Changes in quality and bioactivity of native food during storage

Australian native foods have long been consumed by the Indigenous people of Australia. There is growing interest in the application of these foods in the functional food and complementary health care industries. Recent studies have provided information on the health properties of native foods but systematic study of changes in flavour and health components during processing and storage has not been done. It is well known that processing technologies such as packaging, drying and freezing can significantly alter the levels of health and flavour compounds. However, losses in compounds responsible for quality and bioactivity can be minimised by improving production practices. This report outlines research developed to provide the native food industry with reliable information on the retention of bioactive compounds during processing and storage to enable the development of product standards which in turn will provide the industry with scientific evidence to expand and explore new market opportunities globally

Changes in quality and bioactivity of native food during storage

Australian native foods have long been consumed by the Indigenous people of Australia. There is growing interest in the application of these foods in the functional food and complementary health care industries. Recent studies have provided information on the health properties of native foods but systematic study of changes in flavour and health components during processing and storage has not been done. It is well known that processing technologies such as packaging, drying and freezing can significantly alter the levels of health and flavour compounds. However, losses in compounds responsible for quality and bioactivity can be minimised by improving production practices. This report outlines research developed to provide the native food industry with reliable information on the retention of bioactive compounds during processing and storage to enable the development of product standards which in turn will provide the industry with scientific evidence to expand and explore new market opportunities globally

Metabolites identified during varied doses of aspergillus species in Zea mays grains, and their correlation with aflatoxin levels

Open Access Journal; Published online: 7 May 2018Aflatoxin contamination is associated with the development of aflatoxigenic fungi such as Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus on food grains. This study was aimed at investigating metabolites produced during fungal development on maize and their correlation with aflatoxin levels. Maize cobs were harvested at R3 (milk), R4 (dough), and R5 (dent) stages of maturity. Individual kernels were inoculated in petri dishes with four doses of fungal spores. Fungal colonisation, metabolite profile, and aflatoxin levels were examined. Grain colonisation decreased with kernel maturity: milk-, dough-, and dent-stage kernels by approximately 100%, 60%, and 30% respectively. Aflatoxin levels increased with dose at dough and dent stages. Polar metabolites including alanine, proline, serine, valine, inositol, iso-leucine, sucrose, fructose, trehalose, turanose, mannitol, glycerol, arabitol, inositol, myo-inositol, and some intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA—also known as citric acid or Krebs cycle) were important for dose classification. Important non-polar metabolites included arachidic, palmitic, stearic, 3,4-xylylic, and margaric acids. Aflatoxin levels correlated with levels of several polar metabolites. The strongest positive and negative correlations were with arabitol (R = 0.48) and turanose and (R = 0.53), respectively. Several metabolites were interconnected with the TCA; interconnections of the metabolites with the TCA cycle varied depending upon the grain maturity

Legumes as food ingredient: characterization, processing, and applications

Editores: Jiménez-López, José Carlos (CSIC); Clemente, Alfonso (CSIC

Antimicrobial Activity of Royal Jelly

Royal jelly (RJ) is a unique secretion that is produced by the mandibular and hypopharyngeal glands of worker bees and used globally for its unique health benefits. It consists mainly of water, proteins, fatty acids, minerals, carbohydrates, vitamins, and other components. RJ as a raw and purified product has been evaluated for its bioactivity in in-vitro, animal and clinical studies and one of the most notable findings was its antimicrobial activity. Although there are many types of antibiotics that can inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria, antibiotic-resistant strains have emerged, leading to a search for alternative methods through the re-examination of past remedies. Certain components in RJ have shown antimicrobial effects against a wide range of microbes, including bacteria, viruses, yeast, and fungi. Trans-10- hydroxy-2-decenoic acid, Royalisin, and Jelleines are the main antimicrobial biaoctives obtained from RJ, and they have significant antibacterial potential. This review is on the antimicrobial effects of RJ and their potential use in medical and other applications

An innovative microplate assay to facilitate the detection of antimicrobial activity in plant extracts

A microplate assay was modified for the detection of antimicrobial activity in plant extracts. The aim was to develop an in vitro assay that could rapidly screen plant extracts to provide quantitative data on inhibition of microbial growth. A spectrophotometric assay using a microplate with serial dilutions of the plant extract and the bacteria was developed. Two bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, were used for this study. Essential oils, oregano (Origanum vulgare) and lemon myrtle (Backhousia citriodora), and three active components carvacrol, thymol and citral were evaluated. The reproducibility of the assay was high, with correlation coefficients (r aureus and E. coli between 0.9321 and 0.9816. Similarly, r and 0.9814. This assay could also be used to measure antimicrobial activity in plant extracts which vary in pH and color