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In this study, oils, micronutrients and heavy metal contents of tomato seeds and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) fruits from different Turkish resources were determined. The tomato seed oil contains more than 84% unsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic acid, linoleic acid and linolenic acid. The fatty acid composition of tomato seed oil was similar to that of soybean oil. Under supercritical conditions, partial thermal degradation occurs on the double bonds of unsaturated aliphatic carbons chains in fatty acids. Linoleic acid was the major unsaturated fatty acid in tomato seed oil. The concentrations of metals (Pb, Cd, Fe, Cu, Zn, Na, K, Ca and Mg) were determined in tomato samples.

Mixed-linked (1 → 3), ( 1→ 4)-β- d -glucan contents of 14 selected cereal grains grown in Turkey, such as barley ( Hordeum vulgaria ), beans, canary seed ( Tropaeolum peregrinum ), corn/maize ( Zea mays ), flax, lentil ( Lens culinaris ), millet ( Panicum miliaceum ), oat ( Avena sativa ), peas, rice, rye ( Secale cereale ), spelt ( Triticum spelta ), spring wheat and winter wheat, were determined quantitatively using enzymatic methods. By using pure β- d -glucanase and β- d -glucosidase in the experiments, (1 → 3), ( 1→ 4)-glycosidic bonds of linear polysaccharides found in cell-wall endosperm of plant seeds were hydrolyzed and the resulting β- d -glucans were determined by using glucose oxidase/peroxidase solution and measuring the absorbances at 510 nm in a UV-spectrophotometer. The nutrient mineral contents of the 14 selected cereal grains were studied. Some macronutrients such as K, Ca, Mg, N, P and S, and some micronutrients, such as Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, and B, were analyzed by using atomic absorption spectrometric (AAS) methods. A flame photometer was used for determination of potassium. After oven drying of the samples, P was determined by a colorimetric method.

The metal bioaccumulation levels of three mushrooms were studied. Three different species of wild mushrooms growing in the East Black Sea region were analyzed spectrometrically for their trace element (Pb, Cd, Hg, Cu, Mn, and Zn) levels. Heavy metal (Hg, Pb, Cd and Cu) bioaccumulation levels of three mushrooms ( Armillaria mellea, Polyporus squamosus, Polyporus sulphureus ) samples obtained from the East Black Sea region were investigated. The Hg +2 level of Armillaria mellea samples increases sharply with increasing Hg +2 concentration in the fortified soil samples. The highest Hg +2 level was 2.65 mg/kg for A. mellea, whereas the lowest Hg +2 level was 1.45 mg/kg in P. squamosus . Cd +2 level increased with increasing Cd +2 concentration in the soil samples. The Hg content of A. mellea samples increased sharply with increasing Hg concentration in the fortified soil samples. The Cd content also increased with increasing Cd concentration in the soil samples, but the increase was less distinct than that of the Pb content. However, the Pb contents in mushrooms do not change significantly, despite increasing Pb content in the fortified soil.

Eighteen different species of wild mushrooms ( Agaricus bisporus, Agaricus silvicola, Amanita muscaria, Amanita rubescens, Amanita vaginata, Boletus sp., Hydnum repandum, Hypholoma fasciculare, Laccaria lacceta, Lactarius piperatus, Lactarius sp., Lactarius volemus, Pleurotus ostreatus, Russula cyanoxantha, Russula sp., Russula delica, Russula foetens and Tricholoma terreum ) growing in the East Black Sea region were analyzed spectrometrically for their metal element (Pb, Cd, Hg, Cu, Mn, Zn, Fe, Co, As, Ca, Na, K, Mg, Ba, Ni, Ti, Cr, Al, Bi, Sb, and Ag) levels. In the mushrooms, the highest metal concentrations were measured as 4.91, 3.48, 0.60, 92.5, 44.4, 176, 169, 0.72, 1.76, 106.4, 136, 51 000, 1320, 1.62, 145, 282, 1.68, 24.1, 1.84, 0.26, and 0.37 mg/kg (dry weight basis) for Pb, Cd, Hg, Cu, Mn, Zn, Fe, Co, As, Ca, Na, K, Mg, Ba, Ni, Ti, Cr, Al, Bi, Sb, and Ag in Russula foetens, Agaricus bisporus, Hypholoma fasciculare, Hydnum repandum, Lactarius sp., Tricholoma terreum, Amanita vaginata, Laccaria lacceta, Pleurotus ostreatus, Hypholoma fasciculare, Pleurotus ostreatus, Hypholoma fasciculare, Agaricus bisporus, Pleurotus ostreatus, Lactarius piperatus, Hydnum repandum, Russula sp., Agaricus bisporus, Russula delica , and Lactarius sp., respectively.

Six different species of wild mushrooms growing in the east Black Sea region were analyzed spectrometrically for their trace element (Pb, Cd, Hg, Cu, Mn, and Zn) levels. In the mushrooms supplied from the East Black Sea region, the highest Pb level was 6.88±2.85 mg/kg for the species Hypholoma fasciculare, which was collected near the vicinity of the road. The highest Hg level was 0.58±0.16 mg/kg for the species of Amanite vaginate, whereas the lowest Hg level was 0.06±0.02 mg/kg in Russula foetens. The highest Pb content was 6.68±2.85 mg/kg in the species of Hypholoma fasciculare. The lowest Pb level was 0.92±0.27 mg/kg in the species of Amanita rubescens. The highest Cd level was 3.16±0.72 mg/kg for Russula cyanoxantha. Among the wild mushrooms, the lowest Cd level was 1.08±0.16 mg/kg, for the species A. rubescens. The highest Cu and Mn levels were 92.5±14.1 and 56.2±12.4 mg/kg, respectively, for species of Amanita muscaria. The highest Zn level (176±31.6 mg/kg) was determined for the species Amanita vaginate. The metal bioaccumulation levels of six mushrooms were studied. The Hg level of A. vaginate samples increases sharply with increasing Hg concentration in the fortified soil samples. The highest Hg level was 3.16 mg/kg for Amanita vaginate, whereas the lowest Hg level was 0.95 mg/kg in R. foetens. The Cd level also increased with increasing Cd concentration in the soil samples, but the increase was less distinct than that of the Pb level. However, the Pb levels in mushrooms do not change significantly, despite increasing Pb level in the fortified soil. The highest concentration of Pb found was 9.14 mg/kg in H. fasciculare samples.

In this study, (1→3), (1→4)-β- d -glucan content of some culture type cereal grains grown in Turkey, such as barley, wheat, oats, rye, corn, beans, peas and chick peas; and barley, wheat (white, shain, lanser), rye, orabyehis sativa (adi yonca in Turkish) and medicaga satien (adi korunga in Turkish) grown in the plant research institute of the faculty of Ataturk University in Erzurum (Turkey) were determined quantitatively by enzymatic methods. By using pure β- d -glucanase and β- d -glucosidase in the experiments, (1→3), (1→4)-glycosidic bonds of linear polysaccharides found in cell-wall endosperm of plant seeds were hydrolyzed and the resulting β- d -glucans were determined by glucose oxidase/peroxidase solution and measuring the absorbances at 510 nm in a UV-spectrophotometer. The β- d -glucan levels of cultured cereal grains were compared to those obtained from other countries. Mean whole grain β-glucan levels (dry weight basis) for each grain type analyzed in this study were barley, 3.6%, oats, 4.1%, rye, 1.4% and wheat, 0.8%, corns (I, II), 1.4%, 0.5%, beans (I, II) 2.9%, 2.8%, peas (I, II), 0.9% and 1.4% and chickpeas, 0.9%. β- d -Glucan levels of each grain type grown in the Plant Research Institute of Ataturk University analyzed in this study were: barley, 2.8%, rye, 0.9%, wheats (shain, white, lanser), 5.4%, 0.5%, 0.6%, Orabyehis sativa , 1.4%, and Medicaga satien , 1.1%.

Concentrations of trans fatty acids (TFA) were determined in 6 soft-type and 6 hard-type Turkish margarines. Methyl esters of the fatty acids were analyzed on a Packard 427 model gas chromatograph equipped with a 32 m×0.3 mm capillary column containing a bonded 0.25 μm film of BDS liquid phase. The samples in soft-type users had a total TFA concentration of 5.28%, while margarines in hard-type users had a total TFA concentration of 12.4%. Average trans monoenoic-acid concentrations in soft-and hard-type margarine users, and non-margarine users were 2.94, 11.7 and 8.68%, respectively. Average trans dienoic-acid concentrations in soft- and hard-type margarine users, and non-margarine users were 2.18, 0.50 and 1.84%, respectively.

Four heavy metal (Hg, Pb, Cd, and Cu) contents bioaccumulated by six different species of edible mushrooms ( Laccaria laccata , Agaricus bitorquis , Tricholoma terreum , Agaricus silvicolla , Hydnum repandum and Russula delica ) of Turkish origin were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry. The natural levels of Hg (II), Pb (II), Cd (II), and Cu (II) were determined in concentrations of mg metal ion/kg dry, weight. The soils were fortified in situ with the four heavy inetals in concentrations of 0.35–11, 0.40–70, 0.21–8.45, and 0.55–32.5 ing metal ion/kg dry weight for Hg (II), Pb (II), Cd (II), and Cu (II), respectively. The highest metal levels were: 6.79 mg/kg Hg in Hydnum repandum , 6.87 mg/kg Pb in Russula delica , 16.8 mg/kg Cd in Agaricus silvicolla , and 66.4 mg/kg Cu in Tricholoma terreum on a dry-weight-basis.

Three different aged groups (4-week, 8-week and 18-week) of chickens were obtained from Manisa (in Turkey) Poultry Diseases Research and Vaccine Production Institute. Eleven metals (Cd, Ca, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mg, Mn, Hg, K, Na and Zn) and one non-metal (P) (heart, gizzard, livers, kidneys and spleens and some mineral matter in chicken tissues and meats) were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. A flame photometer was used for determinations of sodium and potassium. After oven-drying of samples, P was determined by a colorimetric method. Proximate and mineral composition of heart, gizzard and meat from different aged group chickens were determined. It is concluded that there is wide variation in metal contents of these tissues.