Profiling bioactive flavonoids and carotenoids in select south Indian spices and nuts.

The objective of this study was to examine the bioactive flavonoids and carotenoids concentration in fifteen south Indian spice and two tree nut species using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Among four flavonoids, catechin concentration was the highest in all spices and nuts and ranged between 97.1 and 1745.4 µg g-1. Quercetin concentration was the greatest in cinnamon, followed by garlic and cumin and ranged from 0.4 to 65 µg g-1 in other spices and nuts. Lutein concentration ranged from 0.1 to 102.8 µg g-1. Of the spices and nuts studied, ß-carotene concentration was highest in coriander leaves (74.7 µg g-1), followed by red pepper (12.5 µg g-1) and curry leaves (8.5 µg g-1). This research shows that consumption of south Indian spices and nuts could substantially benefit consumers living in regions experiencing Vitamin A and other micronutrient deficiencies.

Identification and determination of naturally occurring folates in grains of rice (Oryza sativa L.) by UPLC-MS/MS analysis.

The genetic potential and biofortification of India-grown rice with bioavailable folate has not been studied yet. The objectives of this study were to determine the folates concentration in four cultivars of rice through UPLC-MS/MS. Total folate concentration in rice cultivars ranged from 11.0 to 51 µg/100 g with a mean of 26.0 µg/100 g. Among the four rice cultivars, the pigmented grain cultivar Nootripathu possesses two-fold rich sources of total folates than the other three non-pigmented grain cultivars. The average value of 100 g serving of rice grains could provide the amount of recommended daily allowance (% RDA) of dietary folates (6.5%) for adults, which ranged from 2.7-12.7%. Among the 5 individual forms of folates, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate was most abundant in rice cultivars followed by 10-Formylfolic acid and folic acid. The result of this study has been useful for biofortification of folates in rice.