Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology Vol. 1 (7), pp. 063-074, July, 2013. International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Classification of 3- red sorghum bran and deoxyanthocyanins and its biological properties

Babhi Kumari, Kapoor Randi and Rohit Sharma

Food Testing Laboratory, Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology, Thanjavur-5, India.

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 18 June, 2013

Abstract 

Anthocyanins known as potent antioxidant provides attractive colours and used as an ingredient in food systems. This study aims to evaluate a potential anthocyanin extraction method from red sorghum bran and to investigate its antioxidant and cytotoxic properties. The anthocyanin content was found to be higher in acidified methanol and on separation was identified as apigeninidin and leuteolinidin, which obviously could attribute to its antioxidant properties and cytotoxic activity. Anthocyanins are natural pigments used as food additives and known for its potent antioxidant and antiproliferative property. In addition to their potential as food colorants, anthocyanins are nowadays regarded as an important nutraceuticals mainly due to their possible antioxidant effects and they have been given a potential therapeutic role related to some cardiovascular diseases, cancer treatment, inhibition of certain types of virus including Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) and improvement of visual acuity (Stintzing et al., 2002; Talavera et al., 2006; Sandvik et al., 2004; Beattie et al., 2005; Jang et al., 2005; Cooke et al., 2005; Andersen et al., 1997; Nakaishi et al., 2000). This study aims to evaluate anthocyanin content, to analyze antioxidant and antipropliferative activity from red sorghum bran. When acidified methanol was used as a solvent for extraction, maximum amount of anthocyanin was obtained as compared to methanol alone. On separation by Thin Layer Chromatography and High Pressure Liquid Chromatography, the compounds were identified as apigenindin and luteolindin. The antioxidant activity was found to be higher in red sorghum bran. Anthocyanin from red sorghum bran also showed moderate cytotoxic activity against HT 29 and HEP G2 cell lines. Is assumed that the antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of the extract from red sorghum bran was due to apigenindin and luteolindin. So the anthocyanins extracted from easily available red sorghum bran would be a valuable source for antioxidant and antiproliferative activity in food industry.

Key words: Bran, sorghum, anthocyanins, antioxidant activity, high pressure liquid chromatography, DPPH, HT 29 cancer cell line, HEP G2 cancer cell line.

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology Vol. 1 (6), pp. 059-062, June, 2013. International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Application of bacteriocins derived from Lactobacillus plantarum MTCC 1407 and Bacillus coagulans MTCC 492

Raj Vadewki and Vijay P.

Department of Siddha Medicine, Faculty of Sciences, Tamil University, P O Box 1549, Thanjavur-10, India.

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 26 May, 2013

Abstract

Bacteriocins are antimicrobials produced mainly by lactic acid bacteria as well other genera, a property which can be exploited in food biopreservation. However, narrow spectrum of activity of these bacteriocins is a limitation for their use in different food systems. Various approaches are being pursued to increase their antimicrobial efficacy like use of increased dosage, use of highly purified form in combination with other preservative techniques such as HPP, ultrasonic waves, use of a combination of bacteriocins, etc. Bacteriocins from two producers namely Lactobacillus plantarum MTCC 1407 and Bacillus coagulans MTCC 492 were used in the present study. Partially purified form of bacteriocin produced by them was tested individually as well as in combination with antimicrobial activity in liquid medium against food spoilage agents, Gram positive organisms such as Streptococcus thermophilus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Micrococcus flavus and also Gram negative organisms such as Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. They were all susceptible to antimicrobial action of these bacteriocins, 26 to 72% inhibition was recorded with turbidometric method of assessment of bacteriocin activity. However, bacteriocins when used in combination of 1:1 (v/v) did not result in increased inhibition.

Key words: Bacteriocins, synergy, Lactobacillus sp., Bacillus sp., food spoilage agents.

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology Vol. 1 (6), pp. 059-061, June, 2013. International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The effects of amino acids on removal of acrylamide in a model reaction system

Suin Hongwei, Yang Xiaoyue and Huang Lee

Microbial Resource Management Research Unit, Faculty of Science, Tsinghua University, P.O. Box 400165, Beijing, China.

Accepted 02 May, 2013

Abstract 

Ten (10) amino acids (asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glycine, glutamic acid, glutamine, methionine, leucine, tyrosine and lysine) were used to test their effect on elimination of acrylamide, when co-heating of 10 mmol of acrylamide respectively with 0.1 mmol of amino acids at 160°C for 15 min, acrylamide was eliminated from 7.4% (asparagine) to 94.4% (cysteine) at natural pH, and 11.4% (glutamic acid) to 94.8% (cysteine) at pH 7.0. It was found that cysteine, glysine and lysine showed much higher reactivity with acrylamide than the other seven amino acids. When the molar ratios of amino acid to acrylamide were increased to 60:1 for cysteine and glycine, and 80:1 for lysine, acrylamide in the reaction system was almost eliminated. The elimination efficiencies of the three amino acids for acrylamide were enhanced by addition of glucose. Liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectroscopy showed that cysteine, glycine, and lysine adducted with two molecules of acrylamide, while the other amino acids except for glutamic acid (no adduct compounds were found) just adducted with one mole of acrylamide. This finding may partly explain why cysteine, glycine and lysine showed high capacity to reduce acrylamide content in high-temperature processing food.

Key words: Acrylamide, adduct, amino acids.

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology Vol. 1 (5), pp. 054-058, May, 2013. International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Farmers’ knowledge in the cropping systems of Northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Current challenges and solution for sustainable future food production

Kenny Ray, Onami Elam and Mushove Thabo

Department of Crop Sciences and Production,  Johannesburg, University of Fort Hare, Alice, 5700, South Africa.

Accepted 29 April, 2013

Abstract 

Most African farmers involved in food production in South Africa; practice peasant farming for consumption and for retail sale in the informal market, local communities and street corners in the cities. These farmers are mainly constrained by different factors which include; lack of basic farm inputs like machineries and fertilizers. They also have limited knowledge of the standard methods of production required to satisfy the genetic requirement of improved seeds that are available in agric shops; and have insufficient access to arable lands. Due to the fact that they are resource poor formers, they lack enough financial input and support from rural extension agencies, with a resultant low yield response. Although, peasant farmers in northern KwaZulu-Natal of South Africa seem to have common challenges in their farming regime, their knowledge within each cluster varies tremendously. Observed variation in farmers’ activities has been reported to affect yield on farmers’ fields and farmers’ knowledge plays an important role in the overall production systems of the communities. This paper highlights the challenges of peasant farmers in a study conducted over a period of nine months on the maize-based farming system of Northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa using a well structured questionnaire. The implication of the study on the future improvement of farming activities in the region is discussed. The result of this study outlined possible ways of improving the crop production systems of the people of the studied area and also opened new research initiatives to better partner with these farmers for improved food production.

Key words: Cropping systems, farmers’ knowledge, food production, Northern KwaZulu Natal, production input, small scale farmers.

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology Vol. 1 (5), pp. 051-053, May, 2013. International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Evaluation of some Micro organisms in commercially produced yoghurt for retailed in Minna, Niger State

Oseni H. Abiodun

Department of Microbiology, Obafemi Awolowo University, P.O.Box 2541, Ile Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. Email: [email protected]

Accepted 11 April, 2013

Abstract 

Five samples each of twenty brands of commercially produced yoghurt were purchased randomly from different provision stores within Minna. The results showed that the total bacterial count ranged from 1.0 x 10⁷ to 9.4 x 10⁷ cfu/ml. The organisms isolated included species of Staphylococcus, Lactobacillus, Enterobacter and Bacillus, for bacteria, and species of Aspergillus, Fusarium, Candida, Penicillium, Cephalosporium and Mucor for fungi. However, species of Bacillus and Aspergillus were isolated the most frequently. The result revealed that yoghurt commercially produce in Minna are of high quality. All effort should be geared toward sustaining it.

Key words: Yoghurt, commercially, bifidobacteria, probiotic, lactobacili.

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology Vol. 1 (4), pp. 044-050, April, 2013. International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A case study of Consumers responsiveness to food categorization in United Arab Emirates

Irfan Allushii and Tasran Qadir

Department of Agribusiness, Faculty of Food and Agriculture, University of Sharjah, P. O. Box 26666,

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Accepted 25 March, 2013

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to examine consumers’ awareness for food labeling in United Arab Emirates (UAE), along with identification of the socioeconomic characteristics and attitudes which make consumers aware of the subject. The UAE is an economy with a peculiar nature; more than 80% of its residents are expatriates from all over the world. A total of 500 respondents from all over the UAE were randomly selected and surveyed through face-to-face interviews. The deterministic statistics and frequency tables of data were prepared and analyzed. An ordered probit model was utilized to see the effect of social characteristics and attributes on the consumers’ awareness for food labeling. According to the results, 89.6% of respondents indicated that they read information provided on food labels. Among the attributes written on the labels, the three most important that were read by respondents more frequently were expiration date, list of ingredients, and the country of origin. The results of ordered probit model shows that the probability of reading food labels more frequently increases with older, more educated, and those who have more children under age of 18.

Key words: Consumer‟s awareness, food labeling, ordered probit model, imported food, healthy diet.