Determination of some essential mineral elements from different tropical fruits

The purpose of this paper is to determine the concentration of some essential macro and micro elements, from tropical fruits and the role that these minerals play in health benefits. The concentrations of Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu in bananas, grape fruits, kiwi, lemons, mandarins, oranges, pineapples and pomelo sold in Timisoara markets were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry method. The obtained results show that the distribution of the essential mineral elements in the analyzed fruits presents non-uniformity, depending on the fruit species and the nature of the analyzed element. The best represented among the analyzed elements are Ca and Mg (59.1-358 mg/kg Ca, respectively 92-287 mg/kg Mg). Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn were determined in much lower concentrations (1.12-3.26 mg/kg, 0.75-1.53 mg/kg, 0.45-1.21 mg/kg respectively 0.34-7.12 mg/kg), but sufficient considering the requirement of these essential microelements in the human body. However, it can be stated that the studied tropical fruits contain important amounts, especially of calcium and magnesium, but also appreciable amounts of essential microelements: Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn

Comparative study of some honey types collected from unpolluted areas of Timis county

This research followed to achieve some physico-chemical properties for natural food based on honey and dried fruits. The honey samples were represented by three 3 different types of bee honey: multiforal and unifloral species - Acacia flower (lat. Robinia pseudoacacia), and Linden flower ( lat. Tilia cordata) – bought directly from the producers originally from unpolluted areas in Timis County. In honey samples we added dried fruits: apricots (lat. Prunus armeniaca) and figs (lat. Ficus carica). For these samples, refractive index, water content - based on nD values, total solid content, and acidity were determined. Based on nd values between 1.4811 – 1.49, the water content shows values from 18.61% and 22.54%, respectively from 81.39%, until 77.46% in case of total solid content, and acidity had values between 2.1 and 3.53 acidity degrees. The principal purpose of this study was to bring more data to the knowledge of some types of honey originating from unpolluted area of Timis county in terms of physical properties, and also how different additions can contribute to increasing the nutritional value of these products

Preliminary research on the use of sheep's cheese as a source of mineral elements

Milk and dairy products represent valuable nutritional foods, which bring many benefits to the health of the human body. The nutritional quality of sheep's cheese is given by nature as well by the content of essential mineral elements that enter into its composition. Therefore, the evaluation of the nutritional quality, of the sheep's cheese mineral intake is conditioned by knowing the concentrations of the mineral elements that are part of this food. The aim of the paper is to determine the concentrations of some essential mineral macro- and microelements: Ca and Mg, respectively: Fe, Zn and Cu from sheep's cheese and to evaluate the mineral intake of this food product in the recommended daily diet. The sheep's cheese taken in the experiment is well represented in terms of the content of: Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn and Cu, essential mineral elements with a beneficial effect on the body. In the analyzed sheep's cheese were identified high amounts of calcium (4892±275 mg/kg) and magnesium (443±38.64 mg/kg), significant amounts of Zn (22.14±1.52 mg/kg) and Fe (9.78±1.29 mg/kg) and appreciable amounts of Cu (1.07±0.17 mg/kg). The mineral profile of this nutritional food shows the following decreasing trend: Ca>> Mg>> Zn >Fe >> Cu

Meteorological and synoptic interpretation at the representative stations from Western Romania during the summer of 2014

In Romania, droughts occur on the background of specific synoptic configurations. It is, mainly, about the persistence of an anti-cyclone field due to the coverage of our country by some backward cyclones (of the east-European Anti-cyclone, the Azores Anti-cyclone, the Scandinavian Anti-cyclone, or the North-African Anti-cyclone), i.e. on the existence of a high pressure field because of an anti-cyclone belt made by the union of the Azores Anti-cyclone with the East-European Anti-cyclone

Bioactive compounds of pumpkin juice assortments

The purpose of this study was to obtain and characterize of some fresh pumpkin juices with addition of water, walnuts, honey, cinnamon and fresh peppermint leaves. Total soluble content, vitamin C by titration with a 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol sodium, antioxidant capacity by FRAP assay and total phenolic content by Folin-Ciocalteu method were analyzed. Vitamin C content ranged from 0.09 to 0.15 mg/mL, with 0.13 mg/mL in individual pumpkin juice; the juice assortment without walnuts has the lower vitamin C content. Among the investigated juices, the pumpkin juice assortment with all ingredients have the higher amount total polyphenol content (4.19 mM GAE/mL) and the total antioxidant capacity (2.53 mM Fe2+/mL). We observed that the fresh pumpkin juice assortments are a real source of bioactive compounds

Orange and lemon peel powders as a bioelement source

The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the concentration of some bioelements from citrus peel powder. Peels powder was obtained by drying and grinding citrus peels as a by-product resulting after the preparation of some natural juices. The results obtained by atomic absorption spectrometry of Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu, shows that the powders taken into the study contain important amounts of essential mineral elements, especially Ca and K (159-182 mg/100g, respectively 211-218 mg/100g) and also appreciable contents of Mg (15.3-23.4 mg/100g), Fe (18.1-34.1 mg/100g), Zn (9.34-11.8 mg/100g), Na (8.75-12.8 mg/100g), Cu (1.27-3.71 mg/100g) and Mn (1.32-2.03 mg/100g). The concentration of the analyzed mineral bioelements shows, in general, the following decreasing trend: K> Ca> Fe> Mg> Zn> Na> Cu> Mn

Green fresh smoothie - some physico-chemical and nutritional aspects

Increasing tendency for fresh food - fruits, vegetables, and herbs consumption worldwide and also in our country, shows the weight that they have held or hold them in the diet. In their case, not only good looks, nice color or taste and aromas are considered to be important, but especially their nutritional value, rich in sugars, vitamins and minerals needed in the diet of the human body. They also have the advantage that it can be consumed without any processing who could reduce the nutritional value. The purpose of the study was to obtain and reveal some physico-chemical and nutritional properties of some fresh foods: green apple (Golden delicious – Malus domestica.), baby spinach (Spinach oleracea), pineapple (Ananas comosus) and mint leaves (Mentha piperita) and the juice that we obtain from them, while achieving a characterization highlighting their dietary and healing properties. The study presents important application not only for food industry, but also for other areas, because it addresses to special categories of consumers such as vegetarians and people with lactose intolerance and fasting period

Studies regarding obtainment and the characterization of different types of homemade chocolate with fruit addition

It is known that homemade chocolate is the most important and popular sweet product used in the diet of children and adults, due to its attractive taste and caloric value. The special nutritional qualities of chocolate are conferred by compounds with biological activity in its composition. The representative compounds from chocolate are antioxidants, macro- and micronutrients, sugar, and stimulants such as caffeine and theobromine. In our study we show how fruits addition can influence the physico-chemical properties of homemade chocolate. The used fruits were been frozen fruit. Experimental part is based on some physico-chemical determination (content of water, dry content, total mineral content et al.) in order to evaluate the nutritional characteristics of the product

Evaluation of physicochemical characteristics for some pineapple and mango fruit compote

Fruits are vegetable foods that can be consumed both fresh or processed into juices, syrups, jams, fruit compotes, etc.A popular form often used for preserving fruit in cold periods, are fruit compotes. Pineapples and mango fruit are consumed fresh, cooked, juiced and also can be preserved. The aimof the study was to evaluate physicochemical characteristics (pH, total soluble solids (TSS), conductivity and viscosity) in case of some exotic fruit compotes. In the experimental part were analyzed different samples of pineapple and mango fruit compote prepared by us, simply just from fruit, with sweetener and with the addition of brown sugar. The pH was measured using a pH meter mark OP-211/2 connected with combined electrode OP-0808P according to the AOAC methods, the total soluble solids using a refractometer Abbe. Electrical conductance was determined by conductometer OK 112 and viscosity using Ubbelohde-type viscometer