Policosanol Contents and Composition of Grain Sorghum Kernels and Dried Distillers Grains

Grain sorghum can be a major source of policosanols, long-chained alcohols, that have beneficial physiological activities. Sorghum dried distillers grains (DDG), a by-product of ethanol production from grain sorghum. contain a large amount of policosanols. Content and composition of policosanols in long-chained lipids extracted from grain sorghum kernels and DDG were determined. Long-chained lipids were extracted using hot hexane or hot ethanol. The major components of the long-chained lipids extracted from grain sorghum kernels. as determined using HPLC were policosanols (37-44%), aldehydes (44-55%), and acids (4-5%). Long-chained lipids from DDG contained 52% policosanols, 23% aldehydes. 6.4% acids. and l7% wax esters/steryl esters. Composition of policosanols in DDG matched the composition in grain sorghum kernels, as determined by gas chromatography. even though the content of policosanols in DDG was greater than the content in grain sorghum kernels. Policosonal composition ranges were 0-1% C22:0, 0-3% C24:0. 6-8% C26:0, l% C27:0. 43-47% C28:0. 1-2% C29:0. 40-43% C30:0. and 1-4% C32:0

Identification of Off-Flavor Compounds in Beef Round and Chuck Muscles

Volatile off-flavor compounds are present in beef. Using purge and trap gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, some volatile compounds were shown to have different concentrations in normal-flavored beef, compared to samples with liver-like off-flavor. Most of the compounds, like pentanol, hexanal, hexanol, 1–octen–3–ol, and nonanol, are associated with lipid oxidation. The compounds, β-pinene and 1-octen-3-ol were in higher concentration in the liver-like samples in all muscles tested. Several, small, unidentified peaks also differed between samples. Determination of the possible origins of these compounds may improve the quality and consistency of beef products

Grain sorghum whole kernel oil lowers plasma and liver cholesterol in male hamsters with minimal wax involvement

The lipid fraction of the grain sorghum whole kernel (GS-WK) (i.e., phytosterol rich oil or policosanol rich wax) responsible for lowering cholesterol in hamsters fed the crude lipid (wax + oil) was determined. As expected, hamsters fed an atherogenic diet for a four week period presented with higher plasma non-HDL plasma and liver esterified cholesterol than those on the low fat diet. However, the atherogenic diet containing 5% (w/w) oil significantly lowered non-HDL plasma and liver cholesterol. Although the 5% wax supplement did not affect either plasma or liver cholesterol, excreted neutral sterol and bile acid were slightly higher than produced by the atherogenic diet. Still, cholesterol excretion negatively correlated with liver cholesterol concentration (r = –0.681, p \u3c 0.001) across diets with the oil fraction producing the greatest impact. These combined results indicate that oil plays the most significant role in modulating cholesterol, most likely by inhibiting absorption, but subtle interactions by the wax may be involved. However, the sorghum oil would be the most potent component to serve as a possible heart health ingredient in functional foods

Policosanol Contents and Composition of Grain Sorghum Kernels and Dried Distillers Grains

Grain sorghum can be a major source of policosanols, long-chained alcohols, that have beneficial physiological activities. Sorghum dried distillers grains (DDG), a by-product of ethanol production from grain sorghum. contain a large amount of policosanols. Content and composition of policosanols in long-chained lipids extracted from grain sorghum kernels and DDG were determined. Long-chained lipids were extracted using hot hexane or hot ethanol. The major components of the long-chained lipids extracted from grain sorghum kernels. as determined using HPLC were policosanols (37-44%), aldehydes (44-55%), and acids (4-5%). Long-chained lipids from DDG contained 52% policosanols, 23% aldehydes. 6.4% acids. and l7% wax esters/steryl esters. Composition of policosanols in DDG matched the composition in grain sorghum kernels, as determined by gas chromatography. even though the content of policosanols in DDG was greater than the content in grain sorghum kernels. Policosonal composition ranges were 0-1% C22:0, 0-3% C24:0. 6-8% C26:0, l% C27:0. 43-47% C28:0. 1-2% C29:0. 40-43% C30:0. and 1-4% C32:0

Changes in composition and thermal transition temperatures of grain sorghum wax during storage

Grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) wax is composed mainly of aldehydes, alcohols, and acids. Aldehydes, comprising about one-half of the wax, are readily converted to acids in presence of air. In this study, whole sorghum wax and an aldehyde fraction from sorghum wax were subjected to oxidative conditions. Changes in the major components and thermal transition temperatures were determined using HPLC and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), respectively. The aldehyde fraction was oxidized markedly to acids over 4 months in storage at room temperature. Acid content, in the fraction, was initially 5–7% and increased to 42–51% after 135 days in storage. Consequently, thermal transition apex and end temperatures of the fraction, which were initially 73–74 and 76–77 °C, respectively, increased to 80–81 and 83–85 °C, respectively, after 135 days. Whole sorghum wax, composed initially of 55% aldehydes, 37% alcohols, and 7% acids, slightly increased acid level to 8–12% during storage over 5 months under various conditions. Thermal transition temperatures of the wax changed little over all storage conditions during 5 months of storage with 83–84 °C for apex temperatures and 86–87 °C for end temperatures

Browning of Mozzarella Cheese During High Temperature Pizza Baking

The objective of this study was to evaluate various properties of low browning Mozzarella cheese. Low moisture, part skim type Mozzarella cheese was made using strains of Streptococcus spp. and Lactobacillus helveticus that release inappreciable amounts of galactose into the cheese curd and was compared with high browning cheese made using cultures that release galactose into the curd. Cheese composition differed only for galactose content. The browning potentials of the cheeses were significantly different. Pizzas were made using 125 g of each cheese type and evaluated for appearance, texture, and flavor by a consumer panel. Panelists could distinguish between pizza samples based on color of the baked pizza, although no differences or preferences based on any of the other criteria were discernible. Both brown and low browned pizza were acceptable by the panelists, indicating that browning of Mozzarella cheese on pizza was not an undesirable property

Effects of Organic Acid Salts on the Quality Characteristics of Whole Muscle Hams

The use of organic acid salts in the meat industry enhances product shelf life and safety. Minimal research is available evaluating the effects of high levels of organic acid salts on quality and sensory attributes of ready-to-eat products. Whole muscle hams were cured with brine solutions containing one of the following organic acid salt additions: 0% Control; 2.5 or 3.5% L-sodium lactate and sodium diacetate; 1.3,2.5, or 3.5% buffered sodium citrate; 1.3,2.5, or 3.5% buffered sodium citrate and sodium diacetate. The increased use of organic acid salts decreased product moisture and cooking yield (P \u3c 0.05). Sensory panelists perceived decreased overall acceptability, with increased sourness/acidity and bitterness. Moderate levels of organic acid salts provided more acceptable products while maintaining many sensory attributes. Meat processors choosing to use organic acid salts in ready-to-eat products should be cautious as product yield losses and flavor changes may outweigh benefits at certain levels

Sorghum distillers dried grain lipid extract increases cholesterol excretion and decreases plasma and liver cholesterol concentration in hamsters

Grain sorghum is a rich source of phytochemicals. In this study, male hamsters were fed AIN-93M diets supplemented with a hexane-extractable lipid fraction from sorghum distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). Diets contained 0.0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 5.0% (w/w) DDGS lipid extract. After 4 wk, the 5.0% DDGS lipids group had significantly lower plasma non-HDL cholesterol and liver esterified cholesterol concentration. Fecal neutral sterol (i.e., cholesterol) excretion was significantly higher in the 5.0% DDGS lipids group compared to the other treatments (66% higher compared to controls). Bile acid excretion was not affected by DDGS lipid intake. Fecal cholesterol excretion was negatively correlated with liver cholesterol concentration (r = –0.97, P = 0.026), and liver cholesterol concentration was directly correlated with plasma total cholesterol concentration (r = 0.96, P = 0.041). Thus, lipid extract of sorghum DDGS exhibited cholesterol-lowering properties due, at least in part, to increased cholesterol excretion from the body and could provide health benefits when incorporated into human diets