Total Polyphenol and Flavonoid Content and Antioxidant Capacity of Some Varieties of Persea americana Peels Consumed in Cameroon.

Fruit peels are increasingly being used as functional foods nowadays. Peelings of twelve varieties of Persea americana fruits consumed in Cameroon were investigated for their phenolic compounds (polyphenols and flavonoids) using three solvents systems, water, ethanol: water (50 : 50 v/v), and ethanol, and antioxidant activity using total antioxidant capacity (TAC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging methods. Total polyphenol, flavonoids, and antioxidant potential of the peels significantly varied with P. americana variety and also with the extraction solvents in the order ethanol > ethanol: water > water. Total phenolic content varied from 2407 (Fuerte florid) to 673 (Semil) mg GAE/g DM, respectively, while flavonoids varied from 986 to 119 mg QE/g DM for Fuerte florid and Hickson varieties, respectively. TAC, respectively, varied between 132.87 and 126.85 mg AAE/g DM with Hass and Semil varieties, respectively. The highest DPPH scavenging capacity was recorded for the ethanolic extract with Lula (86.33%) and the least for the aqueous extract with the Semil (30.11%) variety. With FRAP, the highest capacity was obtained with hydroethanolic extract of Fuerte florid (0.43 mg AAE/g DM) and the least for aqueous extract with the Semil (0.269 mg AAE/g DM) variety. In conclusion, varieties of avocado peels are a good source of antioxidants. Solvent extraction significantly affected the concentration of bioactive compounds but not the potency of the antioxidants. A weakly positive correlation but not significant between the quantity of polyphenol, flavonoid, and antioxidant capacity of avocado peelings was obtained in this study.

Validation of anthropometric and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) equations to predict total body water in a group of Cameroonian preschool children using deuterium dilution method

BACKGROUND: Little information is available on the validity of anthropometry or impedance-based equations for prediction of total body water (TBW) in African children. This study was designed to validate and develop equations to predict total body water in Cameroonian children. METHODS: TBW was measured by deuterium dilution in 102 children between 24 and 60 months of age and compared with the ones predicted by 5 anthropometric and 7 BIA equations. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to develop prediction equations for TBW from anthropometric parameters. RESULTS: Unacceptable discrepancies in the estimates of TBW at individual level were noted with all the equations tested. The following new anthropometry and BIA equations for the estimation of TBW were respectively developed: TBW = 6.488 + 0.434 × sex−0.039 × age + 0.670 × weight−0.081 × MUAC (cm)−0.372 × BMI (adjustedR2= 0.71,RMSE = 3.6), and TBW =−6.206 + 0.0037 × height2/Z−0.041 × age + 0.265 × weight + 0.1214 × height (adjustedR2=0.68, RMSE = 1.4). The cross-validation procedures revealed that the predicted values of TBW compared with measured values are accurate at a group level. CONCLUSION: The current published anthropometric and BIA equations are invalid for the estimation of TBW in Cameroonian preschool children. The newly developed anthropometry or BIA prediction equations are valid for use in Cameroonian children aged 24­60 months

Effect of drying and cooking on nutritional value and antioxidant capacity of morogo (Amaranthus hybridus) a traditional leafy vegetable grown in South Africa.

Morogo (vegetables in Tswana) is a green leafy vegetable from the Amaranthaceae family that can be harvested from wild growing or cultivated. The objective of this study was to determine the nutritional value, the total antioxidant capacity and selected bioactive compounds present in morogo leaves, and evaluate the effect of drying and cooking. Results showed that morogo contained a significant amount of protein (3.6 ± 0.1 g/100 g FW) and minerals which the level exceed 1% of fresh weight. The total antioxidant capacity (µmole TE/ 100 g FW) determined by DPPH and FRAP assays were 118.3 ± 15.3 and 128.4 ± 11.9 respectively. Total polyphenols (109.4 ± 7.5 mg GAE/100 g FW), vitamin C (36.6 ± 1.0 mg /100 g FW) and carotenoids represented by ß carotene (25.3 ± 1.3 mg /100 g FW) and xanthophylls (7.48 ± 0.31 mg /100 g FW) formed a significant part of bioactive compounds content of morogo leaves. Since the boiling can cause significant losses of compounds in the boiling water, it can be recommended to avoid cooking methods that can include a boiling step with discard of boiling water.