Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Ginger Spiced Yoghurt

The physicochemical and sensory properties of ginger spiced yoghurt were investigated in the present study. Four yoghurt samples: A, B, C and D were prepared by addition of 0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5% (W/V) of ginger powder. Physicochemical properties of yoghurt samples determined at day 0 included pH, titratable acidity, dry matter, ash, fat and non-fat solid (NFS). The pH and titratable acidity were also evaluated during 30 days of storage at refrigerated conditions (4 – 6°C). The sensory attributes assessed were colour, odour, taste, texture and overall acceptability. From the results, ginger powder did not affect (P>0.05) the pH and titratable acidity of yoghurt but increased (P≤0.05) the dry matter, fat, NFS and ash content especially when spiced at 1% and 1.5% level. The spiced yoghurt did not show significant changes (P>0.05) in titratable acidityduring storage as opposed to the unspiced yoghurt that increased (P<0.05) with storage time. The pH values of spiced yoghurt were not significantly affected (P>0.05) by storage contrary to the unspiced yoghurt. At the end of storage, the unspiced yoghurt presented the lowest (P≤0.05) pH and the highest (P≤0.05) titratable acidity. Results of sensory evaluation revealed the low appreciation of the spiced yoghurt with an increase in the proportion of ginger powder. However, yoghurt with 0.5% ginger powder was appreciated equally (P>0.05) with the unspiced sample. Spicing yoghurt with ginger powder therefore has positive effect on its physicochemical properties and shelf –life. The yoghurt spiced with 0.5% ginger powder could therefore be recommended.

Impact of green tea catechins on the oxidative stability of polyunsaturated fatty acid-rich oils

Lipid oxidation is one of the major causes of deterioration in edible oils, negatively affecting the sensory and nutritional properties of foods and limiting product acceptability. To curb the oxidation of oils during storage and when incorporated into food products, we investigated the effect of green tea catechins on the oxidative stability of oils with a high PUFA content, including DHA-rich oil, linseed oil and sacha inchi oil. The effect of catechins was also evaluated in salad dressings, mayonnaise and crackers enriched with these oils. We showed that green tea extracts (GTEs) enhance the oxidative stability of these oils by limiting the formation of hydroperoxides and their breakdown into secondary oxidation products, decreasing the degradation of fatty acids and inhibiting or reducing the losses in tocopherols. The GTEs were also effective antioxidants in complex food systems enriched with ALA, such as salad dressings and mayonnaise. However, a pro-oxidant effect of GTE was observed in crackers enriched with ALA and DHA, most likely due to the cooking process and interaction of catechins with other compounds in the matrix. In addition, we demonstrated that the antioxidant activity of GTE in the DHA-rich oil was influenced by its catechins profile. GTE rich in epigallocatechin showed more potent antioxidant activity in DHA-rich oil than a GTE rich in epigallocatechin gallate. The efficiency of GTE was also shown to be dose-dependent. Thus, the concentration of catechins in the extract and the quantity of extract added to oil or food products is vital to achieving good antioxidant activity. The results of this research indicate that green tea catechins are suitable for use as natural antioxidants in oils with a high PUFA content.(AGRO - Sciences agronomiques et ingénierie biologique) -- UCL, 202

PESTICIDE EXPOSURE OF BREAD SELLERS AND MICROBIAL SAFETY OF BREAD SOLD IN BAMENDA, CAMEROON

Safety of bread sold in Bamenda municipality has been always problematic because of the poor hygienic practices of sellers. This study aimed at assessing the microbial load of bread sold in Bamenda municipality and pesticides exposure of sellers. Ninety samples of bread were randomly collected from standard bakeries, local bakeries and roadside bread vendors; they were analyzed for total viable count, coliforms and yeast and molds (fungi) using the routine analytical method described by the American Public Health Association. The exposure of some bread vendors to pesticide shops was evaluated using questionnaires. As results, the total viable count ranged from 3.09 x 103 to 2.57 x 105cfu/g, coliform count ranged from 2.27 x 101 to 1.18 x 103cfu/g, while yeast and molds count ranged from 1.32 x 103 to 2.67 x 106cfu/g. Bread from roadside vendors was the most contaminated with molds, while the standard bread was the most contaminated with bacteria and coliforms. The local bread was the least contaminated. Sixteen bread sellers counted around pesticides shops presented ailments (Headache, eye irritation, etc.). Bread sold in Bamenda is contaminated by microbes and some vendors are exposed to pesticides

The Catechins Profile of Green Tea Extracts Affects the Antioxidant Activity and Degradation of Catechins in DHA-Rich Oil.

This study investigated the effect of the catechins profile on the antioxidant activity of green tea extracts (GTEs) by comparing the antioxidant activity of an EGC-rich GTE (GTE1, catechin content: 58% EGC, 30.1% EGCG, 7.9% EC, and 3.9% ECG) and an EGCG-rich GTE (GTE2, catechin content: 60.6% EGCG, 17.7% EGC, 11.8% ECG, and 9.8% EC) in a DHA-rich oil. The effects of the individual catechins (EGC, EC, EGCG, and ECG) and reconstituted catechins mixtures (CatMix), prepared to contain the same amount of major catechins as in the GTEs, were also measured. All treatments (GTE1, CatMix1, GTE2, CatMix2, EGC250, EC250, EGCG250, and ECG250), each containing epistructured catechins at a concentration of 250 ppm, as well as the control (oil with no added antioxidant), were stored at 30 °C for 21 days with sampling intervals of 7 days. The antioxidant activity was assessed by measuring the peroxide value (PV) and p-anisidine value (p-AV) of oils. Changes in fatty acid content and catechins content were also monitored. Both GTEs enhanced the oxidative stability of the DHA-rich oil, but GTE1 demonstrated a stronger antioxidant activity than GTE2. No significant difference was observed between the PV of treatments with GTE1 and CatMix1 during storage, whereas the PV of oil with GTE2 was significantly higher than that with CatMix2 after 21 days. Among the individual catechins, EGC was the strongest antioxidant. Overall, the antioxidant activities of the extracts and catechins were observed in the decreasing order GTE1 ≈ EGC250 ≈ CatMix1 > GTE2 > EGCG250 ≈ CatMix2 > ECG250 > EC250. A significant change in fatty acid content was observed for the control and EC250 samples, and the catechins were most stable in GTE1-supplemented oil. Our results indicate that the EGC-rich GTE is a more potent antioxidant in DHA-rich oil than the EGCG-rich GTE

Green Tea Extract Enhances the Oxidative Stability of DHA-Rich Oil

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is one of the most important omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, with proven health-promoting properties. However, oils with a very high content in DHA (DHAO) are extremely susceptible to oxidation, which affects shelf stability and limits incorporation in food products. Green tea extracts (GTE) are potential candidates for the protection of these oils, but their use in such oils has not been previously reported. This study investigated the effect of GTE (160 ppm, 400 ppm, 1000 ppm) and α-tocopherol (80 ppm, 200 ppm, 500 ppm) on the oxidative stability of a DHAO over a 9-week storage at 30 °C. The oxidative status was monitored during storage by the measurement of peroxide value (PV) and p-anisidine value (p-AV). Changes in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and DHA content, as well as in catechins and tocopherol contents, were also evaluated. The addition of GTE enhanced the oxidative stability of DHAO by reducing the formation of peroxides and secondary oxidation products, whereas α-tocopherol had no significant effect on the PV of oil during storage but led to a significantly higher p-AV. The EPA and DHA content of DHAO was stable in GTE-supplemented samples whereas a decrease was observed in the control and α-tocopherol-supplemented samples. GTE also delayed the degradation of tocopherols initially present in the oil, while catechins resulting from the addition of GTE decreased progressively during the storage perio

Molecular detection of concurrent infections of Anaplasma sp Omatjenne, Theileria mutans, Babesia bigemina and Anaplasma marginale in calves and yearlings in a tick endemic Guinea savannah ecosystem in Cameroon

Ticks play a major role in limiting profitable livestock production in sub-Sahara Africa and the region is beleaguered by a paucity of data on diseases implicated in high young stock morbidity and mortality. In a tick endemic high Guinea savannah ecosystem 20 calves were raised in a traditional grazing system and blood collected from them during their first eighteen months of life. PCR, Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) and sequencing were applied on DNA of tick-borne pathogens in animal blood buffy coat to amplify and characterize the 16S rRNA genes of Anaplasma, Ehrlichia and 18S rRNA gene for Babesia spp. All animals had different combinations of mixed infections of these haemoparasites. Anaplasma sp. Omatjenne (reported for the first time in this region) and T. mutans infected all and four of these animals, respectively. Babesia bigemina, and Anaplasma sp. Omatjenne concurrently occurred in all 20 experimental animals; A marginale in 15 while no Ehrlichia ruminantium was detected. The presence of Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma sp. Omatjenne in the blood significantly reduced haematocrit (p<0.0001) while Babesia bigemina and Theileria mutans had no such effect (P>0.05). The mean first-time contact periods (in weeks) for B. bigemina, T. mutans, Anaplasma sp. Omatjenne and A. marginale were 15 (3-37), 30(9-43), 21(5-55) and 25(7-55) respectively; and they were not significantly different (P>0.05). The sequences for new pathogens we found in the region: Theileria mutans and Ehrlichia Bom Pastor or (Anaplasma sp. Omatjenne) have been deposited in the GenBank database with accession numbers MN719893.1 and MN719091.1. The absence of disease states during the study demonstrates an endemically stable situation in the region for these infections. With no clinical data on A. sp. Omatjenne and T. mutans infections in this area, further insights into their epizootiology should be of interest.DGCD granthttp://garj.org/garjmpm2021Veterinary Tropical Disease

The Egg Yolk Content in ω-3 and Conjugated Fatty Acids Can Be Sustainably Increased upon Long-Term Feeding of Laying Hens with a Diet Containing Flaxseeds and Pomegranate Seed Oil

Long-term feeding trials examining the incorporation of conjugated linolenic acids (CLnA) into the diet of laying hens are lacking. In the present study, we compared two diets in sixty-six red Sex-Link hens (33 hens/treatment), fed for 26 weeks. The control diet was high in oleic acid, while the test diet was high in α-linolenic acid (ALA) and punicic acid (PunA). No significant differences were observed between treatments for hens’ performance, egg weight and yolk weight. In contrast, dietary ALA and PunA resulted in a significant increase in n-3 PUFA, rumenic acid (RmA) and PunA contents in egg yolk, as well as in the liver, heart, muscle and adipose tissue of the hens. Other conjugated dienes resulting from the metabolism of PunA or RmA also accumulated in the egg yolk and tissues. Unlike DHA, which was exclusively distributed in phospholipids, ALA, RmA and PunA were preferably distributed in triglyceride

Création de crackers enrichis en acides gras polyinsaturés avec des bénéfices pour les paramètres métaboliques : un essai contrôlé randomisé en double aveugle chez des sujets en surpoids

Introduction : Les acides gras polyinsaturés (AGPI) tels que l'acide alpha-linolénique (ALA), l'acide docosahexaénoïque (DHA), l'acide ruménique (RmA) et l'acide punicique (PunA) sont considérés comme ayant des effets bénéfiques dans la prévention et le traitement de plusieurs problèmes métaboliques. Dans cette optique, des œufs naturellement enrichis en ALA, DHA, RmA et PunA ont été incorporés dans des crackers tests afin de proposer un en-cas sain riche en acides gras spécifiques. Les objectifs sont d'étudier la faisabilité de l'incorporation de ces acides gras dans les crackers, et d'évaluer les bénéfices métaboliques de la consommation de ces crackers par rapport à des contrôles. Méthodes : Un essai contrôlé randomisé en double aveugle a été mené sur 25 sujets en surpoids présentant une adiposité abdominale, répartis au hasard en deux groupes : un groupe témoin consommant des crackers contrôles fabriqués à partir d'œufs enrichis en acide oléique et un groupe test recevant des crackers test. Cet en-cas (+/- 67,5 grammes) a été administrée comme collation quotidienne de l'après-midi, pendant 70 jours (étude omegasnack, NCT05413954). Résultats : Les AGPI intéressants ont été efficacement incorporés dans les crackers fabriqués avec des œufs de poules nourries avec des régimes alimentaires modifiés. Les crackers tests et les crackers contrôles ont été bien tolérés et ont augmenté la satiété. Aucune différence entre les deux groupes n’a été notée en ce qui concerne le tour de taille, la composition corporelle (stéatose hépatique, adiposité viscérale, surface musculaire, myostéatose) ou le niveau de résistance à l'insuline. Les taux de cholestérol et de triglycérides circulants n'ont pas été modifiés. La composition en acides gras du plasma et des globules rouges a été modifiée par le type de crackers consommés. Dans le groupe test, les RmA et PunA ont augmenté de manière significative dans le plasma et l’RmA a été efficacement incorporé dans les globules rouges. Conclusion : Les AGPI peuvent être incorporés avec succès dans des snacks sans effets indésirables. L'étude démontre leurs avantages potentiels à long terme en les incorporant efficacement dans le plasma et les globules rouges. Ces résultats plaident en faveur de l'étude de l'inclusion des AGPI dans des en-cas sains