Phthalate Leachates in Selected Plastic Packed Food Products - A GC-MS

Phthalates, an alkyl aryl esters of 1, 2 benzenedicarboxylic acids are widely used as plasticizer. They show low water solubility, high oil solubility, high octanol-to-water partition coefficient and low volatility. Phthalates are easily released into the packed food because there is no covalent bond between the phthalates and plastics in which they are mixed. Phthalates may cause major ill effects like endocrine disruption, asthma and cancer. A study was conducted on tea (aromatic beverage), sambar (an Indian dish) and alcohol packed in polythene covers and plastic cups used in routine hotels and beverage shops. The samples were analyzed for plastic residues through gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The result shows that, the tea filled in polythene cover and alcohol filled in plastic cup did not show any leachate of phthalates. However, the sambar packed in the polythene cover showed leachate of phthalates. The diethylhexyl phthalate was observed to be 20% of Total Ion Chromatogram in sambar. Future studies can be carried out to identify the leaching effect of phthalates in different plastic packed food materials under different conditions

A Comparative Study: The Impact of Solvent Extraction on Phytochemical Profiling of Adhatoda Vasica

<div>In Ayurveda, the leaf juice of Adhatoda vasica, a shrub native to Asia is incorporated in</div><div>many traditional herbal formulations. However, suitable solvent and a suitable extraction</div><div>method for phytochemical profiling are not well established, and there is no published mass</div><div>spectra structural interpretation of the identified compounds. This has caused a few</div><div>problems in herbal formulation research due to the bias derived from different extraction</div><div>methods. Therefore, this study used polar and non polar extraction for phytochemical</div><div>analysis on Adhatoda vasica, aiming to assess the potential impact of different solvents. This</div><div>study included extractive value, total phenol and alkaloid content of the leaves in different</div><div>preparations. Gas Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to</div><div>study the phytochemical profile of different solvents. Significant differences were observed in</div><div>all the parameters such as extract yield, total phenol, total alkaloid and phytochemical</div><div>composition. The ethanol extract stood out most for effective extraction of phytochemicals,</div><div>especially for the alkaloids. The results highlight the necessity for comparative analyses of</div><div>chemical composition in different solvent extractions and careful choice and validation of</div><div>analytical methodology in herbal formulation research.</div

Traditional Indian breakfast (Idli and Dosa) with enhanced nutritional content using millets

<div>Abstract</div><div>Aim: To formulate ready-to-make millet mix Idli and Dosa, and to compare the chemical and sensory qualities of</div><div>those with pure rice mix Idli and Dosa.</div><div>Methods: Germinated powders of high-quality millets were mixed and incorporated with other basic traditional</div><div>ingredients like rice powder and de-husked black gram powder in formulated proportions. Nutritional and sensory</div><div>qualities were assessed after fermentation and cooking of the mix to make Idli and Dosa.</div><div>Results: The millet-based Idli contained high proportions of protein (15–18%), fat (5.0–6.2%) and carbohydrate</div><div>(72–74%) compared to the rice-based Idli. The ash content was in the range of 1–2% and crude fibre (3.0–4.9%). The</div><div>millet-based Dosa contained high proportions of protein (15–18%), fat (8.5–9.8%) and carbohydrate (69–72%)</div><div>compared to the rice-based Dosa. Also the processing steps like decortications, germination and fermentation</div><div>significantly reduced the phytic acids (69%) and tannin (78%) content in millet-based foods. The sensory evaluation</div><div>results showed that the overall acceptability of millet based product is ‘Like moderately’ with score of 7.7 0.5</div><div>Conclusion: The results indicated that the nutritional content of millet-incorporated Idli and Dosa was comparable</div><div>with the standard recommended dietary values, and the processing techniques not only decrease the antinutrients</div><div>but also enhance the essential nutrients. Emerging research on millet-based food is one of the strategies for</div><div>alleviating malnutrition.</div

PHYTOCHEMICAL PROFILING AND GCMS STUDY OF ADHATODA VASICA LEAVES

<div>Adhatoda vasica (AV), a popular Indian medicinal plant, is a rich source of polyphenolic</div><div>compounds especially flavonoids which are responsible for strong anti-oxidant</div><div>properties that helps in the therapy of various respiratory diseases. In the present</div><div>investigation, phytochemical screening and gas chromatography mass spectrometry</div><div>analysis of AV leaves was carried out to evaluate the chemical composition in different</div><div>solvent extraction which could be useful in future experimental studies. Phytochemical</div><div>analysis confirmed the presence of alkaloids, flavaones, flavanoids, phytosterols, fixed</div><div>oils, saponins, phenolic compounds, tannins, carbohydrates and glycosides in the</div><div>ethanolic extract comparing to the other extracts. Interestingly, ten anti-inflammatory</div><div>compounds like terpene alcohol, diterpene, linolenic acid, alkaloid, vitamin, steroid and</div><div>sesquiterpene oxide were identified through GC- MS analysis in both the ethanol and</div><div>methanol extract. In conclusion, the ethanol extract is more effective for extracting major</div><div>active compounds and for therapeutic applications.</div

Evaluation of certain bioactive compounds using in ovo diabetic model

<div>Mammalian models are frequently used for drug research and delivery systems. However, valid mammalian</div><div>models are expensive, time consuming and not easy to set up and evaluate. Furthermore, they are often linked</div><div>with ethical and legal aspects. Many micro, macro nutrients and other photochemical from food materials</div><div>are found to possess many desirable health benefits. A large number of studies involving animals have</div><div>been carried out to explore these beneficial properties. As an alternative, chick embryo developed through</div><div>incubation of fertile chicken eggs has been used as a novel system to develop suitable models for biochemical</div><div>and neutraceutical research. The in ovo technique is accepted as an alternative to traditional mammalian</div><div>models and this can be suitably used in our routine biochemical tests, wherever the animal trials are not</div><div>feasible. In view of the above, the development and evaluation of certain bioactive components using in ovo</div><div>technique as a diabetic model was carried out in our laboratory. Bixin decreased significantly the plasma</div><div>glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, urea, creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, while liver glycogen levels in</div><div>treated diabetic chick embryos increased when compared to control diabetic chick embryos.</div

Chemical Changes during rice storage at metal silo: fatty acid profile changes

<div>ABSTRACT</div><div>Objective: To study the chemical changes of paddy stored at metal silo for a period of 6-month.</div><div>Methods: The peroxide value (PV) and free fatty acids (FFAs) were analyzed by titrimetry method. The total fatty acid profile was analyzed through</div><div>gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) (Scion 436-GC Bruker model coupled with a triple quadrupole mass spectrophotometer) and</div><div>National Institute Standard and Technology-MS library.</div><div>Results: The PV of paddy at the 1st month of storage is 0.62 mEq/kg and at the 6th month the value increases to 5.11 mEq/kg and initial FFA was</div><div>recorded as 0.49% and final value of 2.28%. In accordance with these data, the GC-MS study of rice bran oil (RBO) proved that polyunsaturated fatty</div><div>acid percentage is decreasing over the period of storage time.</div><div>Conclusion: With the results and findings, the overall chemical change during the 6-month storage of paddy at metal silo does not affect the RBO</div><div>quality significantly.</div