The effect of microwaves on nutrient value of foods

Influencia del método de secado (horno con convección vs horno microondas), sobre la composición nutricional de diferentes forrajes

La alimentación es el costo más importante en la producción animal. El objetivo de esta investigación fue comparar los métodos de secado en diferentes forrajes para la obtención de materia seca,  horno con convección de aire (HC) y horno microondas (HM), y su efecto sobre la composición nutricional de cada forraje. Se estudiaron seis forrajes comúnmente utilizados en la producción animal: maíz duro amarillo (MA) (Zea mays), pasta de soya (PS) (Glycine max L.), rechazo de verde (RV) (Musa × paradisiaca), ensilaje de maíz (EM) , alfalfa (AL) (Medicago sativa) y raigrás perenne (RP) (Lolium perenne). Se analizaron 40 muestras de cada forraje, cada forraje fue secado en HC, así como en HM y se estimó el contenido de materia seca (MS),  luego se le realizó un análisis bromatológico; Proteína bruta (Pb), extracto etéreo (EE), fibra bruta (Fb) y cenizas. Se utilizaron un análisis de varianza y prueba de Tukey (p<0.05) para determinar diferencias entre medias. Los resultados demuestran que existen diferencias (p<0.05) en el contenido de (MS), siendo el HM quien alcanza un mayor nivel de MS en MA, PS, RV y AL,  el RP tuvo valores más altos con el HC mientras que en el EM el contenido de MS no varía con los métodos de secado. Los métodos de secado tuvieron incidencia en la composición química de los forrajes, así por ejemplo de los 6 forrajes analizados en la Pb se observó diferencias en 5, Fb en 3, EE en 1 y cenizas en 4. Livestock feeding is the most important cost in animal production. The objective of this research is to compare the drying methods on different forages for obtaining dried matter, convection oven (CO) and microwave oven (MO), and the effect of each method on the nutritional composition of each forage. Six types of forages, commonly used in animal production, were studied: yellow hard corn (YC) (Zea mays), soybean paste (SP) (Glycine max L.), banana reject (BR) (Musa × paradisiaca), corn silage (CS), alfalfa (AL) (Medicago sativa) and perenial ryegrass (PR) (Lolium perenne). 40 samples of each forage  were analized, each forage was dried using CO and MO, and the dried matter content was estimated, then a bromatological analysis was done. Crude protein (Cp), ethereal extract (EE), crude fiber (Cf) and ashes. A variance analysis and tukey test (p<0.05)  were used to determine differences between means.  Results show that differences  (p<0.05) exist in the content of DM, being that MO reaches the highest level of DM in YC, SP, BR and AL, the PR had higher values with the CO while in the CS the content of DM does not vary with the drying methods. The drying methods had incidence on the chemical composition of forages, for example of the six forages analized  in the Cp differences were observed in 5, Cf in 3, EE in 1 and ashes in 4.

Bioaccessibility of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Zn, and crude protein in beef, pork and chicken after thermal processing

The bioaccessibility of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Zn, and crude protein was evaluated after submitting beef, pork, and chicken to five different thermal treatments. The bioaccessibility of crude protein and metals were simulated by using in vitro enzymatic digestion with a gastric fluid solution and dialysability approach. Inductively coupled plasma optical spectrometry was used to quantify the dialyzable fraction and the total mineral content after microwave-assisted digestion. Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry quantified Cu in chicken dialyzable fraction. The increase of temperature and heat exposure period decreased the protein bioaccessibility. Considering the total and dialyzable fraction, beef is an important source of Cu, Fe, Mg, and Zn to the human diet. The results of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy indicated physical changes in the treated samples related to protein denaturation, which was probably responsible for the decreased bioaccessibility of minerals and protein, mainly at higher temperatures.

Effect of precooking and polyphosphate treatment on the quality of microwave cooked catfish fillets

In the U.S. market place, there are many examples of precooked poultry products designed to be reheated in a microwave oven and, to a lesser extent, fish products such as tilapia. However, few U.S. catfish products are designed to be microwave cooked or reheated. The first objective of this study was to examine the properties of microwave cooked raw frozen catfish fillets and oven precooked (to 62.8°C) frozen fillets and then reheated by microwave cooking. The second objective was to evaluate changes in properties as a consequence of treatment with a commercial polyphosphate blend (Individually Quick Frozen [IQF]). The sample analysis included weight loss, proximate content, color (CIE L*a*b*), pH, mechanical texture (hardness), and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) measurements. Frozen fillets which contained polyphosphate showed <4% moisture loss after microwave cooking, relative to a 12% moisture loss for fillets without polyphosphate. A large cooking loss of ~40% was observed for precooked fillets after microwave cooking, correlated with a higher percent moisture loss (11% and 13% for fillets with and without polyphosphate, respectively) to comparable samples that were not precooked. For both types of fillets, an increased amount of yellow color was observed for precooked fillets after microwave cooking, relative to comparable fillets that were not precooked. Fillet hardness determined by peak force revealed an overall harder texture (~1.1–1.8 times) for fillets without polyphosphate than fillets with polyphosphate. This study will be used to develop precooked catfish products that can be reheated in a microwave oven.

Nutritional Quality of Microwave and Pressure Cooked Rice (Oryza sativa) Varieties

The objective of the study was to determine the nutrient content, soluble and insoluble dietary fibre and in vitro protein and starch digestibility in four different microwave and pressure cooked rice ( Oryza sativa) varieties. The rice varieties selected were Bangara Tegalu (BT, nonaromatic), Gowri sanna(nonaromatic), Jeera (mildly flavoured) and Basmati (aromatic). These were washed and cooked by microwave and pressure cooking methods and analysed for moisture, protein, thiamin, fat, total ash, iron, phosphorus, calcium, starch, dietary fibre and in vitro protein and starch digestibilities along with their raw unwashed controls by using standard techniques. The protein content of raw and cooked rice varieties ranged from 7.5 to 11.6g/100g and 7.4–11.2g/100g, respectively. There was a significant difference ( p 0.05) in the protein content of two varieties of pressure and microwave cooked rice. The fat content of raw samples was 0.5–0.6g/100g. Cooking by both methods brought about a significant ( p 0.01) decrease (20–60%) in the fat content of samples. Between cooking methods there was no significant difference ( p 0.05). The thiamin content of raw rice varieties were between 0.16mg and 0.21mg/100g showing a significant decrease on cooking by 29–63% (pressure cooking) and 38–69% (microwave cooking). The iron content in raw samples ranged from 1.5 to 1.9mg/100g and decreased by 33–50% on cooking. The calcium (9–16mg/100g) and phosphorus (82–165mg/100g) content also showed significant decrease by cooking. The total dietary fibre in all samples was between 2.24 to 3.03g/100g, a large proportion of which was insoluble (1.97–3.00g/100g). The in vitro protein digestibility of the pressure cooked samples (82.1–91.0%) was slightly higher than the microwave cooked samples (80.0–90.8%). The starch digestibility between cooked samples were similar (92.6–93.8%) but significantly higher than raw samples. It can be concluded that cooking as such influenced the nutritional quality of rice but between the two cooking methods there were no significant differences.

Biologically active vitamin B12 compounds in foods for preventing deficiency among vegetarians and elderly subjects

The usual dietary sources of vitamin B12 are animal-source based foods, including meat, milk, eggs, fish, and shellfish, although a few plant-based foods such as certain types of dried lavers (nori) and mushrooms contain substantial and considerable amounts of vitamin B12, respectively. Unexpectedly, detailed characterization of vitamin B12 compounds in foods reveals the presence of various corrinoids that are inactive in humans. The majority of edible blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) and certain edible shellfish predominately contain an inactive corrinoid known as pseudovitamin B12. Various factors affect the bioactivity of vitamin B12 in foods. For example, vitamin B12 is partially degraded and loses its biological activity during cooking and storage of foods. The intrinsic factor-mediated gastrointestinal absorption system in humans has evolved to selectively absorb active vitamin B12 from naturally occurring vitamin B12 compounds, including its degradation products and inactive corrinoids that are present in daily meal foods. The objective of this review is to present up-to-date information on various factors that can affect the bioactivity of vitamin B12 in foods. To prevent vitamin B12 deficiency in high-risk populations such as vegetarians and elderly subjects, it is necessary to identify plant-source foods that contain high levels of bioactive vitamin B12 and, in conjunction, to prepare the use of crystalline vitamin B12-fortified foods.

Hot water bath treatments assisted by microwave energy to delay postharvest ripening and decay in strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa)

BACKGROUND

A lab-scale approach using microwave (MW)-assisted hot water treatments was developed and tested to assess the potential of this heating method to delay postharvest ripening and decay in strawberries. Strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa) immersed in water were exposed to microwaves at a frequency of 2450 MHz for 3 min at 514 W or 1 min 50 s at 763 W to reach an average temperature of 43.8 ± 0.6 °C at the fruit centre. Another batch was treated in hot water at 45 °C for 15 min, and a final batch was not treated (control).

RESULTS

After 9 days of refrigerated storage (3 °C and 90% relative humidity), all heat-treated strawberries showed significant retention of quality parameters such as colour and firmness and significantly lower yeast and mould populations (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Strawberries subjected to MW-assisted hot water treatments showed significantly better retention of lightness compared with conventionally treated berries. A short (1 min 50 s) treatment at 763 W was the best choice to prevent strawberry decay.

Influence of drying methods and agronomic variables on the chemical composition of mate tea leaves (Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil) obtained from high-pressure CO2 extraction

The main objective of this work is to assess the influence of two drying methods (microwave and vacuum oven) and some agronomic variables (plant fertilization conditions and sunlight intensity) on the characteristics of mate tea (Ilex paraguariensis) leaves extracts obtained from high-pressure carbon dioxide extractions performed in the temperature range from 20 to 40 degrees C and from 100 to 250 bar. Samples of mate were collected in an experiment conducted under agronomic control at Ervateira Barão LTDA, Brazil. Chemical distribution of the extracts was evaluated by gas chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometer detector (GC/MS). In addition to extraction variables, results showed that both sample drying methods and agronomic conditions exert a pronounced influence on the extraction yield and on the chemical distribution of the extracts.

Effects of Microwave Heating on the Loss of Vitamin B(12) in Foods

To clarify the effects of microwave heating on the loss of vitamin B(12) in foods, raw beef, pork, and milk were treated by microwave heating and then their vitamin B(12) contents were determined according to a chemiluminescent vitamin B(12) assay with hog intrinsic factor. Appreciable loss ( approximately 30-40%) of vitamin B(12) occurred in the foods during microwave heating due to the degradation of vitamin B(12) molecule by microwave heating. When hydroxo vitamin B(12), which predominates in foods, was treated by microwave heating and then analyzed by silica gel 60 thin layer chromatography, two vitamin B(12) degradation products were found. One of the compounds with a R(f)() of 0.16 was purified and partially characterized. The vitamin B(12) degradation product did not show any biological activity in the growth of a vitamin B(12) requiring microorganism, Euglena gracilis Z, and was not bound to hog intrinsic factor, a mammalian vitamin B(12) binding protein. Intravenous administration of the compound (1 µg/day) for 7 days to rats showed that the compound neither has toxicity nor acts as a vitamin B(12) antagonist in mammals. These results indicate that the conversion of vitamin B(12) to the inactive vitamin B(12) degradation products occurs in foods during microwave heating.

Human diets cooked by microwave or conventionally: comparative sub-chronic (13-wk) toxicity study in rats

To compare the possible effects of microwave and conventional cooking on a range of common dietary components, mixed human diets containing beef, potatoes and vegetables were fed to groups of 10 male and 10 female Wistar rats for 13 wk. The diet ingredients were cooked by either of the methods in a normal and an abused manner, the latter consisting of the normal treatment followed by two cycles of reheating to approximately 85 degrees C and cooling. The cooked ingredients were freeze-dried, ground and mixed with supplements of vitamins and minerals to meet the rat requirements. An additional control group was fed a cereal-based rodent diet. Criteria to assess toxicity included clinical observations, ophthalmoscopy, growth, food and water intake, haematology, clinical chemistry, urinalysis, organ weights, micronucleated erythrocytes in bone marrow, gross examination at autopsy and microscopic examination of a wide range of organs. The results indicate no adverse effects of the diets cooked by microwave compared with those cooked conventionally.

Effect of microwave radiation on inactivation of Clostridium sporogenes (PA 3679) spores

Three techniques for studying effects of microwave radiation on microorganisms were introduced. Spores of Clostridium sporogenes (PA 3679) were chosen as a test organism because the kinetic parameters for thermal inactivation are well known and because of the importance of the genus Clostridium to the food industry. For the first technique, a specially designed kinetics vessel was used to compare inactivation rates of microwave-heated and conventionally heated spores at steady-state temperatures of 90, 100, and 110 degrees C. Rates were found to be similar at the 95% confidence level. The second and third techniques were designed to study the effect of relatively high power microwave exposure at sublethal temperatures. In the second approach, the suspension was continuously cooled via direct contact with a copper cooling coil in a well-mixed vessel, outside the microwave oven. The suspension was pumped through a Teflon loop in the oven, where it continuously absorbed approximately 400 W of microwave power. Inactivation occurred in both irradiated and unirradiated samples. It was suspected that copper ions entered the suspension from the copper coil and were toxic to the spores. The fact that the results were similar, however, implied the absence of nonthermal microwave effects. In the third approach, the copper coil was replaced with a silicone tubing loop in a microwave transparent vessel. The suspension was continuously irradiated at 150 W of microwave power. No detectable inactivation occurred. Results indicated that the effect of microwave energy on viability of spores was indistinguishable from the effect of conventional heating.