Evaluation of Antidiabetic and Antihypertensive Potential of Some Traditional Desert Food Plants of Qatar Using in Vitro Assays

Numerous studies have shown that food plants, the source of basic nutritional components may also possess an additional bioactive therapeutic properties associated with the prevention of diseases such as type 2 diabetes and its related complication, hypertension. The incidence of type 2 diabetes in Qatar is one of the highest in the world. In the present study, four edible plants from Qatar were selected to analyze the phenolic bioactives and their potential health benefits with relevance to managing type 2 diabetes and hypertension using in vitro enzyme assays. High antioxidant activity along with high total soluble phenolics associated with high in vitro enzyme inhibitory ?-glucosidase, moderate ?-amylase and ACE inhibitory effects was shown by aqueous extracts of Cynmorium coccineum. Malva parviflora and Glossonema edule had moderate antioxidant potential, total soluble phenolics and ACE inhibitory potential. Edible plants like Cynmorium coccineum that is also suggested to possess other medicinal properties has a high potential for diet-based solutions in combating, preventing and managing early stage of type 2 diabetes coupled to overall healthy life style and pharmacological management strategies. This study provides the biochemical rationale for further animal and clinical studies to understand the health benefits of edible plants of Qatar as dietary strategies for chronic disease management.qscienc

Production and Determination of Bioavailable Iron in Sorghum and White bean Noodles

The objective of this study was to find innovative approaches for the production of iron fortified noodles that are natural and economically feasible. The functional food was produced using different combinations . The investigated variables were the ratio of sorghum to white bean flour, pre-gelatinized flours (drum dried or extruded) and guar gum addition while the emulsifier added was kept constant. Investigated parameters were the iron content and its bioavailability, as well as the functional properties (cooking weight, cooking time, cooking loss and texture) of the noodles. Results of the study showed that the content of white bean in the noodles had a direct influence on the iron content and bioavailability. As expected, the iron content and bioavailability was higher the higher the amount of white bean added. Additionally, the iron content and bioavailability was affected by the addition of guar gum and the pregelatinised flours. Iron content of noodles decreased with the increase of guar gum content while the addition of white bean pregelatinised flour showed an increase in the iron content and bioavailability. On examination of the functional properties, the 50% white bean noodles gave the best results in terms of texture, cooking loss, cooking time and cooking weight. Cooking time, cooking weight and cooking loss were comparable to that of durum wheat noodles. Noodles prepared with 50% white bean flour and pregelatinized flours (extruded or drum dried) received the best rankings in the sensory evaluation. The result of this study showed that the higher the amount of white bean added, the superior was the noodle quality, therefore fulfilling the requirements of the objectives i.e. good quality noodles with high iron content and bioavailability.Austrian Academic Exchange servic

In Vitro Assays of Anti-diabetic and Anti-hypertensive Potential of Some Traditional Edible Plants of Qatar

Aizoon canariense, Cynomorium coccineum, Glossonema edule, and Malva parviflora, edible desert plants from Qatar, were selected to determine levels of phenolic bioactives and potential health benefits for managing early stages of type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Aqueous extracts of C. cocineum, contained soluble phenolics and had relatively high levels of antioxidant activity associated with α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). G. edule and M. parviflora had moderate levels of anti-oxidant potential, soluble phenolics, and ACE inhibitory activity. The medicinal properties associated with C. coccineum suggest the plant may have potential as a diet-based solution for combating, preventing, and managing the early stage of type 2 diabetes when coupled with an overall healthy life style and pharmacological management strategies

Survey on the Microbial Quality of Traditional Foods Sold by Street Vendors in Qatar.

During the past few years the traditional market of Qatar has become an attraction to many customers who eat from the numerous women street vendors selling Qatari traditional dishes. To gain an understanding on the safety of these street vended foods, we designed the study to test microbiological quality of 14 different Qatari foods sold in Souk Wagif, the main traditional market in Qatar. This study was conducted to mainly identify presence or absence of microbial pathogens. A total of 56 samples were purchased from 10 different street vendors and the samples were collected randomly on different days. The samples were tested for microbial contaminants at Central Food Laboratories, Doha, Qatar. The qualitative study was conducted using Real Time-PCR to screen for; Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli and E. coli 0157:H7. Out of the 56 samples, only two samples “Biryani” and “Khabess” contained E. coli. However both samples tested negative for E. coli O157:H7. The microbial contamination of the Qatari traditional street vended foods was 3%. This result may be attributed to the food safety training requirement set by the regulatory authorities before issuing any license to food handlers in Qatar as well as the food inspection conducted by the Food Health Inspectors on a regular basis

Anti-diabetic and Anti-hypertensive Potential of Indigenous Edible plants of Qatar

Aizoon canariense, Cynomorium coccineum, Glossonema edule, and Malva parviflora, edible desert plants from Qatar, were selected to determine levels of phenolic bioactives and potential health benefits for managing early stages of type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Aqueous extracts of C. cocineum, contained soluble phenolics and had relatively high levels of antioxidant activity associated with α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and angiotensin- converting enzyme (ACE). G. edule and M. parviflora had moderate levels of anti-oxidant potential, soluble phenolics, and ACE inhibitory activity. The medicinal properties associated with C. coccineum suggest the plant may have potential as a diet-based solution for combating, preventing, and managing the early stage of type 2 diabetes when coupled with an overall healthy life style and pharmacological management strategie

Shelf-life of smoked eel fillets treated with chitosan or thyme oil

The present study examined the effect of natural antimicrobials: Chitosan, thyme oil and their combination, on the shelf- life of smoked eel fillets stored under vacuum packaging (VP) at 4°C. Based on sensory odor data smoked eel fillets had a shelf- life of 35 (control), 42 (thyme treated and >49 (thyme, chitosan-thyme treated) days. The thiobarbituric acid value (TBA) value of the control eel sample was significantly higher than the chitosan-thyme-treated eel samples. The use of chitosan singly, or in combination with thyme oil reduced lipid oxidation (TBA) of the smoked eel samples. A trimethylamine nitrogen (TMA-N) value of 10 mg N/100 g, could be suggested as an indication of smoked eel spoilage initiation. Control and treated eel reached total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) values of 13.1-31.5 mg N/100 g below the maximum permissible level of TVB-N in fish and fishery products. Eel samples reached the value of 7.0 log cfu/g (Total Plate Count,TPC) on days 35 (smoked) and 42 (thyme treated), whereas both chitosan and chitosan-thyme treated eel samples never reached this limit value. Results of our study show thyme or chitosan (singly, or in combination) inhibit the growth of mesophilic bacteria and extend the shelf- life of smoked eel.Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud Universit

Black garlic production: The influence of ageing temperature and duration on some physicochemical and antioxidant properties, and sugar content

Herein, some quality characteristics (water content, pH, antioxidant activity and sugar contents) of fresh garlic (Taşköprü, Türkiye) and black garlic, which were produced under various ageing temperatures (60 °C, 70 °C and 80 °C) and durations (30, 45 and 60 days), and the effect of ageing processes on these quality characteristics were determined. The ageing process caused a reduction (P < 0.01) in the water content and pH value of the samples, while enhanced (P < 0.01) antioxidant activity and increased (P < 0.01) the content of glucose, fructose, sucrose and reducing sugar. Both the water content and pH value of the black garlic declined significantly with increasing ageing temperature, while only pH value of the black garlic declined significantly with increasing ageing duration. Ageing samples at 60 °C and 70 °C exhibited higher antioxidant activity than those aged at 80 °C, which had similar activity to the fresh samples. A similar status was observed when the ageing temperature was prolonged to 60 days. Sucrose concentration of the black garlic samples raised with elevating the ageing temperature and declined with prolonging the duration. While a remarkable decline in the reducing sugars of the black garlic samples was observed with elevating the ageing temperature, the maximum concentration was recorded on the 45th day of the ageing process. However, the black garlic samples produced at 60 °C for 60 days or 70 °C for 30 days could be recommended to get a final product with good antioxidant capacity, adequate amount of free sugars, pH value and water content

Volarisation of Brewer’s spent grain for noodles preparation and its potential assessment against obesity

Brewer's spent grain is the most prevalent low-cost by-product of brewing industry, contributing to about 85% of all by-products produced. It is of interest for food industry applications because of its high nutritional value (fibres, protein and bioactive substances). The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different brewer's spent grain composition usage on various quality criteria of noodles as well as to investigate the possible usage opportunities and assessments of them in the production of noodles against obesity. For this purpose, noodle production was carried out using five different compositions of brewer's spent grain barley, barley and wheat, barley and rice, barley and maize, barley and finger millets, all at different concentrations (5%, 10%, 15% and 20%). Various quality criteria of the noodles were determined. Noodles made with the addition of barley and maize spent grains were found to be high in physio-chemical and nutritional properties, and amylase and lipase inhibition assay. Concentration above 15% of spent grains affected the texture of the noodles. From the sensory evaluation, 10% concentration of barley and maize noodles was selected as it had good texture, colour and appearance. It was comparatively good in taste and aroma from other samples

Development of simultaneous antioxidant and visual pH-sensing films based on guar gum loaded with Aronia melanocarpa extract

Anthocyanins have attracted increasing attention for different packaging systems due to having functional features such as biocompatibility, antioxidative activity, visible colour response at varying pH values. In this study, the extract of Aronia melanocarpa as anthocyanins source was incorporated into guar gum films to take advantage of both antioxidant and pH responsive attributes. Aronia addition did not affect the thermal stability of guar gum films. Radical scavenging activity of the films (%) was measured by 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, and aronia added films exhibited very strong antioxidant activity (up to 85%). The colour of aronia solution varied from pink to brown with pH ranging from 1 to 13. Similarly, when the films were immersed in buffer solutions at different pH values, the visual colour varied from pink to brownish yellow. ΔE values of GR_AR_3 (guar gum films having the highest aronia concentration) ranged between 23.31 and 40.62 at pH 1–13. This result proved colour change of the films can be even detected by untrained consumers. Furthermore, the films were found to be very sensitive to ammonia vapour. Aronia incorporated guar gum films could be suggested as both antioxidant films to prevent foods oxidation from oxidation and promising intelligent films to monitor the deterioration of foods

Enhancing effect of chia seeds on heterocyclic amine generation in meatball

The impact of using chia seeds at different rates (0%, 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%) in meatball on the water content, pH and lipid oxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, TBARS), cooking loss and heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) content of meatballs cooked at 150, 200, and 250 °C was investigated. The chia seed significantly affected water content (P 0.05) was detected on TBARS value. With cooking, water content decreased (P < 0.01), while the pH and TBARS values increased (P < 0.01). Cooking temperatures significantly affected (P < 0.01) the water content, cooking loss and total HAAs content. The content of total HAAs of the meatballs increased with increasing the cooking temperature. The results illustrated that IQ, 7,8-DiMeIQx, 4,8-DiMeIQx, AαC and MeAαC were below the detectable limit (<LOD) in all samples, while MeIQx was the dominant compound among the detected HAAs compounds. The research indicated that the use of chia seeds increased the total HAA content, and the highest level was found in meatballs prepared with 1% chia seeds