Development of Low Glycemic Index Pancakes Formulated with Canary Seed (Phalaris Canariensis) Flour.

Consumers prefer food products that, in addition to nutritional properties, also have effects beneficial to health. Non-conventional food plants such as canary seed (Phalaris canariensis) constitute an alternative in the food industry due to nutritional properties, chemical, and bioactive potential. The aim of this research was to develop pancake formulations with the inclusion of canary seed flour to evaluate their proximate composition, overall score, taste and texture sensory acceptability, and glycemic index. Pancakes based on whole-wheat flour mixed with canary seed flour were developed at four substitution levels (control 0, 10, 30, and 50%). The formulations exhibited attractive nutritional properties, mainly due to the levels of protein (~ 8.7%), minerals (~ 5.1%), and total dietary fiber (4.7-5.9%). The overall score and taste showed a statistical difference (p < 0.05) between the formulations. The flours with 10 and 30% showed high sensory acceptability with scores of 6.22 and 6.67 respect to 7-point hedonic scale, between the categories "I like it" and "I like it a lot". All formulations presented a low glycemic index (34-39%) that was significantly influenced (p < 0.05) as the level of substitution increased. The findings represent a new approach to the use of canary seed in the development of healthy food products.

Inoculation of exogenous lactic acid bacteria exerted a limited influence on the silage fermentation and bacterial community compositions of reed canary grass straw on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

AIMS: This study evaluated the effects of exogenous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on silage fermentation and bacterial community of reed canary grass (RCG) straw. METHODS AND RESULTS: The leaf, stem and whole crop of RCG straw were separately ensiled in small bag silos, without (control) or with inoculation of two exogenous LAB (LP, Lactobacillus plantarum; LB, Lactobacillus buchneri), and stored at ambient temperature of <20°C. Inoculation of exogenous LAB decreased (P < 0·05) bacterial alpha diversity and shifted (P < 0·05) bacterial community compositions, but did not change (P> 0·05) the relative abundance of Lactobacillus. Particularly, inoculation of LB increased (P < 0·05) acetic acid and propionic acid contents, decreased (P < 0·05) butyric acid (BA) and ammonia-N contents, separated (P < 0·05) the bacterial community in silage. However, the exogenous LAB inoculated silages were characterized by main distribution of yeasts, presence of undesirable bacterial genera such as Clostridium and high levels of BA and ammonia-N. CONCLUSION: Inoculation of exogenous LAB exerted a limited influence on the silage fermentation and bacterial community compositions of RCG straw on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Commercial LAB inoculants are not always efficient on enhancing silage quality and stability. Thus, an alternative additive for inhibiting undesirable microbes during storage is important to improve RCG silage quality on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Plant poisoning leads to alpha-synucleinopathy and neuromelanopathy in kangaroos.

The pathogenesis of synucleinopathies, common neuropathological lesions normally associated with some human neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and multiple system atrophy, remains poorly understood. In animals, ingestion of the tryptamine-alkaloid-rich phalaris pastures plants causes a disorder called Phalaris staggers, a neurological syndrome reported in kangaroos. The aim of the study was to characterise the clinical and neuropathological changes associated with spontaneous cases of Phalaris staggers in kangaroos. Gross, histological, ultrastructural and Immunohistochemical studies were performed to demonstrate neuronal accumulation of neuromelanin and aggregated α-synuclein. ELISA and mass spectrometry were used to detect serum-borne α-synuclein and tryptamine alkaloids respectively. We report that neurons in the central and enteric nervous systems of affected kangaroos display extensive accumulation of neuromelanin in the perikaryon without affecting neuronal morphology. Ultrastructural studies confirmed the typical structure of neuromelanin. While we demonstrated strong staining of α-synuclein, restricted to neurons, intracytoplasmic Lewy bodies inclusions were not observed. α-synuclein aggregates levels were shown to be lower in sera of the affected kangaroos compared to unaffected herd mate kangaroos. Finally, mass spectrometry failed to detect the alkaloid toxins in the sera derived from the affected kangaroos. Our preliminary findings warrant further investigation of Phalaris staggers in kangaroos, potentially a valuable large animal model for environmentally-acquired toxic synucleinopathy.

Viscoelastic and textural properties of canary seed starch gels in comparison with wheat starch gel.

In this study, viscoelastic properties and textural profile analysis of starches from two canary seed varieties (CDC Maria and C05041) were compared with wheat starch. Based on amplitude sweep, the limiting strain values were 5.7%, 5.4% and 16.3% for CDC Maria, C05041, and wheat starch gels, respectively. The yield stress values at the linear viscoelastic limit (τy) and flow point (τf) of wheat starch (25.4 & 35.5 Pa, respectively) were higher than CDC Maria (14.3 and 24.2 Pa, respectively) and C05041 (6.5 and 9.1 Pa, respectively) starches. On the other hand, canary seed starches showed higher modulus at flow point (Gf, 51.2-108.4 Pa) than wheat starch (41.2 Pa). In frequency sweep, canary seed starch gels showed lower frequency dependency (n' = 0.033-0.009) in comparison with wheat starch gel (n' = 0.063), categorizing the samples between weak and strong gels. On the basis of creep parameters of Burger model, CSSs illustrated more elastic behavior than wheat starch. The results of dynamic temperature sweep showed that canary seed starches exhibited higher peak, final, breakdown and setback viscosities in compare to wheat starch. Textural profile analysis provided the values of hardness (32-101 g), adhesiveness (0.03-0.17 mJ), cohesiveness (0.60-0.97) and gumminess (24.7-83.3 g) for the gels (15% w/w).

Chemical Composition, Characteristics Profiles and Bioactivities of Tunisian Phalaris canariensis Seeds: a Potential Source of ω-6 and ω-9 Fatty Acids.

Seeds oils of Phalaris canariensis extracted by ultrasonication and cold maceration were evaluated for their physical characteristics, total phenol contents, fatty acid and sterol compositions as well as for their antioxidant, antibacterial and acetylcholinesterase activities. The physicochemical properties of ultrasonication and cold maceration oils respectively were: acid values (4.00 and 3.25) mg KOH/g, peroxide values (5.53 and 4.41) meq O2 Kg-1, iodine values (88.83 and 95.17) g/100 g of oil, saponification values (119.21 and 98.17) mg KOH/g, phenolic content (36.40 and 53.00) mg GAE/g extract, chlorophylls (0.52 and 0.60) mg/kg oil and carotenoids contents (1.92 and 1.88) mg/kg oil. Gas chromatography analysis revealed that linoleic (52.03 and 52.2%), oleic (31.75 and 31.84%) and palmitic (11.09 and 11.34 %) acids were the major fatty acids in the two oils. Specific extinctions at 232 nm (K232) and 270 nm (K270) were (0.58 and 0.44) and (0.42 and 0.33), respectively. The DSC melting curve showed that their melting points and melting enthalpies were (-28.05°C and 76.8 J/g) and (-27.47°C and 62.3 J/g), respectively. On the other hand, the evaluation of their DPPH radical scavenging, total antioxidant capacity, antibacterial and acetylcholinesterase activities showed interesting results. Thus, Phalaris canariensis seeds oils could deserve further consideration and investigation as a potentially new multi-purpose product for agro-food, medicinal and cosmetic uses.

Effect of temperature and selected sugars on dilute solution properties of two hairless canary seed starches compared with wheat starch.

In this paper, influence of temperature (25, 35, 45 and 55°C) and sugars (sucrose and lactose) at different concentrations (0, 5, 10 and 15%) on some molecular parameters of starches from two canary seed varieties (C05041 and CDC Maria) in the dilute regime were investigated in comparison to wheat starch (WS). The results indicated that the intrinsic viscosity ([η]) values of C05041, CDC Maria and WS samples were 1.42, 1.46 and 1.70dl/g at 25°C, respectively. Intrinsic viscosity of selected starches decreased with an increase in temperature, but the effect of high temperatures were somewhat unnoticeable. By increasing the sugar concentration, intrinsic viscosity of each starch solution significantly decreased in comparison with the value determined for sugar free solution. Lactose had more pronounced effect on the intrinsic viscosity reduction of CDC Maria starch and WS at 25°C and 35°C compared with sucrose (P<0.05). But at 55°C, the effect of increasing sucrose on decreasing of [η] of CDC Maria and WS samples were more considerable. The shape factor of starch samples at 25°C were spherical, but increasing temperature from 25°C to 55°C, CSSs and WS samples took an ellipsoidal shape. The interaction between starches and solvent/cosolutes is the predominant factors determining their functional properties in food systems. One of the aspects can help to understand the characteristic of biopolymers such as starches is determination of their dilute solution properties as a function of common additives which are used in food systems. As a matter of fact, dilute solution properties can help to understand the potential applications of biopolymers in food and non-food application. Attentively, dilute solution properties would give some priceless information about molecular properties, biopolymer behavior and its interaction with copolymers. For instance, intrinsic viscosity provides deep insight into fundamental properties of the solute and its interaction with the solvent and/or cosolutes, conformation of flexible chains. There are many studies which investigated the effect of different parameters such as temperature, salts and sugars on dilute solution properties of hydrocolloids, especially gums. Regrettably, few researches scrutinized the influence of various cosolutes on dilute solution properties of starch. Then in this paper, we studied the dilute solution properties of starches from two canary seed varieties (C05041 and CDC Maria), as a new potential source of starch, (CSSs), in comparison to wheat starch at different experimental conditions (temperatures and sugars at different concentrations) in order to shed light on its behavior in real system in comparison to wheat starch. Because of the unique properties of wheat starch, comparison of canary seed starch with wheat starch in dilute regime can help to having better vision of this new starch source. Overall, the intrinsic viscosity, coil dimensions (Rcoil and Vcoil), swollen specific volume, shape function, and hydration parameter of selected starches were determined affected by temperature and sugars concentration treatments. The importance of these results will be cleared when taking into account the influence of crucial additives generally used in food systems, for instance, different sugars and/or frequent processing parameters such as temperature on rheological and functional properties.

Impacts of silicon-based grass defences across trophic levels under both current and future atmospheric CO2 scenarios.

Silicon (Si) has important functional roles in plants, including resistance against herbivores. Environmental change, such as increasing atmospheric concentrations of CO2, may alter allocation to Si defences in grasses, potentially changing the feeding behaviour and performance of herbivores, which may in turn impact on higher trophic groups. Using Si-treated and untreated grasses (Phalaris aquatica) maintained under ambient (400 ppm) and elevated (640 and 800 ppm) CO2 concentrations, we show that Si reduced feeding by crickets (Acheta domesticus), resulting in smaller body mass. This, in turn, reduced predatory behaviour by praying mantids (Tenodera sinensis), which consequently performed worse. Despite elevated CO2 decreasing Si concentrations in P. aquatica, this reduction was not large enough to affect the feeding behaviour of crickets or their predator. Our results suggest that Si-based defences in plants have adverse impacts on both primary and secondary trophic taxa, and these are not likely to decline under future climate change scenarios.

Effects of citric acid and the siderophore desferrioxamine B (DFO-B) on the mobility of germanium and rare earth elements in soil and uptake in Phalaris arundinacea.

Effects of citric acid and desferrioxamine B (DFO-B) on the availability of Ge and selected rare earth elements (REEs) (La, Nd, Gd, Er) to Phalaris arundinacea were investigated. A soil dissolution experiment was conducted to elucidate the effect of citric acid and DFO-B at different concentrations (1 and 10 mmol L-1 citric acid) on the release of Ge and REEs from soil. In a greenhouse, plants of P. arundinacea were cultivated on soil and on sand cultures to investigate the effects of citric acid and DFO-B on the uptake of Ge and REEs by the plants. Addition of 10 mmol L-1 citric acid significantly enhanced desorption of Ge and REEs from soil and uptake into soil-grown plants. Applying DFO-B enhanced the dissolution and the uptake of REEs, while no effect on Ge was observed. In sand cultures, the presence of citric acid and DFO-B significantly decreased the uptake of Ge and REEs, indicating a discrimination of the formed complexes during uptake. This study clearly indicates that citric acid and the microbial siderophore DFO-B may enhance phytoextraction of Ge and REEs due to the formation of soluble complexes that increase the migration of elements in the rhizosphere.

Antioxidant and Antihypertensive Potential of Protein Fractions from Flour and Milk Substitutes from Canary Seeds (Phalaris canariensis L.).

Canary seed (Phalaris canariensis) is used to feed birds but it has been recently considered a promising cereal with nutraceutical potential for humans. The aim of this work was to analyze the protein fractions from canary seed flour and from milk substitutes (prepared by soaking the seeds in water 12 and 24 h), and to evaluate antioxidant and antihypertensive capacity of peptides obtained after in vitro digestion. Prolamins were the major protein fraction, followed by glutelins. After digestion, albumins and prolamins fractions from milks presented higher levels of peptides than flour, globulins showed more peptides in flour and glutelins were found in similar concentrations in all samples; 24 h milk prolamins had the highest concentration of peptides. Purification by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), sequencing of peptides, in vitro antioxidant ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis, 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assays, and antihypertensive capacity (angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) assay), indicated that peptides from canary seed prolamins were the most efficient compounds with antioxidant and antihypertensive activity. Canary seeds may be considered an accessible and cheap source to prepare milk substitutes with high contents of bioactive peptides with remarkable functional properties to promote better human health and healthy ageing.

The use of reed canary grass and giant miscanthus in the phytoremediation of municipal sewage sludge.

The application of municipal sewage sludge on energy crops is an alternative form of recycling nutrients, food materials, and organic matter from waste. Municipal sewage sludge constitutes a potential source of heavy metals in soil, which can be partially removed by the cultivation of energy crops. The aim of the research was to assess the effect of municipal sewage sludge on the uptake of heavy metals by monocotyledonous energy crops. Sewage sludge was applied at doses of 0, 10, 20, 40, and 60 Mg DM · ha(-1) once, before the sowing of plants. In a 6-year field experiment, the effect of four levels of fertilisation with sewage sludge on the uptake of heavy metals by two species of energy crops, reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) of 'Bamse' cultivar and giant miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus GREEF et DEU), was analysed. It was established that the increasing doses of sewage sludge had a considerable effect on the increase in biomass yield from the tested plants. Due to the increasing doses of sewage sludge, a significant increase in heavy metals content in the energy crops was recorded. The heavy metal uptake with the miscanthus yield was the highest at a dose of 20 Mg DM · ha(-1), and at a dose of 40 Mg DM · ha(-1) in the case of reed canary grass. Research results indicate that on account of higher yields, higher bioaccumulation, and higher heavy metal uptake, miscanthus can be selected for the remediation of sewage sludge.

Dilute solution properties of canary seed (Phalaris canariensis) starch in comparison to wheat starch.

Dilute solution properties of an unknown starch are important to understand its performance and applications in food and non-food industries. In this paper, rheological and molecular properties (intrinsic viscosity, molecular weight, shape factor, voluminosity, conformation and coil overlap parameters) of the starches from two hairless canary seed varieties (CO5041 & CDC Maria) developed for food use were evaluated in the dilute regime (Starch dispersions in DMSO (0.5g/dl)) and compared with wheat starch (WS). The results showed that Higiro model is the best among five applied models for intrinsic viscosity determination of canary seed starch (CSS) and WS on the basis of coefficient of determination (R(2)) and root mean square error (RMSE). WS sample showed higher intrinsic viscosity value (1.670dl/g) in comparison to CSS samples (1.325-1.397dl/g). Berry number and the slope of master curve demonstrated that CSS and WS samples were in dilute domain without entanglement occurrence. The shape factor suggested spherical and ellipsoidal structure for CO5041 starch and ellipsoidal for CDC Maria starch and WS. The molecular weight, coil radius and coil volume of CSSs were smaller than WS. The behavior and molecular characterization of canary seed starch showed its unique properties compared with wheat starch.

Inhibition by Seeds of Phalaris canariensis Extracts of Key Enzymes Linked to Obesity.

CONTEXT: Obesity and its associated diseases are an increasing problem around the world. One hyperglycemic remedy is reduction of glucose absorption performed by suppressing digestion of carbohydrates and lipids through the use of inhibitors. Phalaris canariensis (P canariensis) is a species belonging to the Graminaceae family and is used in traditional medicine in Mexico for treatment of diabetes and obesity. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of different extracts of the seeds of P canariensis on enzymes metabolizing fat and carbohydrates, obtained using 3 solvents. DESIGN: The seeds of P canariensis were extracted using hexane (ALH), chloroform (ALC), and methanol (ALM) and were investigated for their antiobesity potential. SETTING: This research was conducted in the Laboratory of Research of Natural Products in the School of Chemical Engineering at the National Polytechnic Institute and in the Research Laboratory of Enzymology in the National School of Biological Sciences. OUTCOME MEASURES: Different concentrations of the extracts were used to study the inhibition of enzymatic activity by porcine pancreatic α-amylase, with carbose as a positive control. The inhibitory activity of α-glucosidase was determined using the standard method with bovine serum albumin (BSA). Pancreatic lipase (PL) activity was measured by absorbance at 412 nm, and the data obtained were compared with orlistat. The PL activity was assessed using a second method measuring the rate of release of oleic acid from triolein. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity was measured by released (3H)-oleic acid. Lipolytic activity in cultured, mouse, 3T3-Ll adipocytes was used as a measure of hormone-sensitive lipase activity. The inhibitory activity of rat intestinal sucrase was determined by measuring the glucose released. A Caco-2 cell assay determined the content of free glucose. RESULTS: The ALH extract of P canariensis showed potent inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 2.13 and 1.25 mg/mL as compared with α-amylase and α-glucosidase, respectively, and produced inhibition in rat intestinal sucrose. Further, the ALM extract showed significantly inhibitory effects against PL, LPL, and lipolysis of 3T3-LI adipocytes. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide evidence for the effects of the seeds of P canariensis for a retarded absorption of carbohydrates and lipids through the inhibition of enzymes that are related to obesity and diabetes mellitus type 2.

Changes of phenolic profiles and antioxidant activity in canaryseed (Phalaris canariensis L.) during germination.

Canaryseed is an important cereal crop in western Canada. The changes of the total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activities, phenolic acid profiles (free and bound) of canaryseed during germination were investigated in the present study. The growth properties also were investigated. Fresh weight, shoot length and root length increased, whereas dry mass of canaryseed decreased during germination. A 22.3% loss of dry matter was observed at 120h of germination. The total phenolic content and antioxidant activities of free and bound extracts showed a general trend of germinated seeds>raw seeds>soaked seeds. Free, bound and total phenolic content significantly increased 1042%, 120% and 741% at the end of germination as compared to raw seeds (p<0.05). DPPH, ABTS and ORAC assays were employed to evaluate the antioxidant activity of canaryseed. There were high correlations between total phenolic content and antioxidant activities. TPC and ORAC values showed the highest correlation (r=0.9984). Six phenolic acids in free phenolic extracts and seven phenolic acids in bound phenolic extracts were detected, respectively. Bound ferulic acid, the dominant phenolic acid in canaryseed, significantly increased during germination (p<0.05). Study showed that germination provided a new approach to further develop canaryseed as a functional food for human consumption.

Evaluation of Anti-inflammatory Activity of Seeds of Phalaris canariensis.

Chloroform extract (ALC) from the seeds of Phalaris canariensis were assayed for antiinflammatory activity by carrageenan-induced oedema, cotton pellets-induced granuloma, histamine-induced inflammation, croton oil-induced oedema, activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO), adjuvant-induced arthritis, quantification of TNFα, IL-1ß, PGE2 and LTB4 and nitric oxide (NO) assay. ALC exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity in different chemically-induced edemas in a dose dependent manner. In the chronic model cotton pellets-induced granuloma showed decreased formation of granuloma tissue. Also caused inhibition of ear inflammation edema and influx of polymorphonuclear cells, as evidence by a decrease in ear thickness and reduced myeloperoxidase activity and inhibit mediators of inflammation as TNFα, IL-1ß, PGE2 and LTB4. When RAW 264.7 macrophages were treated with ALC together with LPS a significant inhibition of NO production was detected. These data provide evidence for antiinflammatory effect of P. canariensis by mechanisms that involve a reduced neutrophil influx and decreased production of inflammatory cytokines.

Accumulation and distribution of macroelements in the organs of Phalaris arundinacea L.: Implication for phytoremediation.

The aim of this study was to assess nutrient and alkali metal accumulation and their distribution in the organs of Phalaris arundinacea and relations between environmental macroelement concentrations and accumulation in plant tissues. The content of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Na in water, bottom sediments and different organs of Phalaris arundinacea from the Bystrzyca River (Lower Silesia) was determined. The organs of the reed canary grass contained relatively high amounts of macroelements and differed significantly in their accumulation. All macroelements other than Na were accumulated in the highest amounts in aboveground, photosynthetic tissues. Phalaris arundinacea is an Na and Ca excluder plant and an N, P, Mg and K accumulator. Transport efficiency from bottom sediments to plant roots was higher than between plant organs. Nitrogen, P and K are taken up actively while Ca passively. The high translocation ratio of nutrients, particularly for Ca, Mg, K and N, makes the reed canary grass suitable for nutrient phytoextraction from water and bottom sediments of eutrophic lakes and rivers. Bottom sediments can be considered the primary source of Ca for Phalaris arundinacea.

Effect of dilute acid pretreatment severity on the bioconversion efficiency of Phalaris aquatica L. lignocellulosic biomass into fermentable sugars.

The effect of dilute acid pretreatment severity on the bioconversion efficiency of Phalaris aquatica lignocellulosic biomass into fermentable sugar monomers was studied. The pretreatment conditions were expressed in a combined severity factor (CSF), ranged from 0.13 to 1.16. The concentration of xylose and total monomeric sugars released from hemicellulose increased with pretreatment as the CSF increased. Dilute acid pretreatment resulted in about 1.7-fold increase in glucose release relative to the untreated biomass, while CSF was positively correlated with glucose recovery. A maximum glucose yield of 85.05% was observed at high severity values (i.e. CSF 1.16) after 72 h. The total amount of sugars released (i.e. xylose and glucose) was increased with pretreatment severity and a maximum conversion efficiency of 76.1% of structural carbohydrates was obtained at a CSF=1. Our data indicated that Phalaris aquatica L. is an alternative bioethanol feedstock and that hemicellulose removal promotes glucose yield.

Characterization of antidiabetic and antihypertensive properties of canary seed (Phalaris canariensis L.) peptides.

Canary grass is used as traditional food for diabetes and hypertension treatment. The aim of this work is to characterize the biological activity of encrypted peptides released after gastrointestinal digestion of canary seed proteins. Canary peptides showed 43.5% inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) and 73.5% inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity. An isolated perfused rat heart system was used to evaluate the canary seed vasoactive effect. Nitric oxide (NO), a major vasodilator agent, was evaluated in the venous effluent from isolated perfused rat heart. Canary seed peptides (1 µg/mL) were able to induce the production of NO (12.24 µM) in amounts similar to those induced by captopril (CPT) and bradykinin (BK). These results show that encrypted peptides in canary seed have inhibitory activity against DPPIV and ACE, enzymes that are targets for diabetes and hypertension treatments.

Prediction of biogas yield and its kinetics in reed canary grass using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy and chemometrics.

A rapid method is needed to assess biogas and methane yield potential of various kinds of substrate prior to anaerobic digestion. This study reports near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) as a rapid alternative method to the conventional batch methods for prediction of specific biogas yield (SBY), specific methane yield (SMY) and kinetics of biogas yield (k-SBY) of reed canary grass (RCG) biomass. Dried and powdered RCG biomass with different level of maturity was used for biochemical composition analysis, batch assays and NIRS analysis. Calibration models were developed using partial least square (PLS) regression from NIRS spectra. The calibration models for SBY (R(2)=0.68, RPD=1.83) and k-SBY (R(2)=0.71, RPD=1.75) were better than the model for SMY (R(2)=0.53, RPD=1.49). Although the PLS model for SMY was less successful, the model performance was better compared to the models based on chemical composition.

In vitro gastrointestinal digestion of glabrous canaryseed proteins as affected by variety and thermal treatment.

Glabrous or hairless canaryseed is a nutritional grain that could be a good addition to the diet if approved as a novel food. To assess the impact of thermal treatment on its digestibility; raw, roasted or boiled flours prepared from three different varieties of glabrous canaryseed were subjected to in vitro gastrointestinal digestion conditions and the effect on protein electrophoretic profiles was examined using sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Roasting was done by dry-heat in an oven at 176 °C for 12 min whereas boiling was done in water at 98 °C for 12 min. SDS-PAGE showed approximately twenty-five protein bands in the undigested raw flour with molecular masses (MM) ranging from <14 kDa to >97 kDa. The dominant proteins had low MM, between the ranges of ~57 to 12 kDa. Roasting markedly altered the protein electrophoretic profile with the appearance of large molecular weight aggregates. Canaryseed proteins were more easily digested after thermal treatment and under sequential gastric-duodenal conditions than under gastric or duodenal conditions alone. Furthermore, roasting appeared to have a greater impact on in vitro protein digestibility than boiling.

Analysis of glabrous canary seeds by ELISA, mass spectrometry, and Western blotting for the absence of cross-reactivity with major plant food allergens.

Glabrous (hairless) canary seed belongs to the Poaceae (Gramineae) family and could serve as an alternative source of gluten-free cereal grain. In this study, allergenic cross-reactivities between hairless, dehulled canary seeds (Phalaris canariensis) and major allergenic proteins from gluten, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, and mustard were studied using commercial enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) kits specific for these target allergens. Mass spectrometry (MS) and immunoblotting were further used to assess for the presence of gluten-specific protein fragments. MS results revealed the likely presence of proteins homologous with rice, oat, corn, carrot, tomato, radish, beet, and chickpea. However, no presence of celiac-related gluten fragments from wheat, rye, barley, or their derivatives was found. Immunoblotting studies yielded negative results, further confirming the absence of gluten in the canary seed samples tested. No cross-reactivities were detected between canary seeds and almond, hazelnut, mustard, peanut, sesame, soy, walnut, and gluten using ELISA.