Chemical Composition and Nutritional Quality of Wheat, Teff (Eragrostis tef (Zucc) Trotter), Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and Rice (Oryza sativa) -A Review

Overcoming malnutrition in all of its forms-caloric undernourishment, micronutrient deficiencies and obesity requires a combination of interventions in different areas that guarantee the availability of and access to healthy diets. Among the key areas, interventions are required in food systems, public health systems and the provision of safe water and sanitation. The objective of this review is to reveal the different research findings on the composition and nutritional value of four cereals (Wheat, Teff, Barley and Rice) and their products so as to assist further research works on this area. This paper is also presumed to create awareness on chemical composition and nutritional value of some staple food source cereals as one measurement of food quality is the amount of nutrients it contains relative to the amount of energy it provides. Moreover, the review incorporates the relative amounts of dietary constituents in cereals and their products that depend largely on the degree of refinement and other forms of processing. Keywords: Chemical composition, Nutritional quality, Nutrients, bioavailabilit

Gastrodia elata and parishin ameliorate aging induced ‘leaky gut’ in mice: Correlation with gut microbiotaAt a glance commentary

Background: The aging-induced decrease in intestinal barrier function contributes to many age-related diseases. Studies on preventive measures for “leaky gut” may help improve the quality of life of geriatric patients. The potent anti-aging effect of Gastrodia elata and parishin, which is one of its active ingredients, has been reported previously. However, their effects on the gut remain elusive, and the effect of parishin on mammals has not been studied. Methods: We used quantitative RT-PCR, western blotting, immunohistochemical analysis, and 16S rRNA sequencing to investigate the effect of G. elata and parishin on the intestinal barrier function of D-Gal-induced aging mice. Results: G. elata and parishin prevented the decrease in tight junction protein (TJP) expression and morphological changes, modulated the composition of fecal microbiota to a healthier state, and reversed the translocation of microbial toxins and systemic inflammation. The correlation analyses showed that TJP expression and systemic inflammation were significantly positively or negatively correlated with the composition of fecal microbiota after G. elata and parishin administration. Additionally, TJP expression was also correlated with systemic inflammation. Moreover, G. elata and parishin administration reversed the decreased or increased expression of aging-related biomarkers, such as FOXO3a, SIRT1, CASPASE3 and P21, in the gut. Conclusions: These results suggested that G. elata and parishin could prevent gut aging and ameliorate the “leaky gut” of aged mice and that the underlying mechanism is related to the mutual correlations among barrier function, fecal microbiota composition, and inflammation

From Conventional Lewis Acids to Heterogeneous Montmorillonite K10 Eco-Friendly Plant-Based Catalysts Used as Green Lewis Acids

International audienceThe concept of green chemistry began in the USA in the 1990s. Since the publication of the 12 principles of this concept, many reactions in organic chemistry have been developed, and chemical products have been synthesized under environmentally friendly conditions. Lewis acid mediated synthetic transformations are by far the most numerous and best studied. However, the use of certain Lewis acids may cause risks to environmental and human health. This Review discusses the evolution of Lewis acid catalyzed reactions from a homogeneous liquid phase to the solid phase to yield the expected organic molecules under green, safe conditions. In particular, recent developments and applications of biosourced catalysts from plants are highlighted. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinhei