Extruded flaxseed meal enhances the nutritional quality of cereal-based products.

Human consumption of flaxseed is increasing due to its health benefit properties and extrusion processes can enhance its nutritional quality. Extruded flaxseed meal (EFM) obtained in a pilot plant was characterized and incorporated in flour mixes and cereal-based bars to demonstrate its nutritious usefulness. Amino acid content was not affected by extrusion and, despite lysine was the limitating amino acid, the chemical score (CS) was 83 %. Thiamin and riboflavin decreased slightly as consequence of extrusion, phytic acid did not change and trypsin inhibitor activity was undetectable. Proximate composition and nutritional quality determined by biological and chemical indexes were compared among EFM, flour mixes (FM) and cereal bars (CB). They presented high protein levels (26, 20 and 17 %, respectively), good biological value (BV) (80, 79 and 65, respectively), acceptable true protein digestibility (TD) (73, 79 and 78, respectively), and high dietary fiber (33, 20.5 and 18 %, respectively). The ratio of ω6:ω3 for CB was within the WHO/FAO recommendations. These results open a new venue for the usefulsess of nutritious/healthy extruded flaxseed flours into ready-to-eat cereal-based products with improved nutritional quality.

Studies on damage to sunflower seeds: water activity, germination, acidity index and aflatoxin B1 presence.

The significance of fungal contamination during the storage of sunflower seeds has been investigated. Samples were taken during 7 months at 45 day-intervals. Water activity, seed germination, presence of aflatoxin B1 and free fatty acids were monitored. It was demonstrated that water activity increased during storage, germinability decreased, the content of free fatty acid increased and so did the content of aflatoxin B1.

Optimum level of salt in French-type bread. Influence of income status, salt level in daily bread consumption, and test location.

The objectives of the present study were to measure the ideal salt concentration in French-type bread among Argentine consumers in a home-usage-test (HUT) considering income status and salt content of daily bread consumption as covariables, and to compare the ideal salt concentrations measured in a HUT and a central-location test (CLT). For the HUT, 420 consumers each received a sample of bread with a single salt concentration, and for the CLT, 100 consumers each received 7 samples with different salt concentrations. For each sample, consumers responded if they found the bread "not-salty-enough,""okay," or "too-salty." Neither income level nor salt content of daily bread influenced probability of rejection. The optimum sodium concentrations (milligrams per 100 g of bread dry basis) +/- 95% confidence limits for the HUT and CLT were 980 +/- 74 and 1157 +/- 87, respectively. These values are substantially higher than 628, the mean sodium content of the bread sampled from the bakery shops where consumers bought their daily bread.

A survey of the natural occurrence of aflatoxins and zearalenone in Argentine field maize: 1983-1994.

A survey was carried out from 1983 to 1994 to determine the natural occurrence of aflatoxins and zearalenone in maize samples from Buenos Aires and Santa Fe provinces, Argentina. Among 2271 samples analysed, 1214 (53.5%) were contaminated with mycotoxins. Aflatoxin B1 was identified in 445 samples (19.6%), aflatoxin B2 was identified in 92 samples (4.1%) and zearalenone was identified in 676 samples (29.8%). Aflatoxin G1 was detected in only one sample and none of the samples contained detectable amounts of aflatoxin G2. Aflatoxin contamination was not detected in the 1988, 1993 and 1994 harvests and, in the other years, with the exception of 1989, the contamination levels were low. Zearalenone was found in every year.

Estudio de la aceptabilidad en escolares de barras de cereales formuladas con ovoalbúmina, aceite de soja y miel / Study of school children's acceptability of cereal bars formulated with ovalbumin, soy oil and honey

a formulación de barras de cereales de buen perfil nutricional dirigidas a niños, está fuertemente condicionada por su aceptación sensorial. Se realizó el estudió de la aceptabilidad en escolares de barras elaboradas con cereales (maíz, avena, arroz), germen de trigo, ovoalbúmina deshidratada como proteína de elevado Valor Biológico y aceite de soja extraído en frío como fuente de ácidos grasos poliinsaturados. Los cereales empleados fueron mayoritariamente integrales y texturizados. Se elaboraron 5 tipos de muestras: una formulada sólo con los ingredientes mencionados previamente (BC) y las otras cuatro con diferentes agregados: girasol en grano entero (BC+girasol), trocitos de chocolate (BC+chocolate), pasta de frutilla (BC+frutilla), girasol más pasas de uvas (BC+girasol+pasas). Como aglutinante se utilizó miel, aceite de soja y azúcar. El contenido proteico alcanzado fue 11,3-14,5% y para grasas totales el rango estuvo en 14,2-17,6%. La evaluación sensorial fue realizada en la semana de elaboración, participando 20 escolares entre 9 y 11 años. Se evaluó: aceptabilidad global, sabor global, sabor dulce, dureza y crocancia, utilizando una escala simplificada (1-10) y hedónica de 9 puntos, aplicándose análisis de varianza a los resultados. Cuatro muestras recibieron para todos los atributos altos puntajes (>7), siendo BC+chocolate la preferida y sin diferencia significativa entre las tres restantes (BC, BC+girasol, BC+frutilla). En cambio BC+girasol+pasas, obtuvo los menores valores debido a que el 58% de los niños rechaza las pasas de uva. Los resultados demuestran la factibilidad de formular alimentos en barra de corta vida útil dirigidas a niños, incorporando ovoalbúmina, aceite de soja, miel, cereales texturizados y grano entero.