Nutritional and sensory characteristics of bread enriched with roasted prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) seed flour.

The present study aims to investigate the nutritional, antioxidative, and sensory characteristics of bread enriched with roasted prickly pear seed (RPPS) flour. Six flour blends were formulated by partial replacement of wheat flour with 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10% RPPS flour. Proximate composition, phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidant activity measured using a 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical of wheat and RPPS flours were determined. Nutritional and sensory characteristics of bread enriched with different levels of RPPS flour were evaluated. The results show that the content of total phenolics, flavonoids and radical scavenging activity in RPPS flour were about 4.5, 4.7 and 4.0 fold higher, respectively, when compared to wheat flour. The incorporation of different levels of RPPS flour in bread formulation significantly increases the dietary fibers, fat, and ash contents and reduces the carbohydrate content of the produced breads. The highest (p ≤ 0.05) phenolic concentrations and antioxidant activity values were found in bread enriched with 6, 8 and 10% RPPS flour. Generally, the replacement of wheat flour with RPPS flour results in a significant decrease (p ≤ 0.05) in the specific volume, however, no significant difference (p ≥ 0.05) was observed between the 2% RPPS-enriched flour and control breads. The sensory properties of breads were not affected at low levels up to 6% supplementation, but at more than 6% RPPS flour supplementation, the bread became unacceptable.

Hypolipidemic and Hypocholesterolemic Effect of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) Seeds Oil in Experimental Male Rats.

The current investigation aimed to evaluate the influence of roselle seeds oil (RSO), coconut oil (CNO) and binary mixture of them on serum lipids of experimental rats. Fatty acid composition of native and blended oils was determined. Thirty five male Albino rats (145- 160 g) were used throughout this study. The rats were fed AIN-93G diet containing 10% fat from CNO, RSO, B1 (25%RSO+ 75 %CNO), B2 (50 %RSO+ 50 %CNO or B3 (75 %RSO+ 25 % CNO) for eight weeks. Blood samples were collected at the beginning, every two weeks during the experiment, and at the end of the experiment. At the time of sacrifice, organs weights in relation to their body weights were immediately recorded. Substitution of 25, 50 and 75 % of CNO with equal amounts of RSO reduced saturated fatty acids by 16.04, 32.58 and 48.77 %, respectively in blended oils. The content of linoleic (C18:2) increased from not detected level in CNO to 9.81, 19.67 and 29.48 % in CNO blended with 25, 50 and 75 % of RSO, respectively. The relative liver weights of rats fed CNO was significantly higher than that of those fed RSO and blended oils. Mixing CNO with various levels of RSO attenuates the adverse effect in the relative liver weights which caused by CNO administration. At the end of the experiment, blinding coconut oil with 25, 50 and 75 % of roselle oil inhibited the elevation in total cholesterol by 9.69, 28.16 and 36.16 %, respectively compared to CNO rats. Rats fed diet containing CNO for 8 weeks had significantly the highest content (126.49 mg/dl) of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, while those fed 100 % RSO (as a source of lipids) had the lowest concentration of LDL-C (64.32 mg/dL). Atherogenic index (AI) values of rats submitted B1, B2 and B3 were about 1.12, 1.23 and 1.28 times as low as those of rats fed CNO diet, respectively. The results of this study indicate that roselle seeds oil (RSO) reduces hyperlipidemia and hypercholesterolemia in rats fed diet rich in saturated fatty acids.

Stabilization of Neem Oil Biodiesel with Corn Silk Extract during Long-term Storage.

The current study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant efficiency of different extracts of corn silk. In addition, the impact of corn silk extract on oxidative stability of neem biodiesel during storage was studied. The highest phenolics, DPPH radical scavenging and reducing power activities were recorded for methanol-water extract. The longest oxidation stability (10 h) was observed for biodiesel samples blended with 1000 ppm of corn silk extract (CSE). At the end of storage period the induction time of biodiesel samples mixed with 1000 ppm of CSE or butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) were about 6.72 and 5.63 times as high as in biodiesel samples without antioxidants. Biodiesel samples blended with 1000 ppm of CSE had the lowest acidity at the end of storage period. Peroxide value of biodiesel samples containing 1000 ppm of CSE was about 4.28 times as low as in control sample without antioxidants.

Biochemical and histopathological effects of administration various levels of Pomposia (Syzygium cumini) fruit juice as natural antioxidant on rat health.

The aim of the current investigation was to evaluate the effects of administration various levels (400, 800 and 1,200 ppm) of pomposia extracts as natural antioxidant in comparison with BHT as synthetic antioxidant on some biochemical activities and histopathological examination of rats. Some of biochemical tests i.e. Alkaline phosphatase, transaminases]Aspartate transferase (AST) and alanine transferase (ALT) [,bilirubin, urea and uric acid were conducted. Histopathological examinations were carried out on the liver and kidney tissue of rats administrated tested substances. The biochemical results indicated that the administration of polyphenolic compounds present in pomposia juice did not cause any significant (p ≥ 0.05) changes in the biochemical parameters whereas the administration of BHT at 200 ppm caused significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in the activities of enzymes relevant to the functions of liver and kidney. Microscopically examinations of liver and kidney of rat administered various levels of pomposia juice had the same character as that of control rats (this means that the polyphenolic compounds present in pomposia juice did not cause any adverse affect in liver and kidney), in contrast the administration of 200 ppm of BHT caused marked pathological changes in liver and kidney of rats. The results of the current investigation suggest using pomposia juice as safe food grade substance.