The fruiting body of Antrodia cinnamomea is used as a medicinal mushroom in Taiwan and is found on the inner cavity of the endemic species Cinnamomum kanehirai. In this study,phytomics similarity index (PSI) analysis was employed for the chemical quality evaluation of the A. cinnamomea fruiting bodies from different strains, and grown on various substrates. The results indicated that the differ…
Diabetes mellitus is an endocrine disease in which the pancreas does not produce sufficient insulin or the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin therapy has been the best choice for the clinical management of diabetes mellitus. The current insulin therapy is via subcutaneous injection, which often fails to mimic the glucose homeostasis that occurs in normal individuals. T…
Cosmos caudatus, which is a commonly consumed vegetable in Malaysia, is locally known as “UlamRaja”. It is a localMalaysian herb traditionally used as a food andmedicinal herb to treat severalmaladies. Its bioactive or nutritional constituents consist of awide range ofmetabolites,including glucosinolates, phenolics, amino acids, organic acids, and sugars. However, many of these metabolites …
Gastrodia elata Blume is commonly used as a medical herb in China for ameliorating headaches, dizziness, and convulsions. In previous studies, water extracts of G. elata Bl.(WGE) have demonstrated potential to act as therapeutic agents to improve depression-like symptoms in rats. As gastrodin (GAS) is a major active compound in WGE, its quantitation in WGE is important for quality control. The …
To ensure the safety of the peanut butter ice cream manufacture, a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan has been designed and applied to the production process. Potential biological, chemical, and physical hazards in each manufacturing procedure were identified. Critical control points for the peanut butter ice cream were then determined as the pasteurization and freezing pro…
To avoid or retard the lipid peroxidation of meat products, antioxidants are commonly added. Considering the safety and health of additives in meat products, consumers prefer natural antioxidants rather than synthetic ones. Gentisic acid and epicatechin were identified as the major phenolic acid and flavonoid, respectively, of litchi flowers (LFs). The physicochemical properties of pork meatba…
Histamine is the causative agent of scombroid poisoning, a foodborne chemical hazard.Histamine is degraded by the oxidative deamination activity of certain microorganisms. In this study, eight histamine-degrading bacteria isolated from salted fish products were identified as Rummeliibacillus stabekisii (1 isolate), Agrobacterium tumefaciens (1 isolate), Bacillus cereus (2 isolates), Bacillus po…
Bacillus polymyxa D05-1, isolated from salted fish product and possessing amine degrading activity, was used as a starter culture in salted fish fermentation in this study. Fermentation was held at 35C for 120 days. The water activity in control samples (without starter culture)and inoculated samples (inoculated with B. polymyxa D05-1) remained constant throughout fermentation, whereas the pH …
Flavor is the most important aspect of food. Based on the complex matrix of the food system and the flavor structure themselves, one important factor that plays a key role in the quality attribute of food is flavor stability. Not surprisingly, there is a large volume of published research investigating the stability of different food flavor compounds, since understanding flavor stability is cru…
Pyrrolizidine alkaloid-containing plants are widespread in the world and probably the most common poisonous plants affecting livestock, wildlife, and humans. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids require metabolic activation to form dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloids that bind to cellular proteins and DNA leading to hepatotoxicity, genotoxicity, and tumorigenicity. At present, it is not clear how dehydropyrroliz…
A new thin layer chromatographic layer using gold nanoparticles grafted 3-triethoxysilyl propylamine modified silica gel (Au NPs-APTS modified silica gel) was developed as a stationary phase for separation and determination of two steroid hormones, namely progesterone and testosterone. Acetoneen-hexane 25:75 (v/v) was used as the mobile phase, and the results were compared with those obtained …
Naturally occurring polymers such as alginate (AL) and chitosan (CS) are widely used in biomedical and pharmaceutical fields in various forms such as nanoparticles, capsules,and emulsions. These polymers have attractive applications in drug delivery because of their biodegradability, biocompatibility, and nontoxic nature. The pharmaceutical applications of essential oils such as turmeric oil a…
Industrial tree crops contribute substantially to the economy of many developing countries on the Asian, African, and Latin American continents. With the World Trade Organization (WTO) substantially focusing on agriculture, the commercial aspects of growing these crops assume considerable economic significance. Within the developing world, there are countries whose sole economic sustenance …
In a relatively brief period the soybean has become a major crop plant in the United States. Based on the utilization of the bean, or products therefrom, a substantial soybean industry has also developed. Its uses, agricultural and industrial, primarily depend on the high content of both protein (ca. 40%) and oil (ca. 20%) in the bean. Soybeans are a cash crop and provide a significant par…
As a consequence of the success of post-World War II agriculture, particularly in western Europe, many in affluent societies have taken food for granted for decades. We lack historical perspective to conclude that the gap between the world demand and supply of food is widening or otherwise. Nonetheless, the recent debate on this gap and the role of research and development in agriculture is a…
In folklore systems of medicine, bilberry fruit and leaf extracts have been used for the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery, diabetes, inflammation, and ulcer. The present study was to determine antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiulcerogenic activities of Vaccinium leschenaultii Wight leaf and fruit. The phenolic, tannin, and flavonoid contents of V. leschenaultii leaf and fruit were quanti…
Gentiana rigescens is a rich source of iridoids and is commonly used as a folk medicine for treatment of hepatitis and cholecystitis for over 1000 years. A rapid ultrafast liquid chromatographyeultraviolet method was developed for simultaneous determination of four major iridoid glycosides in G. rigescens. Response surface methodology based on the Box eBehnken design was applied to optimize the…
Diabetes has recently become a leading cause of death worldwide. To date, although there is no means to cure or prevent diabetes, appropriate medication and blood sugar monitoring can enhance treatment efficiency, alleviate the symptoms, and diminish the complications of the condition. This review article deals with current growth areas in the market for blood glucose sensors and possible futu…
The objective of this study was to determine the concentrations of heavy metals in bagged and leaf black teas of the same brand and evaluate the percentage transfer of metals to tea infusion to assess the consumer exposure. Ten leaf black teas and 10 bagged black teas of the same brand available in Poland were analyzed for Zn, Mn, Cd, Pb, Ni, Co, Cr, Al, and Fe concentrations both in dry materi…
The present study was undertaken to investigate the foodedrug interaction of carbamazepine (CBZ). Common fruit juices [grapefruit juice (GFJ), limejuice (LJ)], known to inhibit the enzyme cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4), and some widely consumed beverages [milk (M), black tea (BT)] were involved in this study in the presence of CBZ, as might happen during clinical therapy. The effects of the bever…
This study investigates how long-term (40 mg/kg b.wt) consumption of aspartame can alter the antioxidant status, stress pathway genes, and apoptotic changes in the liver of Wistar albino rats. Numerous controversial reports are available on the use of aspartame as it releases methanol as one of its metabolites during metabolism. To mimic the human methanol metabolism the methotrexate treated r…
In this study, leaves and stems of Talinum triangulare were sequentially extracted with phosphate buffer solution to obtain PTL and PTS (phosphate buffered extracts of T. triangulare leaves and stems), with 75% ethanol to obtained ETL and ETS (ethanol extracts of T. triangulare leaves and stems), or with 90C boiling water to obtain WTL and WTS (water extracts of T. triangulare leaves and stem…
In the vast areas of tropical and subtropical regions there is a category of widely distributed, highly weathered soils known as "Red Earths," also referred to as Ferralsols, Acrisols, Oxisols, Ultisols, Latosols, Lateritic Soils, Krasnozems, Ferrisols, and Ferrallitic Soils. Because of the abundant rainfall and high temperature, this type of soil is considered one of the most important agricul…
A method with few markers to determine multicomponents was established and validated to evaluate the quality of Shenfu injection by ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array detector. The separations were performed on an ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 (2.1 50 mm2, 1.7 mm) column. Methanol and 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution were used as the mobile phase. The flow rate was…
Quercetin (Q), a bioflavonoid ubiquitously distributed in vegetables, fruits, leaves, and grains, can be absorbed, transported, and excreted after oral intake. However, little is known about Q uptake and metabolism by macrophages. To clarify the puzzle, Q at its noncytotoxic concentration (44mM) was incubated without or with mouse peritoneal macrophages for different time periods. Medium alone…
Polygala tenuifolia root is used as a functional food due to its attractive health benefits. In this study, ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatographyetandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) and gas chromatographyemass spectrometry (GC-MS) were utilized to characterize the bioactive compounds in P. tenuifolia root. The UPLC-MS/MS information revealed 36 bioactive compounds, including oligosaccha…
A liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method is developed to simultaneously determine 20 synthetic dyes (New Coccine, Indigo Carmine, Erythrosine,Tartrazine, Sunset Yellow FCF, Fast Green FCF, Brilliant Blue FCF, Allura Red AC, Amaranth,Dimethyl Yellow, Fast Garnet GBC, Para Red, Sudan I, Sudan II, Sudan III, Sudan IV, Sudan Orange G, Sudan Red 7B, Sudan Red B, and Sudan R…
A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for the determination of maleic acid which was released from starch maleate (SM) through the alkaline hydrolysis reaction. The proper alkaline hydrolysis conditions and LC separation are reported in this study. The starch samples were treated with 50% methanol for 30 minutes, and then hydrolyzed by 0.5N KOH for 2 hours to rel…
Chun Mee tea is a kind of green tea produced in China mainly for export purposes. Foam quantity is usually used as an index for evaluating the quality of Chun Mee tea. In the current study, we compared the concentrations of total saponin and flavonoids between foamy and low-foam Chun Mee tea. Our research confirmed that the total saponin and Oglycosylated flavonoid concentrations were related …
Citrus essential oils are widely applied in food industry as the backbone of citrus flavors.Unfortunately, due to relatively simple chemical composition and tremendous price differences among citrus species, adulteration has been plaguing the industry since its inception. Skilled blenders are capable of making blends that are almost ndistinguishable from authentic oils through conventional gas …
Iron deficiency is one of the most concerning deficiency problems in the world. It may generate several adverse effects such as iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and reduced physical and intellectual working capacity. The aim of this study is to evaluate the Fe(II)-binding activity of collagen peptides from fishery by-products. Lates calcarifer, Mugil cephalus, Chanos chanos, and Oreochromis spp are…
Orthogonal experiment was applied to optimize the water extraction parameters of zinc from Flammulina velutipes, and then the extracts were separated by membrane filter (0.45 mm) and D101 macroporous resin. Six different species of Zn were obtained and the Zn content of various species were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The optimized conditions for the extraction of Zn we…
An aqueous solution of Pectinex (containing cellulase, hemicellulase, and pectinase) at 1%,2.5%, 5%, 7%, and 10% concentrations and 40 C was used to extract anthocyanins (Acys) of saffron tepals at 20, 40, 60, 120 and 180 min reaction times and compared with ethanol solvent under similar conditions. The Acys of the Pectinex solution reached 6.7 mg/g of tepal powder (~40% more than the ethanol m…
The consumption of dietary fiber offers the health benefit of lowering the risk of many chronic diseases. Pineapple core fiber (PCF) in this study was extracted and incorporated into dough and mantou (i.e., steamed bread). The effects of PCF substitution and fiber size on textural and rheological properties of dough and mantou were evaluated by a texture analyzer. The substitution of wheat flou…
Compared with abundant catechins, strictinin is a minor constituent in teas and has been demonstrated to possess inhibitory potency on influenza virus. In this study, strictinin was found as the major phenolic compound in Pu'er teas produced fromleaves and buds of wild trees. Due to its thermal instability, strictinin, in tea infusion or in an isolated form, was completely decomposed to ellagic…
Thirty dried flying fish products were purchased from fishing village stores in Taiwan and tested to detect the presence of histamine and histamine-forming bacteria. Except for histamine and cadaverine, the average content of various biogenic amines in the tested samples was less than 3.5 mg/100 g. Eight (26.6%) dried flying fish samples had histamine levels greater than the United States Food …
Chitosan is a promising biopolymer for drug delivery systems. Because of its beneficial properties, chitosan is widely used in biomedical and pharmaceutical fields. In this review,we summarize the physicochemical and drug delivery properties of chitosan, selected studies on utilization of chitosan and chitosan-based nanoparticle composites in various drug delivery systems, and selected studies …
The interactions between trypsin and gallic acid (GA) were investigated by means of fluorescence spectroscopy, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, resonance light scattering (RLS) spectroscopy, synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy, and enzymatic inhibition assay. It was found that GA can cause the fluorescence quenching of trypsin during the process of formation of GA-trypsin complex, resulting in…
A simple and relatively fast image-analysis method using digital images, obtained with a flatbed scanner, has been described. The method was used for the simultaneous determination of four common food dyes, namely, carmoisine, brilliant blue, sunset yellow, and quinoline yellow, in binary mixtures in commercial products without a need for any prior separation steps. The results obtained were va…
Volatile extracts from the seeds of Dendranthema nankingense Hand.-Mazz. and Borago officinalis L. were prepared using simultaneous distillation and extraction, and analyzed with gas chromatographyemass spectrometry on two capillary gas chromatography columns of different polarity. Ninety-five volatile compounds were identified in D. nankingense seeds, with hexanal, benzeneacetaldehyde, borneo…
This book is concerned with the principles by which crop management can influence how plants use environmental resources. It deals with the biological processes that operate in the links between management, the physical environment and agricultural vegetation. It also seeks to identify general principles that operate across tropical species, cropping systems and environments. The purpose of …
Heating effect on total phenol, flavonoids, antioxidant activity, and sugar content of six onion varieties has been quantitatively investigated to explore the effect of different temperatures. The onion varieties comprised one red-skinned variety, two white-skinned varieties,and three yellow-skinned varieties. The heating temperature was scanned at 80C,100C, 120C, and 150C for 30 minutes ea…
Vitamins are important food constituents that can be present in almost every foodstuff.Food quality and safety depends on food surveillance by reliable quantitative analysis enabled by appropriate quality control. Certified matrix reference materials are versatile tools to support quality assurance and control. However, in the case of vitamins, which are important in various foods, there is a l…
The concentration of alum additive in deep-fried dough sticks (DFDSs) was investigated using a coaxial probe method based on dielectric properties in the 0.3e10-GHz frequency range. The dielectric spectra of aqueous solutions with different concentrations of alum,sodium bicarbonate, and mixtures thereof were used. The correspondence between dielectric loss and alum concentration was thereby re…
Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a traditional medicinal and edible herb with a long history of use in China. In this study, a model of hepatotoxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in mice was used to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside (K-3-R) and kaempferol 3-O-glucoside (K-3-G), two kaempferol glycosides isolated from C. tinctorius L. K-3-R an…
Indium, a Group IIIA element of the periodic chart and a rare earth metal characterized by high plasticity, corrosion resistance, and a low melting point, is widely used in the electronics industry where released streams can contaminate the environment. Consequently,indium can reach humans mainly by natural ways, which could result in a health hazard. Although reproductive toxicities have been …
Terminalia catappa Linn (TC) is an ornamental tree planted extensively in many countries. It has been known for a long time that the seeds are edible but no research has focused on the realm of its use as food. Our previous data showed that the seed contains high levels of oil content (600 g/kg) and possesses the optimum fatty acid balance indicated in fat dietary guidelines. This study aims to…
In this study, the antioxidant and antiacetylcholinesterase activities of Sorbus torminalis (L.)Crantz fruits were evaluated. Total phenolic and flavonoid compounds, 2,20-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothioazoline-6-sulfonic acid), 2,20-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, and superoxide anion radicals scavenging activities and ferric-reducing antioxidant power of water, ethyl acetate, acetone, and methanol extr…
Grapefruit (Citrus paradisii) and shaddock (Citrus maxima) juices are used in folk medicine for the management of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases, but the mechanism of action by which they exert their therapeutic action is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of grapefruit and shaddock juices on angiotensin-1-converting enzyme (ACE) activity in vitro and t…
Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition enhances learning and cognitive ability for treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Polysaccharideepeptide complexes were identified in Cordyceps militaris (CPSPs) and characterized for their AChE inhibitory properties. Three polymers (CPSP-F1,-F2, and -F3) were extracted and separated by ultrasound-assisted extraction and diethylaminoethanol (DEAE)eSepharose CL…