Physicochemical and Pasting Properties of Flour and Starch from Two New Cassava Accessions

Some new cassava accessions have been developed and released because of their high yield, resistance to disease, adaptability to wider ecological environment, and less cost of production. However, their flour and starch properties have not been characterized for potential food applications. In the present study, starch and flour were produced from two new cassava accessions (Sika Bankye and Bankye Hemaa) and evaluated for their physicochemical and pasting properties. The flour samples recorded higher values for the various functional parameters compared to their starch counterparts. Both flour samples had a similar water absorption capacity (WAC) of ~263% but the associated starch from Bankye Hemaa recorded the lowest value of 38.6%. Bankye Hemaa flour recorded the highest oil absorption capacity (OAC) (121%) and could be exploited as potential flavor retainer in products. Flour from Bankye Hemaa also recorded the highest swelling power (882 ± 29%), which was indicative of their good thickening and stabilizing functionalities. Sika Bankye starch had the highest setback viscosity (723 ± 32 RVU), which was indicative of its lower susceptibility to retrogradation and potential use in products that require highly viscous paste and processed at high temperatures

Evaluation of Yield and Physicochemical Quality of \u3cem\u3ePentadesma butyracea\u3c/em\u3e Butter Obtained by Different Traditional Extraction Methods in Ghana

Pentadesma butyracea seed butter or fat (PBSB) is a vegetable fat extracted from the seeds of the P. butyracea plant. The butter has potential use in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. The study investigated traditional PBSB processing methods in Ghana and evaluated their effects on yield, physicochemical parameters, and fatty acid composition. Four traditional extraction methods were identified and evaluated, and these methods are direct wet extraction of PBSB from a fresh mixture of the seed paste and water (DEW); wet extraction of PBSB from a 12-hour fermented mixture of the seed paste and water (FWO); direct wet extraction of PBSB from a fresh mixture of the seed paste, salt, and water (DES); and wet extraction of PBSB from a 12-hour fermented mixture of the seed paste, salt, and water (FSO). Results of physicochemical properties of the PBSB samples showed moisture content of 0.06-0.07%, free fatty acid of 1.38-2.43%, iodine value of 56.50-56.85 Wijs, peroxide value of 5.58-8.52 mEq/kg, relative density of 0.91, refractive index of 1.462-1.464, percent impurities of 0.015-0.017%, saponification value of 165.57-178.02 mg KOH/g, and percent unsaponifiable matter of 2.60-3.18%. The PBSB yield varied in the range of 21.68-26.97%, with the highest average butter yield observed for FWO. Seventeen fatty acids were characterized in the PBSB samples, and they included ten saturated fatty acids, five monounsaturated fatty acids, and two polyunsaturated fatty acids. Key fatty acids found in the PBSB samples were oleic acid (51.21-51.31%), stearic acid (43.22-43.33%), palmitic acid (2.91-3.07%), linoleic acid (0.49-0.51%), linolenic acid (0.12-0.20%), and arachidic acid (0.14-0.15%). PBSB samples produced by the various traditional extraction methods in Ghana recorded similar physicochemical characteristics as unrefined shea butter per the Regional Standard for Unrefined Shea Butter (CXS 325R-2017) as well as Cook Brand Margarine, a common commercial baking fat, and thus, their potential food application such as an alternative shortening/ingredient could be explored in a future study

Preventing Chlorogenic Acid Quinone-Induced Greening in Sunflower Cookies by Chlorogenic Acid Esterase and Thiol-based Dough Conditioners

Sunflower seeds contain a high concentration of chlorogenic acid (CGA), which reacts with amino acids to form green pigments under alkaline conditions during food processing. Here, we present two approaches to prevent green pigment formation in sunflower cookies by (A) Addition of free thiols from cysteine and glutathione to sunflower cookie dough and (B) hydrolyzing CGA into caffeic acid and quinic acid with a CGA esterase from Lactobacillus helveticus. Greening occurred more slowly with cysteine; however, neither cysteine nor glutathione prevented greening in the cookies during storage. Chlorogenic acid esterase hydrolyzed CGA in both sunflower butter and flour, resulting in the complete elimination of greening in the sunflower cookies. CGA esterase treatment was efficient as the enzyme could be applied in low amounts (\u3c100 ppm) directly to the dough without needing to pretreat either sunflower butter or flour. Overall, our data indicate that CGA esterase treatment was an effective method of eliminating unwanted greening in sunflower cookies made with baking soda. Long term, these results may represent a method of increasing the use of sunflower butter and flour in high pH baking applications by enabling their use in neutrally colored baked products such as cookies and muffins

Development of Yoghurt Incorporated with Beetroot Puree and Its Effect on the Physicochemical Properties and Consumer Acceptance

Background Yoghurt is one of the most popularly consumed fermented products which provides several nutritional benefits. Yoghurt products often include flavour and colour additives however, growing awareness of the risks associated with synthetic food additives has necessitated the need to explore more natural colour and flavour as food additives. Methods This study evaluated the effect of beetroot puree as flavouring and colourant in yoghurt production and quality. To develop the yoghurt product, incubation time and proportion of beetroot puree were optimized based on the resulting pH, titratable acidity, colour, and viscosity using response surface methods. Results Optimum yoghurt formulations were obtained in products containing 2 %, 2.03 % and 8 % beetroot puree following an incubation of 2.5h. Increasing beetroot puree did not affect the pH and titratable acidity of the yoghurt samples but slightly influenced the viscosity of the yoghurt. The colour of yoghurt was mainly affected by the puree concentration. A consumer acceptance test was conducted on the optimized products compared to a control sample without beetroot. Yoghurt incorporated with 8 % beetroot puree was the least preferred with a mean score of 6.08, whereas yoghurt incorporated with 2.03 % beetroot puree was the most preferred (7.42), with a higher acceptance than the control (7.28). Conclusion /Implications for industry: Findings from the study provide evidence for exploration of beetroot yoghurt as a natural product alternative to the use of synthetic flavour and colour additives in yoghurt

A Highly Active Esterase from \u3cem\u3eLactobacillus helveticus\u3c/em\u3e Hydrolyzes Chlorogenic Acid in Sunflower Meal to Prevent Chlorogenic Acid Induced Greening in Sunflower Protein Isolates

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is an ester between caffeic and quinic acid. It is found in many foods and reacts with free amino groups in proteins at alkaline pH, leading to the formation of an undesirable green pigment in sunflower seed-derived ingredients. This paper presents the biochemical characterization and application of a highly active chlorogenic acid esterase from Lactobacillus helveticus. The enzyme is one of the most active CGA esterases known to date with a Km of 0.090 mM and a kcat of 82.1 s−1. The CGA esterase is easily expressed recombinantly in E. coli in large yields and is stable over a wide range of pH and temperatures. We characterized CGA esterase’s kinetic properties in sunflower meal and demonstrated that the enzyme completely hydrolyzes CGA in the meal. Finally, we showed that CGA esterase treatment of sunflower seed meal enables the production of pale brown sunflower protein isolates using alkaline extraction. This work will allow for more widespread use of sunflower-derived products in applications where neutrally-colored food products are desired

Pentadesma butyracea in Ghana – indigenous knowledge, uses, and seed characterization

This study ascertained the indigenous knowledge and uses of Pentadesma butyracea plant through a focus group study. The proximate, mineral, antinutritional compositions, and antioxidant activity of P. butyracea seed were also determined using standard analytical methods. The results of the focus group study showed that P. butyracea is essentially used for its butter which is prepared by women processors who hand down the skill of butter processing to their children. The butter is used for cooking, frying, and preparing traditional delicacies, and the plant is known to possess some therapeutic potential. The seed recorded the following mean proximate values: fat content of 35.82%, carbohydrate of 50.97%, 1.81% ash, 2.68% protein, 1.34% crude fibre, and moisture of 7.39%. The most abundant mineral in the seed is potassium (32.93 mg/100 g). Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, iron, and zinc were at levels of <10 mg/100 g. Antinutritional factors found present in P. butyracea seed include oxalate (2737.42 mg/100 g), tannins (55.44 mg/100 g), saponins (10.23 mg/100 g), and alkaloids (9.18 mg/100 g). Also, the P. butyracea seed recorded mean total phenolics of 725.85 mg GAE/gdw), total flavonoids of 2313.15 μg (QE)/gdw, and DPPH activity of 82.02%. Although rich in fat, carbohydrates, and some minerals that can be exploited in food applications, the high contents of some antinutrients may pose nutritional challenges to its use. The findings from the indigenous knowledge investigation about Pentadesma butyracea seeds would partly influence the choice of appropriate processing approaches to maximising its value regarding food security challenges of indigenes in the study areas

Efficiency of Edible Coating from Locally Sourced Materials in Maintaining the Postharvest Quality of Belfast Tomatoes

Edible coating technology has been proven to be an efficient and effective method of postharvest preservation. Especially in developing countries, edible coatings and other postharvest technologies are often limited by their high cost. The study aimed to assess the effect of edible coating materials prepared from inexpensive and locally available materials on the postharvest quality of Belfast tomatoes during storage. Different edible coating formulations [M1, M2, M3 and M4] were prepared by varying the concentration of orange peel powder [OP] [0,0.1,0.5,1%] in 10g/L Cassava Starch [CS] and 10g/L Chitosan [CH] coating solutions. Coated and control fruits were stored at 25°C for three weeks. Results showed that the coatings significantly [p\u3c0.05] delayed the changes in weight loss, total Soluble solids, pH and colour compared to uncoated control fruits. At the end of the 3-week storage period, the control fruits recorded the highest weight loss, 25.58 ±1.73 % whiles M4 had the least, 15.14 ±0.30 %. M4 [CH+CS+1OP] significantly maintained the total soluble solids of the tomatoes which increased from 5.71° to 6.68°whiles the control tomatoes increased from 5.71° to 9.09° showing the effectiveness of the coating in maintaining the Total Soluble Solid (TSS) of the Belfast tomatoes. The coated samples also showed some resistance to the colour changes as well as the pH exhibiting the ability to delay the ripening rate in the tomatoes. The edible coating significantly improved the postharvest quality of the Belfast tomato and could have immense impact on other local tomato varieties