Effect of fenugreek and flaxseed polysaccharide-based edible coatings on the quality attributes and shelf life of apple fruit during storage

The present study was designed to explore the potential of fenugreek and flaxseed polysaccharide-based edible coatings to enhance the postharvest storage life of apple fruit. The experimental plan involved the preparation of five different coating formulations, which were subsequently applied to the fruit. The coated fruit was then stored at a temperature of 25 ± 2°C for a duration of 35 days. The effects of these coatings on physicochemical and biochemical attributes (weight loss, firmness, acidity, pH, sugar content, antioxidant activity, microbial growth, and sensory properties) of coated and uncoated samples were evaluated at regular intervals: 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days of storage. The experimental results revealed a significant difference (p ≤ .05) in the physicochemical parameters of uncoated and coated apple at different storage times. The coated apple fruits showed significantly (p ≤ .05) lower weight loss, pH, total sugars, total soluble solids, and maximum retention of ascorbic acid, firmness, acidity, and antioxidant contents, leading to enhanced organoleptic properties. The application of edible coatings extended the shelf-life of the apples by inhibiting microbiological spoilage without substantial impact on sensory and nutritional properties. Based on these results, it is concluded that the edible coating formulation labeled T 1 (containing 2.5 g fenugreek polysaccharide and 1.5 g flax polysaccharide) effectively preserved the valuable physicochemical and organoleptic characteristics of the apple fruit throughout the storage period.

Organoleptic characteristics and compositional profile of meat of growing Japanese quail fed different levels of poultry byproducts compost

The poultry industry generates a lot of waste, including dead birds, manure, and poultry litter. Poultry waste should never be disposed of improperly because it can seriously harm the environment. The waste can be recycled as a feedstock for use in poultry feed by composting the litter and deceased birds. The compositional profile and organoleptic properties of the meat of growing Japanese quail were examined over the course of a 4-week trial to ascertain the effect of adding compost to the diet. In a completely randomized design (CRD), 1200 newly hatched quail chicks (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were divided into five treatment groups (diets with 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10% compost), each consisting of 40 birds with six replicates. The addition of compost to the diet had no noticeable effects on the organoleptic qualities of appearance, color, aroma, taste, texture, juiciness, tenderness, and acceptability (P>0.05). The compositional profile characteristics for chicks given compost at any level compared to chicks fed the control diet showed no differences (P>0.05). These findings suggest that the sensory characteristics and compositional profile of growing meat quails can be maintained when fed diets including up to 10% compost.

Assessing effect of feeding poultry byproducts compost on organoleptic characteristics and compositional profile of meat of broiler chickens

Large amounts of waste, including dead birds, manure, and poultry litter, are produced by the poultry industry. Poultry waste should be disposed of properly to avoid major pollution and health risks. Composting litter and dead birds could be an option to recycle the waste and use in poultry feed. A study was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding composted poultry waste on the organoleptic qualities and compositional profile of the meat of broiler chickens. A total of 300 day-old broiler chicks (500-Cobb) were randomly allocated to five treatment groups replicated six times with 10 birds each, under a completely randomized design (CRD). Five iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous diets including composted poultry byproducts at concentrations of 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10% were fed ad libitum to the birds from day 0 to day 35. The sensory grading and meat composition profile of 500 Cobb broiler chickens were tested at 35 days of age. The findings showed that there were no variations in the sensory profiles of the meat from birds given various diets (P>0.05). Although the results were somewhat lower for the chicks fed compost-containing diets than for the control group, this difference was deemed to be insignificant (P>0.05). Similarly, there were no variations in the compositional profile values of the meat between meat from birds fed various diets (P>0.05). These findings imply that broiler chickens may be raised on diets containing up to 10% poultry byproduct compost without any negative impacts on the meat's sensory quality or composition. Additionally, using compost into broiler diets may help to lower the cost of feed.

Hydroxyapatite fortified mango mousse: Formulation, characterization, and sensory data evaluation using fuzzy logic

In this experimental study, hydroxyapatite (HAp), as a valuable calcium source, was extracted from discarded goat bone; raw and nano-biogenic powders were prepared through calcination and ultra-sonication. Resultant powders were characterized by using various spectroscopy techniques. As per the findings of atomic absorption spectroscopy, raw and nano-biogenic powders depicted 1439.7 ± 0.12 and 3194.8 ± 0.07 ppm calcium content, respectively. The range of particle size of nano-biogenic and raw powders was 47-139 and 183 nm, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed crystalline behavior whereas laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)-derived Ca/P-ratio endorsed excellence in nano-biogenic 1.76 against 1.63 in raw powder. In vitro bioavailability of calcium in raw and nano-biogenic powder was ∼36% and ∼39%, respectively. Next, the powders were further used to develop calcium-fortified mango mousse with varied formulations. A maximum overrun of 23.31% was found in the case of "Raw-A," whereas a maximum viscosity of 8489.98 mPa s was found in the case of "Nano-A." Sensory data of mango mousse were obtained by fuzzy logic method, and PCA ranked the Nano-B and Nano-A samples the best in terms of overall acceptability. Meanwhile, the consumer responses toward product likeness and/or dislikeness were recorded by the hedonic scale that endorsed Nano-A and Nano-B formulations as the most preferred samples. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The revolution in the eating habits of consumers from traditional foods to fast food imposes the development of new products having good nutritional values. Different waste biogenic food sources can provide an acceptable powdered form of ingredients for the development of novel food products. In this regard, the development of novel food products using calcium supplements has gained space in the food industry.

Effects of dietary counselling on lipid profile among liposuction patients

Objectives

To observe the effects of dietary counselling on weight management after liposuction.

METHODS

The case-control study was conducted at the La Chirurgie Cosmetic Surgery Centre and Hair Transplant Institute, F-8/3, Islamabad, Pakistan, from January to July 2018, and comprised adults (100) of either gender undergoing liposuction and/or abdominoplasty who were followed for three months in the postoperative period. The subjects were divided into dietary-counselled group A, which received diet plans, and control group B, which followed up without any dietary advice. Lipid profile was done at baseline and three months post-liposuction. Data was analysed using SPSS 20.

RESULTS

Of the 100 subjects enrolled, 83(83%) completed the study; 43(51.8%) in group A and 40(48.2%) in group B. Overall, there were 19(22.9%) males, 64(77.1%) females, and 55(66.3%) were aged <40 years, while 28(33.7%) were aged ≥40 years. Intra-group improvement was significant for total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides for both the groups (p<0.05). The change for very low-density lipoprotein in group B was not significant (p>0.05). Change in high-density lipoprotein was for the better in group A, while it decreased in group B and the change in both cases was significant (p<0.05). Inter-group differences were not significant (p>0.05) except for total cholesterol (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Liposuction alone resulted in the improvement of lipid profile, while dietary intervention resulted in better values with respect to very low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein.

Study of metabolic syndrome indicators in newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus type 2 patients in Pakistani population

BACKGROUND

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) being a biological abnormality confers the highest risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

AIM

To assess MetS indicators in the newly diagnosed T2DM Pakistani population.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study (N = 123) with newly diagnosed T2DM patients (gender: both, MeanAge: 49.24 ± 6.84 years) was selected from Medical OPD, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad. Basic profile, family history, and physical activity were recorded through a predesigned questionnaire, dietary intake through seven days Food Diary and Food Frequency Questionnaire. Blood pressure and selected clinical signs and symptoms were recorded. Anthropometric measurements included mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-and-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and conicity index. Lab parameters included fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, insulin levels, and lipid profile. Homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was computed to assess insulin resistance.

RESULTS

Almost all parameters related to MetS were higher than normal. The prevalence of MetS was 59.7%. BMI, MUAC, and WHtR were independently associated with HOMA-IR, but WC, WHR, and the conicity index had no relationship MetS indicators.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence rate of MetS was found to be 59.7% in newly diagnosed T2DM patients. MUAC was found to be a better parameter for the diagnosis of central obesity and insulin resistance in the selected population.

Assessing growth performance, morphometric traits, meat chemical composition and cholesterol content in four phenotypes of naked neck chicken

The present study was conducted to assess the growth performance, morphometric traits, muscle chemical composition and cholesterol content in four phenotypes of naked neck chicken (black, white-black, light brown and dark brown). A total of 320-day-old chicks, 80 from each phenotype, were randomly stratified into 20 replicates (16/replicate), according to a completely randomized design. The results showed higher final body weight, weight gain, and better FCR in both light brown and dark brown phenotypes whereas time of gains was found to be greater in dark brown phenotype. Keel length and shank circumference were greater in dark brown whereas wing spread was found to be higher in light brown phenotype. Drumstick circumference and body length did not show any significant differences (P > 0.05) across the phenotypes. Dry matter was found to be higher in white black, crude protein in black, white black and dark brown, moisture in light brown, and cholesterol content in black whereas ether extract and ash content were found to be greater in black and white black phenotypes. In conclusion, both light brown and dark brown phenotypes showed superior growth performance and morphometric traits. Similarly, from a health point of view, the dark brown and light brown phenotypes seem superior because their cholesterol content was low. Thus, it is strongly recommended that there should be a conscious effort to improve economically important traits of the light and dark brown birds to be used as dual-purpose slow growing chicken, especially in developing countries.

Characterization of maize genotypes for genetic diversity on the basis of inter simple sequence repeats

Genetic diversity in crops is essential to make improvements related to superior germplasms. Implementation of molecular markers to identify suitable genotypes speeds up the breeding progress by enhancing selection efficiency. This study was carried out to probe genetic diversity among 21 maize genotypes using 20 inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. We identified a total of 190 polymorphic bands with an average of 9.5 alleles per primer. The highest number of polymorphic bands (17) was found using ISSR marker UBC-10, whereas the lowest number of polymorphic bands (4) was found using UBC-809. The coefficient of genetic similarity ranged from 0.888 to 0.118%. The highest similarity was found between accessions 12 (015224) and 9 (015114), whereas the lowest similarity was found between genotypes 20 (EV-5098) and 14 (015030). The polymorphism information content ranged from 0.17 to 0.47. A dendrogram was generated based on Jaccard's distance matrix. The genotypes were found to group into two major clusters that could be further partitioned into two sub-clusters. Genotypes located within the same cluster are genetically more closely related to each other. The present study efficiently identified diverse genotypes that may be used for creating new varieties with distinct characteristics. The identified genotypes could be used as parents for future development of diverse populations.

Analysis of genetic traits for drought tolerance in maize

Fifty-four genotypes of maize were crossed and evaluated in the field during the crop season in February 2012 under both normal and water stress conditions. To identify the major parameters responsible for variation among genotypes, single linkage cluster analysis and principle component analysis (PCA) were carried out. Thirteen characters were studied. The PCA showed that the first six components, with eigen values >1, contributed 82.30% of the variability among the genotypes under normal field irrigation conditions while other PCs (7-13) had eigen values less than 1. Under drought conditions, the first four PCs, with eigen values >1, contributed 64.79% of the variability among genotypes while the other PCs (5-13) had eigen values less than 1. In the absence of water stress, heritability ranged from 68% (sucrose content) to 99% (plant height) and genetic advance ranged between 158.43% for stomatal frequency and 0.87 for biological yield. Under drought conditions, the coefficient of variability (CV) was 1.43-7.79, whereas estimates of heritability ranged between 68% and 99% for sucrose content and leaf area, respectively. The values of genetic advance ranged between 153.41 for stomatal frequency and 0.47 for nitrogen content. CV was 1.52-7.38 under drought conditions. The results indicated that the plant characters studied were under the control of additive genetic effects and suggested that selection should lead to fast genetic improvements. Clusters with superior agronomic types were identified and could be exploited for the transfer of desirable genes to improve the yield potential of the maize crop.

Conversion, shrinkage, water sorption, flexural strength and modulus of re-mineralizing dental composites

OBJECTIVES

Cure, volumetric changes and mechanical properties were assessed for new dental composites containing chlorhexidine (CHX) and reactive calcium phosphate-containing (CaP) to reduce recurrent caries.

METHODS

20wt.% of light curable urethane dimethacrylate based liquid was mixed with 80wt.% glass filler containing 10wt.% CHX and 0-40wt.% CaP. Conversion versus depth with 20 or 40s light exposure was assessed by FTIR. Solidification depth and polymerization shrinkage were determined using ISO 4049 and 17304, respectively. Subsequent volume expansion and biaxial flexural strength and modulus change upon water immersion were determined over 4 weeks. Hydroxyapatite precipitation in simulated body fluid was assessed at 1 week.

RESULTS

Conversion decreased linearly with both depth and CaP content. Average solidification depths were 4.5, 3.9, 3.3, 2.9 and 5.0 with 0, 10, 20, and 40% CaP and a commercial composite, Z250, respectively. Conversions at these depths were 53±2% for experimental materials but with Z250 only 32%. With Z250 more than 50% conversion was achieved only below 1.1mm. Shrinkage was 3% and 2.5% for experimental materials and Z250, respectively. Early water sorption increased linearly, whilst strength and modulus decreased exponentially to final values when plotted versus square root of time. Maximum volumetric expansion increased linearly with CaP rise and balanced shrinkage at 10-20wt.% CaP. Strength and modulus for Z250 decreased from 191 to 158MPa and 3.2 to 2.5GPa. Experimental composites initial strength and modulus decreased linearly from 169 to 139MPa and 5.8 to 3.8GPa with increasing CaP. Extrapolated final values decreased from 156 to 84MPa and 4.1 to 1.7GPa. All materials containing CaP promoted hydroxyapatite precipitation.

SIGNIFICANCE

The lower surface of composite restorations should both be solid and have greater than 50% conversion. The results, therefore, suggest the experimental composite may be placed in much thicker layers than Z250 and have reduced unbounded cytotoxic monomer. Experimental materials with 10-20wt.% additionally have volumetric expansion to compensate shrinkage, antibacterial and re-mineralizing components and competitive mechanical properties.