Search results

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of different drying methods on quality attributes of beetroot slices.

Three drying methods (sun, oven and freeze-drying) were applied to dry fresh slices of beetroot cultivar (Beta vulgaris). The chemical composition, minerals, nitrate, betalains, total phenolic, total flavonoid and color were measured for fresh and dried slices.

The chemical composition, minerals, nitrate, bioactive compounds and color were measured for fresh and dried slices. Regardless of the drying method, the results showed that the chemical composition, total energy, minerals and nitrate of the dried slices were significantly (p=0.05) increased compared to that of fresh slices. Sun and oven drying of the slices significantly (p=0.05) reduced total betalain and betacynin. However, betaxanthin was significantly (p=0.05) increased. Total phenolics content of fresh beetroot was significantly (p=0.05) increased after sun and oven drying but total flavonoids were decreased. The 2,2,-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) of fresh beetroot was increased significantly (p=0.05) after sun and oven drying. The measurement of the color of the powder showed that there is a decrease in lightness (L) depending on the drying method applied. A maximum reduction in lightness was observed in powder of sun-dried slices. The color of the powder obtained from freeze-dried slices was stable compared to other drying methods.

Beetroot is a rich source of nutrients but with short shelf life. Dried beetroot has more keeping quality than the fresh one.

The study uses beetroot as a rich source of nutrients as well as natural antioxidant source. Betalain compounds are preserved in beetroot and a high source of phenolics and flavonoids. Flavonoids are a group of phenolic products of plant metabolism with high antioxidant properties to protect against diseases without side effects.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the potential of betacyanin pigment extracted from Hylocereus polyrhizus fruit pulp and peel as a natural colorant and to observe the effects of pH and light on betacyanin contents.

In this study, pigment from the pulp and peel of H. polyrhizus fruits was extracted using 80 per cent methanol and 80 per cent acetone. Effects of pH and light exposure during storage on betacyanin content were evaluated. The betacyanin extract, mixed with 20 per cent poly(methyl methacrylate) and coated onto glass slides, was tested with different concentrations of sodium hydroxide (NaCl) to determine its durability. An ultraviolet (UV)–visible spectrophotometer was used for analyzing the betacyanin content.

Betacyanin pigment extracted from pulp using 80 per cent acetone as the solvent at pH 1.0 had the highest betacyanin content. Betacyanin content decreased when stored under exposure of light compared to storage in dark. In this study, increasing concentration of NaCl decreased the absorbance values at faster rates for betacyanin-coated glass slides.

Acetone is volatile and evaporates rapidly. Pigments extracted with acetone were stored in glass vials which were closed tightly to prevent evaporation.

The social implication is the use of natural pigments from cactus species as a valuable and eco-friendly source in a coating system without adverse effects for human health.

The method for detection of stability and effectiveness of betacyanin pigment used as a natural colorant for coating application was beneficial and recent for environment-friendly and natural plant-based product development.

The purpose of this study was to review the information on the scientific efforts and achievements in sustainable industrial textile applications of natural colourants. Then the paper suggests the ways of improving the industrial textile applications of plant-based colourants.

The literature on the chemistry, sources and extraction of plant-based natural colourants was reviewed. The reviewed information was analysed and synthesised to provide techniques for selecting sustainable extraction methods, possible sustainable textile applications of natural colourants and the challenges which hinder industrial textile applications of plant-based natural colourants. The ways of overcoming the challenges of the industrial textile applications of plant natural colourants were suggested. Lastly, the current situation of industrial application of natural dyes in textiles is presented.

Despite the scientific achievement to overcome the challenges of natural colourants for textiles, the global industrial application of natural colourants is still low. Inadequate knowledge of the dyers results into poor performance of the natural dyed textile. The natural dyed textiles are expensive due to the scarcity of raw materials for manufacturing of natural colourants. The selection of suitable extraction, application methods and type of substrate should consider the chemistry of the particular colourant. The society should be educated about the benefits of natural dyed textiles. Cultivation of colourant-bearing plants should be promoted to meet the industrial material demand.

The paper provides a synthesized collection of information about the source, chemistry, extraction, textile application and challenges of plant-based natural colourants. The reviewed information was analysed and synthesised to provide techniques for selecting sustainable extraction methods, possible sustainable textile applications of natural colourants and the challenges which hinder industrial textile applications of plant-based natural colourants. The ways of overcoming the challenges of the industrial textile applications of plant natural colourants were suggested.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate beet and orange mixed juices added with lyophilized Lactobacillus acidophilus probiotic culture.

Two formulations of probiotic beet and orange mixed juices (1:1 e 1:2 v/v) were prepared, stored at 4°C for 28 days and were evaluated for probiotic survival, physicochemical stability, antioxidant activity and sensory acceptance. The probiotic culture was added in a lyophilized form and was not propagated in culture media or juice.

Physicochemical characteristics (pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids and color) and antioxidant activity showed no undesirable alterations during storage. The number of probiotics followed established minimum requirement for probiotic foods (10⁹ CFU/200mL) during the 28 days of storage. The juices showed good sensory acceptance and purchase intention, especially regarding the color of the product.

The beet and orange mixed juices are suitable carriers for L. acidophilus with a shelf life of at least 28 days at 4°C.

Direct addition of the probiotic culture could result in high probiotic survival in mixed juices, dispensing the propagation step.

The purpose of this investigation is to study the corrosion inhibition of carbon steel (CS) using a “green” inhibitor, Opuntia ficus-indica, in an aerated, 0.5 M H₂SO₄ solution at different concentrations and temperatures.

Weight loss determinations, surface studies, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic polarization were applied during the investigation.

It was observed that Opuntia ficus-indica extract can decrease the corrosion rate of CS, and its efficiency increases with increasing concentration up to 1,000 ppm and with time, but decreases with increasing the temperature from 25 to 600C. The inhibitory activity is due to the presence of phenolic compounds in its chemical structure.

The work was done under static conditions, whereas in acid cleaning conditions, there is a dynamic system. However, the findings may apply to both the systems.

CS is used in acidic environments in the acid cleaning industry.

Results of this work show that it is possible to reduce the cost of repair of equipment and the environmental impact of corrosion.

There are very few investigations on the study of Opuntia ficus-indica leaf extract as a green inhibitor in an acidic environment.

This study aims to evaluate the effects of betanin on AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), Sirtuin1 (SIRT1) and Sirtuin6 (SIRT6) gene expression as well as the tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) cytokine release in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and healthy controls.

PBMCs isolated from whole blood of 50 patients with CAD and 48 healthy subjects aged 45 to 60 years were treated with 10 and 20 µM of betanin for 24 h. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to assess gene expression levels of AMPK, SIRT1 and SIRT6. The supernatants of the cultured cells were used to assess the IL-6 and TNF-α protein levels by ELISA.

Treatment with both doses of betanin significantly increased AMPK, SIRT1 and SIRT6 expression in PBMCs of CAD patients compared to control non-treated cells (p < 0.05). In PBMCs of healthy subjects, only treatment with high dose of betanin showed significant increase in AMPK (p = 0.007), SIRT1 (p = 0.013) and SIRT6 (p = 0.024) expression compared to control non-treated cells. Betanin (20 µM) also significantly decreased TNF-α and IL-6 concentrations in the culture supernatants of the CAD patients compared to control non-treated cells (p < 0.001).

Betanin could enhance AMPK, SIRT1 and SIRT6 gene expressions in PBMCs and represent a useful complementary treatment to reduce the proinflammatory status accompanied with CAD.

Anthocyanins. The anthocyanin pigments impart the pleasing red and purple colours associated with many fruits and vegetables. They belong to the class of compounds referred to as ‘flavonoids’ and, in chemical terms, they are flavylium salts differing in the number and position of free or methylated hydroxyl groups and with a sugar moiety linked through position 3 or positions 3 and 5 in the ring. A commonly occurring anthocyanin pigment, cyanidin‐3‐glucoside, is shown in figure 3. The anthocyanins are soluble in water and are unstable under a variety of enzymic and non‐enzymic conditions.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of vacuum tumbling and red beetroot juice (RBJ) incorporation on quality characteristics of marinated chicken breast and leg meat cuts.

Vacuum tumbling of breast and leg meat cuts was carried for a duration of 2 h and compared with control (0 h tumbling) and traditionally marinated (6 h) meat cuts. Vacuum-tumbled treatments were also marinated using RBJ in place of water to assess the combined effect of RBJ and vacuum tumbling. All the cuts were cooked in an oven at 170°C for 40 min. Quality characteristics of fresh and refrigerated products were analysed.

Vacuum tumbling for 2 h resulted in a significant (p < 0.05) increase in marinade pickup, water-holding capacity (WHC), cooking yield, moisture and ash content and a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in hardness, gumminess, chewiness and shear press values in both types of meat. Breast meat treatments had significantly (p < 0.05) higher WHC, moisture, protein, cohesiveness and gumminess and significantly lower fat content, hardness and shear press values than leg meat treatments. Control breast and leg meats had marinade pickup of 9.19 and 9.31 per cent and cooking yield of 69.08 and 68.31 per cent, respectively, whereas corresponding values for treated breast and leg meats varied from 11.28 to 11.98 per cent and 73.32 to 74.94 per cent, respectively. Sensory scores declined significantly (p < 0.05) during refrigerated storage. On the 12th day of storage, control breast and leg meat cuts had acceptability scores of around 5.0, whereas all other treatments had acceptability scores between 6.0 and 7.0 on an eight-point scale, with RBJ-treated products having the highest acceptability. All the products were also microbiologically safe up to the 12th day of refrigerated storage.

The research is valuable to meat processors because vacuum tumbling for 2 h using RBJ as marinade can be used in place of 6 h of traditional marination for developing marinated chicken breast and leg meat products.

This paper aims to study the effect of different organic solvents on the extraction of pigments present in callus cultures of E. cinerascens.

Attempts have been made to extract pigments from callus cultures through tissue culture system as an alternative replacement for conventional plant cultivation as tissue culture provides unlimited supplies of plant samples. Callus of E. cinerascens was induced from stem explant cultured in Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with combination of 0.5 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine and 0.5 mg/L α-naphthaleneacetic acid maintained under photoperiod of 16 h light and 8 h dark. Fresh samples of the callus were harvested and dissolved in various types and concentrations of solvents such as 100 per cent acetone, 80 per cent acetone, 95 per cent ethanol, 100 per cent methanol and 90 per cent methanol. Each of the mixtures was directly centrifuged to get clear supernatant containing pigments of interest. The pigments were detected and subsequently quantified via two simple techniques, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer and thin layer chromatography (TLC).

UV-Vis spectrophotometer detected two families of pigments present in the callus cultures, namely, carotenoids (carotene and xanthophyll) and tetrapyrroles (chlorophyll a and b). Pigment contents in various solvent extractions were estimated using spectroscopic quantification equations established. Through TLC, spots were seen on the plates, and Rf values of each spots were assessed to indicate the possible existence of carotenoids and tetrapyrroles.

This preliminary study offers significant finding for further advance research related on natural pigments extracted from E. cinerascens that would provide profits in the future applications, especially in food industry, medicine, agriculture, etc.

Thompson red avocado is a bright red-coloured fruit when ripe. As the global market for avocado fruit is increasing, this unique avocado variety could potentially be the savory fruit for consumers. The study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical properties of different parts of Thomson red avocado fruit.

Physical parameters were measured using a calibrated digital balance and a vernier caliper. The methods of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) and a calibrated digital pH meter were used to measure the proximate composition and pH values of different fruit parts. Meanwhile, the total soluble solids and titratable acidity were determined using titration methods.

Thompson red avocado is a medium-sized fruit with an average mass, length and diameter of 216.92 g, 9.50 and 7.20 cm, respectively. The major part of the fruit is pulp (56.01%), followed by seed (33.04%) and peel (10.94%). Each of these fruit parts was further investigated for their proximate composition, pH, titratable acidity and total soluble solids. All the fruit parts were found to be low in protein (<1%) and titratable acidity (<0.42%), but high in moisture content (>60%). The pH of these fruit parts was in the range of 5.04–5.59. Compared to the peel and seed, the pulp has the highest crude fat (20.79%), but the lowest ash content (1.47%), total carbohydrates (3.39%) and total soluble solids (7.83 ºBrix).

The physical and chemical properties of the commercial avocado varieties such as Fortuna, Collinson, Hass and Barker are well-documented in the literature. Unlike typical avocado fruits, which change from green into dark black, dark green or deep purplish colour when ripe, Thompson red variety changes into red colour when ripe. As the global market for avocado fruit is increasing, the unique, bright-red-coloured Thompson red avocado could potentially be the savoury fruit for consumers. Previous studies reported the nutritional composition of avocado fruit is affected by variety and geographical locations, but the data on the nutritional profile of Thompson red avocado fruit are scarce. Therefore, this study was carried out to determine the physical properties and nutrient contents of Thompson red avocado fruit.