Investigation of the influence of minor components and fatty acid profile of oil on properties of beeswax and stearic acid-based oleogels.

Understanding the impact of minor components and the fatty acid profile of oil on oleogel properties is essential for optimizing their characteristics. Considering the scarcity of literature addressing this aspect, this study aimed to explore the correlation between these factors and the properties of beeswax and stearic acid-based oleogels derived from rice bran oil and sesame oil. Minor oil components were modified by stripping the oil, heating the oil with water, and adding ß-sitosterol. Oleogels were then prepared using a mixture of beeswax and stearic acid (3:1, w/w) at a concentration of 11.74 % (w/w). The properties of oils and oleogels were evaluated. The findings indicated that minor components and fatty acid composition of the oils substantially influence the oleogel properties. Removing minor components by stripping resulted in smaller and less uniformly distributed crystals and less oil binding capacity compared to the oleogels prepared from untreated oils. A moderate amount of minor components exhibited a significant influence on oleogel properties. The addition of ß-sitosterol did not show any influence on oleogel properties except for the oleogel made from untreated oil blend added with ß-sitosterol which had more uniform crystals in the microstructure and demonstrated better rheological stability when stored at 5 °C for two months. The oil composition did not show any influence on the thermal and molecular properties of oleogels. Consequently, the oleogel formulation derived from the untreated oil blend enriched with ß-sitosterol was identified as the optimal formula for subsequent development. The findings of this study suggest that the physical and mechanical properties as well as the oxidative stability of beeswax and stearic acid-based oleogels are significantly affected by the minor constituents and fatty acid composition of the oil. Moreover, it demonstrates that the properties of oleogels can be tailored by modifying oil composition by blending different oils.

Finger on the Pulse: Pumping Iron into Chickpea.

Iron deficiency is a major problem in both developing and developed countries, and much of this can be attributed to insufficient dietary intake. Over the past decades several measures, such as supplementation and food fortification, have helped to alleviate this problem. However, their associated costs limit their accessibility and effectiveness, particularly amongst the financially constrained. A more affordable and sustainable option that can be implemented alongside existing measures is biofortification. To date, much work has been invested into staples like cereals and root crops-this has culminated in the successful generation of high iron-accumulating lines in rice and pearl millet. More recently, pulses have gained attention as targets for biofortification. Being secondary staples rich in protein, they are a nutritional complement to the traditional starchy staples. Despite the relative youth of this interest, considerable advances have already been made concerning the biofortification of pulses. Several studies have been conducted in bean, chickpea, lentil, and pea to assess existing germplasm for high iron-accumulating traits. However, little is known about the molecular workings behind these traits, particularly in a leguminous context, and biofortification via genetic modification (GM) remains to be attempted. This review examines the current state of the iron biofortification in pulses, particularly chickpea. The challenges concerning biofortification in pulses are also discussed. Specifically, the potential application of transgenic technology is explored, with focus on the genes that have been successfully used in biofortification efforts in rice.