Search

Grazing experiments were conducted for the zooplankton Artemia franciscana on three of its most common Great Salt Lake (Utah: USA) phytoplankton species (> 80–90% of phytoplankton biovolume: a chlorophyte, Dunaliella viridis; a cyanobacterium, Euhalothece sp., and a bacillariophyte, the pennate diatom Nitzschia epithemioides). For each Artemia developmental stage (nauplii, juveniles and adults), grazing rates (same phytoplankton abundances, temperatures, and salinities) are reported along with grazing preferences for the phytoplankton species in mixes of species pairs and all three species together. Each Artemia developmental stage exhibited different preferences for the phytoplankton species. Preferences measured for each species pair were consistent with preferences when all three species were together and were correlated with the phytoplankton’s survival value for each Artemia developmental stage. Survival values were positively related to the ingestion rate for each phytoplankton species (biovolume/individual/h), likely a function of cell size, and its nutritional quality treated as a function of phytoplankton N:P relative to Artemia developmental stage N:P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peanut is a crucial source of edible oil and nutrients. Five peanut genotypes' yield and quality parameters were assessed to select superior genotypes. The experiment was conducted in Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture HQ's experimental field, Mymensingh-2202. Correlation study identified significant positive correlation of pods plant-1, kernel weight and shelling % with pod yield. Considering yield and oil content, the genotype B6/282/80 performed the best, with a yield of 2.25t/ha and 54.6% edible oil content. Oleic acid/Linoleic acid (O/L) ratio and iodine content were also higher in B6/282/80, followed by B6/282/63. RMKha-19 contains the maximum amount of protein (32.42%), while crude fibre and carbohydrate content were the highest in Binachinabadam-4. B6/282/64 possessed the maximum moisture (6.2%), while B6/282/80 had the highest amount of ash (2.35%). The principal component analysis identified that the first two principal components explained about 74.93% of the total variation. Biplot revealed that B, crude fibre, and ash content were higher in Binachinabadam-4. The genotype B6/282/63 was superior in K, S, Fe, moisture, and carbohydrate content. Genotype B6/282/80 was the best genotype for P content. Ca, Cu, N, Mg and Zn content was higher in the RM-KHA-19 genotype. Combining all the energy sources, the genotype B6/282/80 provides the maximum energy, i.e., 628.4 Kcal/100g. Considering the studied traits, the B6/282/80 has the potential to be set on a multilocational trial for the detection of stability as a new variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short sleep has been linked to adolescent risk of obesity, but questions remain regarding the dietary mechanisms by which this occurs. We tested whether mildly shortening sleep influences how rewarding and appealing healthy adolescents find several kinds of foods. Eighty‐eight healthy adolescents completed a within‐subjects crossover sleep experiment comparing 5 days of Short Sleep (6.5 hr sleep opportunity) with 5 days of Healthy Sleep (9.5 hr sleep opportunity). Following each condition, adolescents completed measures of food appeal and reinforcing value of food across five food types: sweets/desserts, fruits/vegetables, lean meats/eggs, fast food and processed snacks. Adolescents averaged 2.2 hr/night longer sleep periods in Healthy Sleep versus Short Sleep. We observed a significant interaction of experimental order with sleep condition on three of four primary outcomes related to the appeal and reinforcing value of foods (p's <.005). When Short Sleep preceded Healthy Sleep, adolescents endorsed significantly greater appeal (p <.04) and rewarding value of food (p's ranging from <.01 to.048) during Short Sleep (compared to Healthy Sleep). However, when Healthy Sleep preceded Short Sleep, we did not observe a main effect of sleep condition on the same outcomes (p's >.05). This study provides evidence that restricting adolescents' sleep opportunity to 6.5 hr (compared to sleeping a healthy amount) increases the appeal and reinforcing value of a variety of foods, but this may occur only under protracted short sleep. Increased food reward may be one mechanism linking chronically shortened sleep with risk of obesity in adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scented (joha) and black rice indigenous to northeast region (NER) of India are the two among 40,000 varieties of species Oryza sativa, prevalent for its great aroma, medicinal property, and/or equally noteworthy taste. Biochemical and target‐based liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS) analysis was performed to identify and quantify the different phytonutrients from the selected rice grains of those two varieties. Biochemical assay revealed that the selected black rice (Chakhao Amubi) contains ∼1.8‐fold higher amount of total phenolic and ∼2.3‐fold higher amount of total flavonoid than the scented rice grain (Kon joha). The total starch content was significantly lower in scented rice in comparison to black rice grain. The health beneficial ratio of ω‐6/ω‐3 essential unsaturated fatty acid is notably better in scented rice grain than black rice grain. The targeted LC‐MS/MS analysis confirms the presence of oryzanol and ferulic acid in both the samples. The presence of 4‐hydroxy benzoic acid, apigenin, tricin, avenasterol, coumarin, coumaric acid, phenyl alanine, caffeic acid, and α‐tocophenol were confirmed in the scented rice, whereas the black rice confirms the presence of protocatechuic acid and dehydroxy myricetin. Further the quantitative analysis showed that the lipids lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI) 16:0, lysophosphatidyl ethanolamine (LPE) 14:0, lysophosphatidyl choline (LPC) 18:2, LPE 18:2, phosphatidyl etanolamine (PE), along with oryzanol, hydroxy docosanoic acid are at least threefold higher in scented rice varietal; whereas, in Chakhao Amubi, the content of petunidin galactoside, LMMPE18:2, PC14:0 are higher than the scented rice grain. In conclusion, different phytonutrients including phenol, polyphenol, and flavonoid have been identified as bioactive phytochemicals in selected rice varietals. Practical Application: This work will provide the information about the nutritional benefit of studied rice varietals. The used targeted LC‐MS/MS analysis will provide the one‐step information about the bioactive phytochemicals. Overall, this study will help to commercialize those varieties with proper scientific evidences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Milk processing not only provides people with traditional dairy foods, but also results in the formation of by-products. They are not fully utilised, and their effluents worsen the environment. The modern technical and technological level of milk processing allows the full use of by-products, which are a source of whey proteins, lactose, and other potentially useful ingredients. As milk production has been decreasing in recent years, an urgent problem is to increase the level of milk processing in order to obtain products with high added value. The article presents the results of analytical studies of the situation about whey processing in Ukraine, and describes modern conceptual approaches to processing various types of whey, which is formed as a by-product in the manufacture of cheeses, sour milk cheese, casein. It is shown that new products and ingredients obtained from whey have a wide range of functional and technological properties and prove useful in the manufacture of other foods. The development trends of the new technologies for a wide range of whey-based products and ingredients are analysed, and new research data on their importance for human health are presented. The article is a review that proves how practical it is to introduce modern membrane technologies of whey processing at domestic milk processing enterprises. These technologies will allow using raw milk resources rationally, reducing damage to the environment, and increasing production profitability. The article presents the results of scientific and applied research of using membrane methods and enzymatic hydrolysis of lactose in the technologies of dry demineralised whey and condensed low-lactose whey. The use of existing industrial equipment allows, due to changes in the proteinmineral composition of whey, obtaining products with a wide range of functional and technological properties and increased nutritional values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to investigate and compare the nutritional value of raw and processed fillets (marinated and smoked) of whitefish from Bolsena Lake (Italy). The study was carried out in collaboration with the "Lago vivo" Fisherman Cooperative using 40 whitefish caught by net. The chemical composition showed increased nutrient (protein, lipid and carbohydrate) concentration with processing due to dehydration. Regarding the fatty acid profile of fillets, marinating was associated with higher levels of n-6 PUFAs, whereas the smoked and raw fillets showed higher concentrations of α-linolenic, eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids. Whitefish fillets were characterized by high nutritional value and good oxidative stability, mainly as smoked products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare the nutrient and antinutrient content of two improved sweet potato varieties released for drought prone areas of eastern Ethiopia.Design/methodology/approach Matured roots of two sweet potato varieties, namely, Berkume and Adu, were collected from Haramaya University, Toni Research Farm, Ethiopia. The sweet potatoes were ground into flour following standard procedure. Thereafter, proximate, dietary minerals and β-carotene were determined by official methods of analysis. The tannin and phytate contents were determined by colorimetric methods.Findings The moisture, protein, fat, fiber, ash, utilizable carbohydrate and gross energy varied from 6.23-6.61 per cent, 2.07-2.76 per cent, 1.25-1.52 per cent, 1.04-1.16 per cent, 3.38- 5.32 per cent, 90.03-91.45 per cent and 382.18-388.07 Kcal/100 g in both the sweet potato varieties. Potassium content (176.17 mg/100 g) was reported to be the highest and registered in Berkume variety, while the lowest mineral content (2.18 mg/100 g) determined was zinc in Adu sweet potato variety. The highest total carotenoid content (3.39mg/100 g) was recorded in Berkume sweet potato variety. The tannin and phytic acid contents ranged from 9.98 to 12.94 mg/100 g and from 0.24 to 0.31 mg/100 g in Berkume and Adu sweet potato varieties, respectively.Originality/value This study showed that the Berkume sweet potato variety has high nutritional potential and less antinutrient contents as compared with the nutritional value of many other roots and tuber crops documented in the FAO database and hence can contribute to reducing malnutrition in resource-poor settings of Ethiopia. Further work needs to be carried out on developing value-added products from Berkume sweet potato variety for its extensive utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capparis species, also known as Caper plants, are recognized as a potential source of valuable nutrients and biochemical compounds with physiological functions. The multiple biological activities including antibacterial, antifungal, hepatoprotective, anthelmintic, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and antihyperlipidemic as well as folk medicinal uses of Caper plants have been ascribed to the presence of functional bioactives, such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, alkaloids, phytosterols, natural sugars, vitamins, and organic acids. In view of the high nutritional value and traditional food and folk medicinal uses of Capparis species, it is important to compile a comprehensive review on related aspects of these multipurposes plants. Hence, the present review manuscript focuses on the detailed profile of valuable nutrients and biochemical compounds as well as medicinal health functions and biological activities of selected species of Capparis, so as to explore their potential uses as ingredients of functional food and nutraceuticals and natural pharmaceutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of researches of quality, energy and nutrient productive action of green mass and silage mixes of typhon and winter rye which was grown in repeated crops are given. Found that feeding of green mass of winter rye and typhon mixes leads to increasing milk production and its quality. Also was found that silage of winter rye and typhon mixes with bacterial enzyme Litofer+ does not lead to a decrease of milk production of cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of spatio-temporal memory has been argued to increase food-finding efficiency in rainforest primates. However, the exact content of this memory is poorly known to date. This study investigated what specific information from previous feeding visits chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes verus), in Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, take into account when they revisit the same feeding trees. By following five adult females for many consecutive days, we tested from what distance the females directed their travels towards previously visited feeding trees and how previous feeding experiences and fruit tree properties influenced this distance. To exclude the influence of sensory cues, the females' approach distance was measured from their last significant change in travel direction until the moment they entered the tree's maximum detection field. We found that chimpanzees travelled longer distances to trees at which they had previously made food grunts and had rejected fewer fruits compared to other trees. In addition, the results suggest that the chimpanzees were able to anticipate the amount of fruit that they would find in the trees. Overall, our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that chimpanzees act upon a retrieved memory of their last feeding experiences long before they revisit feeding trees, which would indicate a daily use of long-term prospective memory. Further, the results are consistent with the possibility that positive emotional experiences help to trigger prospective memory retrieval in forest areas that are further away and have fewer cues associated with revisited feeding trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wood mouse Apodemus speciosus can consume the hard-walled walnut species Juglans ailanthifolia. The mice gnaw holes on two sides of the shell and then pick the meat from the holes. However, not all mice are able to eat these walnuts, because the shells are extremely hard and the process is labour-intensive. To consume all of the meat it is more efficient to eat from holes on the raphe than to attempt to eat from other parts of the shell. We examined the effect of experience on the walnut-feeding skills of mice in the field. Feeding behaviours were compared among mice from habitats with and without walnut trees. Mice from habitats with walnut trees tended to consume nuts more efficiently than mice from habitats without walnut trees. We also observed the feeding behaviour of mice in an experimental area into which walnuts were artificially placed over a period of one year. This manipulation increased the proportion of mice that were able to eat nuts frequently and efficiently. Therefore, the walnut-feeding skills of mice improved with experience. Because individual mice acquired efficient feeding during the 14-day period of walnut conditioning, trial-and-error learning may be an important mechanism contributing to this behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In theory, enrichment of resource in a predator-prey model leads to destabilization of the system, thereby collapsing the trophic interaction, a phenomenon referred to as "the paradox of enrichment". After it was first proposed by Rosenzweig (1971), a number of subsequent studies were carried out on this dilemma over many decades. In this article, we review these the oretical and experimental works and give a brief overview of the proposed solutions to the paradox. The mechanisms that have been discussed are modifications of simple predator-prey models in the presence of prey that is inedible, invulnerable, unpalatable and toxic. Another class of mechanisms includes an incorporation of a ratio-dependent functional form, inducible defence of prey and density-dependent mortality of the predator. Moreover, we find a third set of explanations based on complex population dynamics including chaos in space and time. We conclude that, although any one of the various mechanisms proposed so far might potentially prevent destabilization of the predator-prey dynamics following enrichment, in nature different mechanisms may combine to cause stability, even when a system is enriched. The exact mechanisms, which may differ among systems, need to be disentangled through extensive field studies and laboratory experiments coupled with realistic theoretical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Survival, growth (length and weight), development, proximate composition, and energy content of Artemia franciscana fed for 7 days with Isochrysis sp. (TISO) or with Chaetoceros muelleri (CHGRA) were compared to evaluate the food value of these microalgae. Mean daily survival was not significantly different, and ranged from 86% to 93%. Diet-related differences in growth were noted from the third day, and mean final dry weights (DWs) were 171 and 327 μg ind−1 for Artemia fed TISO and CHGRA respectively. Rates of development were different between diets, with a higher developmental index for Artemia fed TISO before day 3, and a higher index for Artemia fed CHGRA for the rest of the experiment. Chemical analysis showed that carbohydrates decreased to approximately 35% of the initial value in Artemia during the first 24 h, after which they remained approximately stable and similar with both diets. In percentage of total DW, lipids and proteins remained close to their respective initial values, but A. franciscana fed TISO had a higher ash content. A major difference between the two microalgae was the higher protein content of TISO, but this did not result in better growth. Of the two, TISO was richer in docosahexaenoic acid, which might explain the initial faster development, but CHGRA was a better source of eicosapentaenoic acid, which is the most probable explanation of the higher food conversion index, specific growth rate, and energy gain of A. franciscana fed this algae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three species of microalgae commonly used as feed for bivalves, Pavlova lutheri, Isochrysis aff. galbana (clone T-Iso) and Chaetoceros calcitrans forma pumilum, were produced with standard techniques and then harvested by a flocculation procedure. This method was effective for C. calcitrans and P. lutheri though a partial deterioration of cells was observed for the latter, whereas flocculation heavily damaged T-Iso cells (diffuse cellular lysis, majority of cells clumped and/or misshapen, loss in organic matter). Quality of concentrates concentrated at 1 °C was investigated by means of gross composition analysis and pheophytin a/chlorophyll a evolution over 4 weeks of storage. P. lutheri concentrates did not exhibit significant changes in gross composition over the storage period, whereas the value of pheophytin a/chlorophyll a remarkably increased, from 0.05 to 0.35. In T-Iso concentrates, a dramatic decrease in protein and carbohydrate content occurred during the first week of storage. The chemical composition of concentrated C. calcitrans cells did not substantially change during the first 3 weeks of storage; after this period, the organic matter decreased significantly (−18%).The effectiveness of trispecific (P. lutheri+T-Iso+C. calcitrans) and bispecific (P. lutheri+T-Iso; P. lutheri+C. calcitrans; T-Iso+C. calcitrans), fresh or concentrated (1 °C), diets were evaluated on Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) with larval and juvenile feeding trials, lasting 1 and 4 weeks, respectively. For larvae, concentrated diets of P. lutheri+T-Iso and T-Iso+C. calcitrans stored for 7–14 days gave better growth than the equivalent fresh diets (P<0.05). In the juvenile trial, the use of the same concentrates for a longer period (4 weeks) gave significantly lower growth compared to the corresponding fresh microalgae. In this case, the longer time of storage (8–36 days) probably prejudiced the quality of the stored concentrates. This fact was confirmed by means of larval consumption assays of fresh and concentrated microalgae using fluorimetry probes. Indeed, for P. lutheri delivered as fresh microalgae, larval grazing was twice that of concentrated cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The egg production of the copepod Acartia bifilosa was measured and related to environmental variables and food availability in two estuaries located in the same biogeographic region (Bay of Biscay) but showing very strong differences in abiotic and biotic features: the Gironde estuary (France) and the estuary of Mundaka (Spain). The study was conducted during the spring–summer–autumn period of 1994. Food availability was evaluated by analysing the chlorophyll a (Chl a), the particulate organic carbon (POC) and the easily extractable macromolecular compounds such as proteins, carbohydrates and lipids of the seston. The egg production of copepods was estimated from field incubations with natural water, and phytoplankton feeding of adult females was estimated by means of the gut fluorescence method. The nutritional environment of the Gironde was characterised by high amounts of suspended particulate matter (SPM) with low food value, emphasising the mainly detrital origin of the organic matter (OM). In Mundaka, the higher contribution of phytoplankton to the seston led to marked increases in particulate food value accounting for up to 35% of organic matter. The weight-specific egg production was found to be sharply higher in Mundaka (ranging from 0.2 to 0.63×10−3 day−1) than in the Gironde (ranging from 0 to 0.13×10−3 day−1), but the seasonal trend of variations was similar, the highest weight-specific egg production rates occurring in early summer and the lowest in autumn in both estuaries. Egg production was not correlated linearly with temperature since maximal egg production occurred at intermediate temperatures. In Mundaka, the egg production showed a significant positive correlation with the chlorophyll and the Chl/SPM and the POC/SPM ratios. This coupled with higher values of algal food availability (Chl a/SPM: 10 to 1870 μg g−1) and gut fluorescence (between 0.12 and 0.38 ng Chl a Eq ind−1) indicate that a herbivorous diet could cover the energy requirements of A. bifilosa and support egg production. In the Gironde, the algal food availability and the gut fluorescence were lower (Chl a/SPM: 10 to 80 μg g−1; GF: 0.09 and 0.25 ng Chl a Eq ind−1), and the egg production showed significant positive correlation with the particulate food value, suggesting that other sources of carbon rather than phytoplankton were responsible for the observed changes in egg production. Results indicate that the particular seston properties of each system may be responsible for the noticeable differences in A. bifilosa fertility among estuaries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The evaluation includes 34 plant species (grasses, herbs, legumes). Diagrams demonstrating the ranges of variation, trends and average values of parameters for the forage value and the ensilability are presented. The diagrams include in this paper demonstrate the crude protein content, energy density, sugar content,buffer capacity, S/BC quotient and the nitrate content. Due to the wide differentiation of the species, a uniform assessment of the plants in respect to the investigated parameters is not admissible. The forecast concerning forage value and ensilability regarding the inventory of species on partial areas seems to be justified. Averaging the plants, deficiencies in the tables which are not printed in this paper are offered. These tables are available on request from the author. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]