The Effect of In Vitro Digestion on Matcha Tea (Camellia sinensis) Active Components and Antioxidant Activity.

This study investigates the effects of in vitro digestion on the antioxidant activity and release of phenolics, xanthine alkaloids, and L-theanine contents of matcha. It establishes digestibility values between 61.2-65.8%. Considering native matcha, the rutin content (303-479 µg/g) reached higher values than catechin (10.2-23.1 µg/g). Chlorogenic acid (2090-2460 µg/g) was determined as predominant. Rutin, quercetin, ferulic, ellagic, and caffeic acid were the least-released phenolics, and their remaining residues reached 76-84%. Protocatechuic, hydroxybenzoic acid, epigallocatechin, and epigallocatechin-3-gallate were the best-released phenolics, with the remaining residues under 1%. Caffeine, L-theanine, and theobromine contents in native matcha reached 16.1, 9.85, and 0.27 mg/g, respectively. Only caffeine (3.66-5.26 mg/g) and L-theanine (0.09-0.15 mg/g) were monitored in the undigested residue, representing 13 and 0.1% of the remaining part, respectively. A chemiluminescence assay showed that water-soluble antioxidants showed significant antioxidant activity in native matcha, while lipid-soluble compounds showed higher antioxidant activity in the undigested samples. Cinnamic and neochlorogenic acids were determined as the main contributors to the ACW values in the undigested matcha, epicatechin, and quercetin in the ACL fraction. The application of the digestion process reduced the antioxidant activity by more than 94%. SEM has proved specific digestion patterns of in vitro digestibility of matcha.

Multi-elemental Characterization of Semolina Samples by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS).

The precise characterization of the elemental composition of cereals and cereal products is becoming crucial to assess their nutritional values, geographical labeling, and also toxicological profile. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has become popular for the elemental analysis of foods in recent years. Analytical performance of the inductively coupled plasma-tandem mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS) is improved with a reaction/collision cell that provides an interference-free analysis of most of the elements including phosphorus and sulfur. In this study, an analytical method was optimized for the quantification of 57 elements using ICP-MS/MS technique and validated for 25 elements that were available in certified reference materials (CRMs). Then, the mineral contents of semolina samples obtained from the durum wheat (Triticum durum) cultivars were analyzed according to the validation procedure. Recoveries of the elements were found in the range of 92-108% for the digested CRM. The method was robust for all elements and the results indicated good precision for the analytical method. The inter- and intra-day precision values were found below 5%, and in the range of 0.11-3.31% and 0.09-4.51%, respectively. Analyzed elements showed significant variability among the semolina samples. The variety and growing conditions might have influences on the elemental composition of semolina samples.

Wet milling of buckwheat cultivars and some quality properties of the fractions.

The hulled buckwheat cultivars (Aktas cv. and Günes cv.) were wet-milled, and then some chemical, yields, colour, functional properties, phenolic compound, antioxidant activity, and pasting, thermal and retrogradation properties of starches were investigated and compared with the wholegrain buckwheat flour (with hull) and buckwheat groat flour (without hull) of the same cultivars. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis patterns of flours and protein fractions were examined under reducing and non-reducing conditions. The hull, germ+dietary fibre, protein and starch fractions were collected. The total recovery for Aktas cv. and Günes cv. cultivars were 98.1% and 96.1%; total starch yields were 51.6% and 49.7%; pasting temperatures of the starches were found as 83.7 and 85.7°C; and final viscosities of starches were determined as 3.5 and 3.4 Pa·s, respectively. The resistant starch contents of starch fractions of Aktas cv. ve Günes cv. were found as 3.28% and 3.62%, respectively. The highest total phenolic compound contents were detected with dimethyl sulphoxide extraction in the germ+dietary fibre fractions. The highest 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity were found in the hull fraction (as 81.7%) and germ+dietary fibre fraction (as 11.8 mmol/kg) of Aktas cv. cultivar.

Nutritional Composition, In Vitro Antioxidant Activity and Phenolic Profile of Shortcrust Cookies Supplemented by Edible Flowers.

In this study, the changes in nutritional composition, phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in free and bound fractions of shortcrust cookies were investigated. By incorporating ingredients such as kamut, matcha tea, dried mango and jasmine flowers, the contents of crude and neutral-detergent fibre reached up to 2.0% and 5.0%, respectively. Similar increments were observed in phenolic compound contents and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activity values. Concerning cookies supplemented with matcha tea, the total phenolic compound content raised from 1.0 to 4.8 mg gallic acid equivalent/g and the antioxidant activity value increased from 0.5 to 5.7 mg trolox equivalent/g on a dry weight basis. For determining the antioxidant activity values in water-soluble and insoluble phenolic fractions of the cookies, a photochemiluminiscence assay was separately applied, and they were found up to 0.8 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/g and 3.2 mg trolox equivalent/g, respectively. The main phenolic compounds in all supplemented cookies were neochlorogenic, gallic and vanillic acids.

The Nutritional Value of Non-Traditional Gluten-Free Flakes and Their Antioxidant Activity.

Nowadays, there is a growing interest for foods with a lower sugar content and rich in fiber and biologically active substances. The main purpose of this study was to prepare flakes from non-traditional pigmented cereals (Oryza sativa, Chenopodium quinoa, and Eragrostis tef) and to analyze their fibre, sugar, and in vitro digestibility values. Regarding phenolic antioxidants (soluble, soluble conjugated, and insoluble bound fractions), their content and antioxidant activity were measured using spectrophotometry and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods. Hydrothermally treated grains resulted in flakes with higher total dietary fibre contents (11.1-24.4%), quinoa and teff flakes were rich in maltose (up to 42.0 mg/g). Non-traditional flakes had lower in vitro digestibility, but conversely, they exhibited the highest phenolic contents corresponding with the highest antioxidant activity values (up to 2.33 mg Gallic acid equivalent/g of total phenolic content and 1.59 mg Trolox equivalent/g for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) in case of brown teff). Among free phenolics, the main contributors to an antioxidant activity were p-coumaric, o-coumaric, and gallic acids (r > 0.8186); among the soluble conjugated fractions, they were epigallocatechin, epicatechin, caffeic, and vanillic acids (r > 0.5935); while caffeic, protocatechuic, and ferulic acids (r > 0.5751) were the main contributors among the insoluble bound phenolics.

Effects of Storage and Granary Weevil Infestation on Gel Electrophoresis and Protein Solubility Properties of Hard and Soft Wheat Flours.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of storage and granary weevil, Sitophilus granarius (L.; Coleoptera: Curculionidae), infestation on pH, protein solubility (PS) and gel electrophoresis properties of meal and roller-milled flours of hard (Ceyhan-99 cv.) and soft (Eser cv.) wheat cultivars, respectively, after 6 mo of storage. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) technique was applied for studying the electrophoretic properties. Hard and soft wheats were infested with non-sexed S. granarius at a rate of two adults/ kg, and stored for 6 mo at 30 ± 1°C and 70 ± 5% RH. The pest-free wheat samples were used as control. The infested and its control samples were collected monthly, and after cleaning the granary weevils, they were hammer-milled or roller-milled in order to get meal flours and roller-milled flours, respectively. The effect of infestation on the storage proteins was more obvious in meal flours than that of the roller-milled flours. Granary weevil feeding resulted secreting of hydrolyzing enzymes and increased the acidity of flours; subsequently the breaking and releasing of some storage proteins generally caused a decrease in pH and an increase in PS values of the meal flours of wheat cultivars. SDS-PAGE results generally indicated that towards the end of storage, the insect population, that greatly increased, caused minor protein depletions resulting decreasing protein band intensities between 113 and 58 kDa of hard wheat meal flour and 101 and 40 kDa of soft wheat roller-milled flour. Consequently, the potential effect of changes probably occurred in high molecular weight glutenin subunits of both wheat cultivars.

Knowledge about dietary fibre: a fibre study framework.

The objective of this work was to study the degree of knowledge about dietary fibre (DF), as influenced by factors such as gender, level of education, living environment or country. For this, a descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken on a non-probabilistic sample of 6010 participants from 10 countries in different continents (Europe, Africa and America). The results showed that the participants revealed on average a positive but still low global level of knowledge, which alerts for the need to take some actions to further inform the population about DF and its role as a component of a healthy diet. The results also indicated differences between genders, levels of education, living environments and countries. The highest level of knowledge was revealed by the participants from female gender, with higher education and living in urban areas. Concerning the country, the best informed were the participants from Romania, followed by those from Portugal and Turkey while the least informed were from Egypt.

Phytosociological and ecological structure of Mediterranean enclaves along the stream valleys in inner parts of Black Sea region.

In this study phytosociological structure of Mediterranean enclaves which occured along the stream valleys in inner parts of Black sea region was investigated. Pinus brutia var. brutia and Quercus coccifera are the most widespread communities in the study area. Pinus pinea, Arbutus andrachne, Arbutus unedo, Fontanesia philliraeoides subsp. philliraeoides and Olea europaea L. var sylvestris have a restricted distribution in inner parts of Black sea region as compared to P. brutia and Q. coccifera. The following associations were described in the study area. Siderito dichotomae -Quercetum cocciferae, Spiraeo crenatae-Oleetum sylvestns ass. nov, Cotino coggyreae- Arbutetum andrachnes, Buxo sempervirenti-Arbutetum unedonis ass. nov, Paliuro spinae-christi-Fontanesietum philliraeoidis, Querco infectoriae-Pinetum brutiae and Crucianello ponticae-Pinetum pinae. The highest species diversity was found in Crucienello ponticae- Pinetum pinae, while the lowest species diversity was found in Spiraeo crenatae-Oleetum sylvestris. Evenness values were much similar to each other among all of the associations. According to CA Paliurus spinae-christi-Fontanesietum philliraeoidis, Spiraeo crenatae- Oleetum sylvestris and Crucienello ponticae-Pinetum pinae occured in the negative zone. The other four associations occured in the positive zone.

Effects of irradiation on protein electrophoretic properties, water absorption and cooking quality of lentils.

Effects of gamma irradiation at doses of 1 kGy, 5 kGy, and 10 kGy on water absorption properties, cooking quality and electrophoretic patterns of insoluble proteins of red and green lentil samples were investigated. The densitometric analysis indicated that the effects of irradiation on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polycrylamide gel electrophoresis patterns of red and green lentil proteins were not significant. Generally, a 1 kGy irradiation dose did not significantly affect the water absorption properties of the lentil samples while significant increases were observed at the 5 kGy level. The dry and wet cooking times were found to be significantly decreased, as the irradiation level increased in all red and green lentil samples.