Production of Healthy Functional Soft White Cheese Using Moringa oleifera Oil.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Moringa oleifera oil is composed of highly unsaturated fatty acids containing 80.4% polyunsaturated, mainly oleic acids 67.9% and had a low acid value and low free fatty acids composition, so it is acceptable for edible application. The objective of study was the feasibility of using Moringa oleifera oil in manufacture of cheese compared with other oils (olive, sun flower) and the effect of using Moringa oleifera oil in chemically; organoleptically and microbial content in cheese. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fat was mechanically separated from buffalo's milk to reach 3% fat. Then the resultant milk divided into four portions. First let as control, then, the rest milk divided into three portions and fat substituted with 1, 1.5 and 3% of olive, moringa and sunflower oils. The resultant milk manufactured to soft white cheese and the resultant cheese was analyzed chemically, microbiologically and organoleptically. RESULTS: Findings showed that 1.5% of different oils are best ratio and had gained highest scores for appearance, body and texture and flavor. The soft white cheese manufactured by Moringa oleifera oil was a best treatment than control and other treatments and has antimicrobial properties. Acidity, fat, total nitrogen, soluble nitrogen, total volatile fatty acids (TVFA) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) increased during cold storage at 5°C+1 for 3 weeks cheese with Moringa oleifera oil had lower (PV) peroxide value than other treatments and pH took an opposite trend. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that Moringa oleifera oil in soft cheese improved body and texture, flavor, than olive and sunflower oils and also increased the shelf life of cheese.

Medial epicondylitis: is ultrasound guided autologous blood injection an effective treatment?

OBJECTIVE: To assess if ultrasound guided autologous blood injection is an effective treatment for medial epicondylitis. METHODS: Twenty patients (13 men, 7 women) with refractory medial epicondylitis with symptom duration of 12 months underwent sonographic evaluation. Tendinosis was confirmed according to three sonographic criteria: echo texture, interstitial tears and neovascularity. The tendon was then dry needled and autologous blood was injected. Patients were reviewed at 4 weeks and at 10 months. VAS scores and modified Nirschl scores were assessed pre-procedure and post-procedure. RESULTS: There was significant reduction in VAS pain score between pre-procedure and 10 months post-procedure when it had a median (IQR) of 1.00 (1-1.75), range 0-7. The median (IQR) Nirschl score, which at pre-procedure was 6.00 (5-7), range 4-7, had decreased at 4 weeks to 4.00 (2.25-5), range 2-7, and at 10 months to 1.00 (1-1.75), range 0-7, revealing a significant decrease (z = 3.763, p<0.001). The hypo-echoic change in the flexor tendon significantly decreased between pre-procedure, when there was a mean (SD) of 6.45 (1.47), and at 10 months, when it was 3.85 (2.37) (p<0.001). Doppler ultrasound showed that neovascularity decreased between pre-procedure, when there was a mean (SD) of 6.10 (1.62), range 4-9, and at 10 months, when it was 3.60 (2.56), range 0-9 (p<0.001). DISCUSSION: The combined action of dry needling and autologous blood injection under ultrasound guidance appears to be an effective treatment for refractory medial epicondylitis as demonstrated by a significant decrease in VAS pain and a fall in the modified Nirschl scores.