Enhanced ultrasonically assisted extraction of bitter melon (Momordica charantia) leaf phenolic compounds using choline chloride-acetic acid–based natural deep eutectic solvent: an optimization approach and in vitro digestion

This is the final version. Available on open access from Springer via the DOI in this recordBitter melon (Momordica charantia) is a rich source of phytochemicals including phenolic compounds with diverse health-promoting benefits and potential food industry application due to their antioxidant potential. Bitter melon leaves have been limitedly investigated in comparison to bitter melon fruits. The current work explores the use of green extraction methodology to optimize enhanced extraction of phenolic compounds from bitter melon leaves using ultrasonically assisted extraction and choline chloride-acetic acid (CHAC)–based natural deep eutectic solvent. Extraction using CHAC significantly improved the extraction of total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids, and individual phenolic compounds (including gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, vanillic acid, epicatechin, and quercetin-3-glucoside) in comparison to water, ethanol, and methanol. The effect of molar ratio, water content, temperature, and time on the extraction efficiency of bitter melon leaf phenolic compounds by CHAC was explored and optimized with surface response methodology (central composite design). The optimum condition for the extraction of individual phenolic compounds is a molar ratio of 1:4.35 CHAC with 20.68% water content at 75 °C for 21.23 min. Evaluation of the bioaccessibility of individual phenolic compounds concluded that the most bioaccessible compound was vanillic acid (105.00 ± 2.52%) followed by salicylic acid, chlorogenic acid, syringic acid, gallic acid, epicatechin, and quercetin-3-glucoside.Ondokuz Mayis Universit

Drying date plum (Diospyros lotus L.) fruit: Assessing rehydration properties, antioxidant activity, and phenolic compounds

This is the final version. Available on open access from Wiley via the DOI in this recordDate plum (Diospyrus lotus L.) is an edible fruit from the Ebenaceae family, rich in nutrients, and having tremendous medicinal properties. This paper attempted to show the influence of different parameters of convective drying such as temperature (50, 60, 70, and 80°C) and air velocity (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 m/s) on the shrinkage and microstructure, rehydration properties, antioxidant activity, and phenolic compounds of date plum. The drying caused significant changes in the color, actual size, and distribution of the fruit cells of date plum. The total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) of fresh date plum were 0.81 ± 0.00 mg GAE/g, 0.23 ± 0.10 mg ECE/g, 7.15 ± 1.09 mmol ISE/g, and 14.92 ± 0.88 mmol/TE, respectively. The drying at 70°C had the highest values of TPC, TFC, gallic acid, chlorogenic and syringic acids, catechin, quercetin-3-glucoside, resveratrol, and DPPH. The drying air velocities showed no significant effects on the antioxidant contents and the antioxidant activity. Of the models applied to the drying kinetics, the Midilli model was found as the best model to describe the drying kinetics of date plum. In addition, the Weibull model was found as the most successful among the models applied to the rehydration kinetics of date plum. According to the achieved findings, the convective drying temperature of 70°C is the optimum temperature to produce the dehydrated date plum. Practical Application This work has revealed the drying conditions responsible for preserving the phenolic compounds, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant features of D. lotus L. The study found the optimum drying conditions, and Midilli and Weibull models were the most fitted models to describe the drying and rehydration behaviors of D. lotus L. fruits, respectively. The drying provides a reasonable value of the possibility of continuous consumption of the fruits dried afforded on off-seasons. The dried fruits are widely used for multipurpose and have been extensively used in food industries due to their rich nutraceutical and antioxidant compounds

Positive Impact of Increases in Condom Use among Female Sex Workers and Clients in a Medium HIV Prevalence Epidemic: Modelling Results from Project SIDA1/2/3 in Cotonou, Benin

Background A comprehensive, HIV prevention programme (Projet Sida1/2/3) was implemented among female sex workers (FSWs) in Cotonou, Benin, in 1993 following which condom use among FSWs increased threefold between 1993 and 2008 while FSW HIV prevalence declined from 53.3% to 30.4%. Objective Estimate the potential impact of the intervention on HIV prevalence/incidence in FSWs, clients and the general population in Cotonou, Benin. Methods and Findings A transmission dynamics model parameterised with setting-specific bio-behavioural data was used within a Bayesian framework to fit the model and simulate HIV transmission in the high and low-risk population of Cotonou and to estimate HIV incidence and infections averted by SIDA1/2/3. Our model results suggest that prior to SIDA1/2/3 commercial sex had contributed directly or indirectly to 93% (84–98%) of all cumulative infections and that the observed decline in FSWs HIV prevalence was more consistent with the self-reported post-intervention increase in condom use by FSWs than a counterfactual assuming no change in condom use after 1993 (CF-1). Compared to the counterfactual (CF-1), the increase in condom use may have prevented 62% (52–71%) of new HIV infections among FSWs between 1993 and 2008 and 33% (20–46%) in the overall population. Conclusions Our analysis provides plausible evidence that the post-intervention increase in condom use during commercial sex significantly reduced HIV prevalence and incidence among FSWs and general population. Sex worker interventions can be effective even in medium HIV prevalence epidemics and need to be sustained over the long-term

Odour-mediated orientation of beetles is influenced by age, sex and morph

The behaviour of insects is dictated by a combination of factors and may vary considerably between individuals, but small insects are often considered en masse and thus these differences can be overlooked. For example, the cowpea bruchid Callosobruchus maculatus F. exists naturally in two adult forms: the active (flight) form for dispersal, and the inactive (flightless), more fecund but shorter-lived form. Given that these morphs show dissimilar biology, it is possible that they differ in odour-mediated orientation and yet studies of this species frequently neglect to distinguish morph type, or are carried out only on the inactive morph. Along with sex and age of individual, adult morph could be an important variable determining the biology of this and similar species, informing studies on evolution, ecology and pest management. We used an olfactometer with motion-tracking to investigate whether the olfactory behaviour and orientation of C. maculatus towards infested and uninfested cowpeas and a plant-derived repellent compound, methyl salicylate, differed between morphs or sexes. We found significant differences between the behaviour of male and female beetles and beetles of different ages, as well as interactive effects of sex, morph and age, in response to both host and repellent odours. This study demonstrates that behavioural experiments on insects should control for sex and age, while also considering differences between adult morphs where present in insect species. This finding has broad implications for fundamental entomological research, particularly when exploring the relationships between physiology, behaviour and evolutionary biology, and the application of crop protection strategies

Phytochemical and nutritional properties of sumac (Rhus coriaria): a potential ingredient for developing functional foods

This is the final version. Available on open access from Elsevier via the DOI in this recordSumac (Rhus coriaria) is a flowering plant that is widely consumed for its promoting health benefits and used in food preparations as a spice in the Mediterranean region. It is a high shrub or small tree with imparipinnate leaves, villus and red fruits with one-seeded drupe, and small greenish-white flowers. The nutraceutical and pharmaceutical potential of sumac makes it a remarkable functional food. In this review, the phytochemical and nutritional properties of sumac as an under valorized functional food have been discussed. Flavonoids, anthocyanins, phenolic acids, and organic acids have been reported as dominant phytochemicals in sumac, which are well known for their pharmacological properties that attract many consumers to commonly choose sumac in their diet as well as food preparations. The remarkable volatile compounds present in sumac give it a unique aroma that increases its acceptance by consumers and potential use in the food industry. Sumac has been evaluated for a broad range of nutritional and pharmacological activities such as antioxidant, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, anticancer, anti-infertility, and neuroprotective potential. This review has also briefly outlined the safety concerns concerning the use of sumac in terms of toxicology and interactions

Mites associated with stored grain commodities in Benin, West Africa

After insects, mites are the major arthropod pests that inhabit stored agriculturalproducts worldwide. To determine the acarofauna that infests cowpea, maize, paddyrice and sorghum in Benin (West Africa), surveys were conducted in some principalmarkets (Dantokpa, Glazoue and Parakou) of this country. A total of 555 samples of grainsand debris were collected in May and September 2011. More than 56 species belonging to24 mite families were recorded in the four products. These mite species included predators,parasites, fungivorous, phytophagous and other groups whose feeding habits are not wellknown. The family Cheyletidae was the most prevalent and the most diverse predatorymite family encountered, in which Cheyletus malaccensis Oudemans was the mostabundant species. Several families of mite pests and mites responsible for allergies(Acaridae, Glycyphagidae, Pyroglyphidae, Pyemotidae and Saproglyphidae) were alsodetected. The three most dominant and frequent species were C. malaccensis, Suidasianesbitti (Hughes) and Suidasia sp. Statistical analysis showed that densities of these threemite species were higher in Parakou than in Glazoue and Dantokpa, on one hand, andhigher in debris than in grains, on the other hand. The densities of S. nesbitti and Suidasiasp. decreased significantly during the dry season, whereas C. malaccensis remained stablethroughout the two samplings. Of all grains, sorghum was the least infested with mites.This study shows that in Benin mites are present in stored agricultural products to whichthey cause serious damage, and may cause various allergies to people

Clarifying the identity of Amblyseius swirskii and Amblyseius rykei (Acari: phytoseiidae): are they two distinct species or two populations of one species?

Published online: 12 Nov. 2010The generalist predator Amblyseius swirskii is an efficient natural enemy of small insects and phytophagous mites, particularly thrips and spider mites. This phytoseiid species was considered for a long time as a subtropical species and Amblyseius rykei as a sub-Saharan African species. A recent revision of phytoseiid species of the subtribe Amblyseiina from sub-Saharan Africa Zannou et al. (Zootaxa 1550:1–47, 2007) determined that the two species are identical and synonymized them. To confirm or invalidate that morphological study, we crossed a Benin population of A. rykei and an Israel population of A. swirskii through two generations and back-crossed their hybrids to their parents. We also compared demographic parameters of both species on maize pollen, and their predation and oviposition rates on first larval instars of Frankliniella occidentalis. All females of homogamic and heterogamic crosses produced viable progeny, fertile F1 and viable F2. All the laid eggs hatched and sex ratio was female-biased for all crosses. Demographic parameters of the two species on maize pollen, and their predation rates and development times (egg to adult) on first instars of F. occidentalis were similar. Only oviposition of A. swirskii on larvae of F. occidentalis was significantly higher than that of A. rykei. These results indicate that A. rykei and A. swirkii are conspecific, and thus are a single species as concluded by Zannou et al

New species of phytoseiidmites from Mozambique and Malawi

Two new mite species of the family Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) are described from southern Africa: Typhlodromalus parcidentatusn. sp. from Mozambique and Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) malawiensisn. sp. from Malawi