase. A mixture of 80 µL ionic liquid and 600 µL methanol (disperser solvent) was used for the IL-DLLME process. The sedimented phase was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Experimental parameters controlling the performance of DLLME, were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) based on central composite design (CCD). Under optimum conditions, the calibration curves showed high levels of linearity (R(2)>0.99) for patulin in the range of 1-200 ng g(-1). The relative standard deviation (RSD) for the seven analyses was 7.5%. The limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) were 0.15 ng g(-1) and 0.5 ng g(-1), respectively. The merit figures, compared with other methods, showed that new proposed method is an accurate, precise and reliable sample-pretreatment method that substantially reduces sample matrix interference and gives very good enrichment factors and detection limits for investigation trace amount of patulin in apple-juice samples.