Chemical composition assessment of structural parts (seeds, peel, pulp) of physalis alkekengi l. fruits

In recent years there has been an extensive search for nature-based products with functional potential. All structural parts of Physalis alkekengi (bladder cherry), including fruits, pulp, and less-explored parts, such as seeds and peel, can be considered sources of functional macro- and micronutrients, bioactive compounds, such as vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, and dietetic fiber. The chemical composition of all fruit structural parts (seeds, peel, and pulp) of two phenotypes of P. alkekengi were studied. The seeds were found to be a rich source of oil, yielding 14-17%, with abundant amounts of unsaturated fatty acids (over 88%) and tocopherols, or vitamin E (up to 5378 mg/kg dw; dry weight). The predominant fatty acid in the seed oils was linoleic acid, followed by oleic acid. The seeds contained most of the fruit's protein (16-19% dw) and fiber (6-8% dw). The peel oil differed significantly from the seed oil in fatty acid and tocopherol composition. Seed cakes, the waste after oil extraction, contained arginine and aspartic acid as the main amino acids; valine, phenylalanine, threonine, and isoleucine were present in slightly higher amounts than the other essential amino acids. They were also rich in key minerals, such as K, Mg, Fe, and Zn. From the peel and pulp fractions were extracted fruit concretes, aromatic products with specific fragrance profiles, of which volatile compositions (GC-MS) were identified. The major volatiles in peel and pulp concretes were beta-linalool, alpha-pinene, and gamma-terpinene. The results from the investigation substantiated the potential of all the studied fruit structures as new sources of bioactive compounds that could be used as prospective sources in human and animal nutrition, while the aroma-active compounds in the concretes supported the plant's potential in perfumery and cosmetics.IGA FT 2022/004Tomas Bata University in Zlin, Faculty of Technology [IGA FT 2022/004

A comparative study on quality parameters of pumpkin, melon and sunflower oils during thermal treatment

Current paper reveals the impact of thermal treatment on the quality of two seed oils – pumpkin and melon compared to the quality of the most used oil – sunflower oil. Conventional and microwave heating were used for processing the oils. The duration of the thermal treatment was 9, 12 and 18 min for the conventional heating. The microwave heating was performed with two microwave powers of the equipment (600 W and 900 W) for 3, 6, 9 and 12 min. At every stage of the thermal processing were determined acid and peroxide value, the absorbance of the oils at 232 and 268 nm, tocopherol and fatty acid composition. It was observed that the degree of oxidation of the examined oils during microwave and conventional heating increased with the duration of the thermal process and the power of the microwaves. Also, the two methods of heating had a little impact on the processes leading to the formation of free fatty acids. Total tocopherols of the melon seed oil were more stable to thermal treatment. The amount of linoleic acid decreased in the pumpkin and sunflower oils during microwave treatment, while that of oleic and palmitic acid relatively increased. The biggest change in the fatty acid composition of both oils was found during microwave heating at 900W. The changes in fatty acid composition of thermally treated melon seed oil were insignificant. Overall, melon seed oil was observed to be more thermally stable than pumpkin and sunflower oils

Proximate composition of seeds and seed oils from melon (Cucumis melo L.) cultivated in Bulgaria

The seeds of three varieties of melon (Cucumis melo L.) from Bulgaria were analyzed for their chemical composition and a detailed study of their lipids was carried out. Chemical composition values were as follows: fat content ranged from 41.6 to 44.5%, protein 34.4 to 39.8%, crude fiber 4.5 to 8.5%, carbohydrates 8.2 to 12.7%, soluble sugars 3.7 to 4.2%, and minerals 4.6 to 5.1%. The content of sterols, phospholipids, and tocopherols in the oils was 0.6, 0.7–1.7%, and 435–828 mg/kg, respectively. The major fatty acid in lipids was linoleic (51.1–58.5%), followed by oleic acid (24.8–25.6%). The trilinolein (31.3–32.2%), oleo dilinolein (31.0–34.0%), and palmitoyl dilinolein (14.9–22.3%) have represented 80.0% from the total triglyceride composition of the melon seeds oil. β-Sitosterol predominated in both free and esterified sterols, being, respectively, 52.9–70.8 and 50.4–58.4%. Phosphatidylinositol (24.4–33.9%), phosphatidylcholine (23.0–33.1%), and phosphatidylethanolamine (8.4–17.1%) were the main phospholipids. Palmitic acid (34.4–61.7%) was the major fatty acid of the phospholipids, followed by oleic acid (8.9–27.2%). Linoleic acid (32.7–39.1%) was the main component among the fatty acids of the sterol esters, followed by oleic acid (25.1–30.7%). In the tocopherol fraction of melon seed oils, the main component γ-tocopherol varied from 71.4 to 91.5%

Lipid Composition and Physicochemical Parameters of Flaxseed Oil (<i>Linum usitatissimum</i> L.) from Bulgaria

Flaxseed oil is a prevalent food supplement. On one hand, vegetable oil is used in the food industry and pharmacy due to its health benefits; on the other hand, it has an application as a lubricant oil. The fatty acid composition of the investigated oil was determined as follows: the main fatty acids were α-linolenic (57.5%), oleic (17.5%), linoleic (12.5%), palmitic (6.0%), and stearic acid (4.3%). The content of unsaponifiable matter was 1.4%. The total sterol content was determined (0.5%), with identified β-sitosterol (79.7%) as a main component, followed by stigmasterol. The content of tocopherols was found to be 243 mg/kg. The compound γ-tocopherol predominated (68%) in the tocopherol fraction, followed by γ-tocotrienol (32%). Some physicochemical indicators were also determined—density, surface tension, and dynamic and kinematic viscosity—at the following temperatures: 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 °C. The increase in temperature led to a decrease in all indexes and good linear dependence was observed. The determined physicochemical indicators provided information about the stability of flaxseed oil, which is very important considering its use in food and technical products

Nutrient Constituents, Bioactive Phytochemicals, and Antioxidant Properties of Service Tree (Sorbus domestica L.) Fruits

The current study aimed to determine the major and minor nutritional constituents of Sorbus domestica L. fruits. It was revealed that palmitic acid was the most commonly occurring saturated fatty acid, while linoleic acid represented the major polyunsaturated fatty acid. The sterol fraction consisted mainly of &beta;-sitosterol. Small amounts of lipophilic pigments were quantified. Potassium, iron, and boron were the most abundant macro-, micro-, and ultra-trace elements. The amino acid composition analysis suggested that the non-essential amino acids predominated over the essential ones. Soluble sugars (fructose and glucose) represented a large part of the total carbohydrate content, but pectin formed the major part of polysaccharides. Malic acid was the most abundant organic acid whereas quercetin-3-&beta;-glucoside, neochlorogenic, and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acids were the major phenolic constituents. Fruits exhibited free-radical scavenging and protecting ability against peroxyl and hydroxyl radicals. Service tree fruits provided valuable bioactive constituents having a high nutritional value and potential health benefits

Chemical Composition of Pinus nigra Arn. Unripe Seeds from Bulgaria

The present paper aims to investigate the chemical composition of unripe black pine seeds obtained from Bulgaria. The lipid fraction was evaluated in unripe seeds, and the cellulose, total carbohydrates, glucose, fructose, and sucrose were evaluated in seedcakes. The major fatty acid identified in the Pinus nigra seed oil was unsaturated linoleic acid (44.2%), followed by the saturated palmitic acid (31.2%). The amount of unsaturated pinolenic (10.5%) and oleic acids (8.8%) was also rather high. The amino acid composition of the protein fraction of seedcakes was also determined. The amino acid composition was represented mainly by asparagine (3.92 mg/g), serine (3.79 mg/g), alanine (3.65 mg/g), arginine (3.32 mg/g), phenylalanine (2.98 mg/g), lysine (2.85 mg/g), proline (2.69 g/mg), tryptophan (2.44 mg/g), valine (2.33 mg/g), isoleucine (2.28 mg/g), and tyrosine (2.05 mg/g). The mineral content (N, P, K, Mg, Na, and Cu) of the seedcakes was evaluated, as the amount of K (8048.00 mg/kg) and Mg (172.99 mg/kg) were the highest in the samples. These findings emphasized the potential use of the unripe black pine seeds in different areas due to their chemical importance and values

L. cultivar “Boregine” from South of Bulgaria: a source of nutrients and natural biologically active components

Nowadays, the requirements of new sources of natural food components are constantly expanding worldwide. On one hand, the constituents derived from the common agriculture plants satisfy the needs of the body to function properly. On the other hand, the price of producing ordinary foods is gradually increasing. For that reason, it is necessary to find a cheaper alternative industrial crops, such as a specific variety of lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L. cultivar “Boregine”). The chemical and lipid composition of lupin seeds as well as the physicochemical characteristics of the oil were examined. The seeds are rich in proteins and carbohydrates, mainly starch, but have low oil content. Sucrose was the main soluble sugar and the major amino acids were phenylalanine, arginine, tyrosine and serine. Linoleic and oleic acids were predominate in the oil; β-sitosterol and γ-tocopherol were the main components in the sterol and tocopherol fractions, respectively. Phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine represented more than 50% of all phospholipids and oleic acid was in the highest amount in all phospholipid classes. All physicochemical characteristics of lupin seed oil were in agreement with the requirements for edible oils and its oxidative stability at 100 °C and an air flow rate of 20 L/h was extremely high (more than 100 h). Lupin seeds have high nutritional value and their oil depicts to be stable, which makes them a possible source of high quality lipids with long shelf life

Effect of maturity on the phytonutrient composition of Cape gooseberry seeds (

The seeds of Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) remain as a by-product from juice production, but they can also be a potential resource of valuable nutrients. The objective of this study was to analyze the phytonutrient composition of the seeds isolated from fruit at two maturity stages unsuitable for regular realization (unripe and under-ripe), with the aim of identifying the possibility for utilization of such non-standard or discarded agricultural production. The results showed about 3-time lower oil content in the unripe seeds than in the under-ripe seeds (6.60% vs. 21.75%), but no significant differences in the content of protein (18.44% and 17.83%) and cellulose (26.63% and 26.14%). The total tocopherol content slightly decreased with the progress of fruit maturity (from 8354 mg/kg to 7118 mg/kg). Significant changes in the amino acid composition were found only with regard to aspartic acid, glutamic acid, tyrosine and methionine. The content of macro and micro minerals was lower in the under-ripe seeds (about 1.5-2-time). The results from this baseline study suggested that the seeds from both unripe and under-ripe fruit could also be considered for nutritive purposes (animal feed, food products)

Chemical Composition, Lipid-Soluble Bioactive Compounds and Potential Health Benefits of the Moss <i>Hypnum cupressiforme</i> Hedw

Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw. is the main species for Moss surveys (ICP Vegetation programme) in Southeastern Europe and is widely distributed in the region. In addition to their biomonitoring role, mosses are applied in some countries as a traditional medicine for the treatment of eczema, cuts, burns, eye diseases, etc. Therefore, the chemical and lipid composition of the moss H. cupressiforme is of interest to establish their possible application in different fields. The chemical composition of the moss was examined regarding total lipids, proteins, carbohydrates (i.e., fibres), ash, and moisture content. The main lipid-soluble bioactive components were determined as sterols, tocopherols, phospholipids and fatty acids. The major fatty acids were linoleic (14.9%), oleic (13.8%), palmitic (12.5%) and α-linolenic (11.3%) acids. Unsaturated fatty acids (56.4%) prevailed in the glyceride oil, in which the polyunsaturated ones constituted 32.5%. The lipid indices (atherogenicity, thrombogenicity, hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio, peroxidability, and oxidation stability index) were also theoretically calculated based on the fatty acid composition of the moss lipids to establish their health benefits and the rate of oxidation. The primary results of this study revealed H. cupressiforme to be a promising alternative source of bioactive compounds that could be implemented in supplements with health-promoting effects

Chemical Composition Assessment of Structural Parts (Seeds, Peel, Pulp) of Physalis alkekengi L. Fruits

In recent years there has been an extensive search for nature-based products with functional potential. All structural parts of Physalis alkekengi (bladder cherry), including fruits, pulp, and less-explored parts, such as seeds and peel, can be considered sources of functional macro- and micronutrients, bioactive compounds, such as vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, and dietetic fiber. The chemical composition of all fruit structural parts (seeds, peel, and pulp) of two phenotypes of P. alkekengi were studied. The seeds were found to be a rich source of oil, yielding 14&ndash;17%, with abundant amounts of unsaturated fatty acids (over 88%) and tocopherols, or vitamin E (up to 5378 mg/kg dw; dry weight). The predominant fatty acid in the seed oils was linoleic acid, followed by oleic acid. The seeds contained most of the fruit&rsquo;s protein (16&ndash;19% dw) and fiber (6&ndash;8% dw). The peel oil differed significantly from the seed oil in fatty acid and tocopherol composition. Seed cakes, the waste after oil extraction, contained arginine and aspartic acid as the main amino acids; valine, phenylalanine, threonine, and isoleucine were present in slightly higher amounts than the other essential amino acids. They were also rich in key minerals, such as K, Mg, Fe, and Zn. From the peel and pulp fractions were extracted fruit concretes, aromatic products with specific fragrance profiles, of which volatile compositions (GC-MS) were identified. The major volatiles in peel and pulp concretes were &beta;-linalool, &alpha;-pinene, and &gamma;-terpinene. The results from the investigation substantiated the potential of all the studied fruit structures as new sources of bioactive compounds that could be used as prospective sources in human and animal nutrition, while the aroma-active compounds in the concretes supported the plant&rsquo;s potential in perfumery and cosmetics