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Background: Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) is known as power house of omega fatty acids which has great health benefits. It contains up to 78% linolenic acid (ω-3) and 18% linoleic acid (ω-6), which could be a great source of omega-3 fatty acids for functional foods. Therefore, in this study, margarines were prepared with supplementation of different concentrations of chia oil to enhance omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidant characteristics and oxidative stability of the product. Methods: Margarines were formulated from non-hydrogenated palm oil, palm kernel and butter. Margarines were supplemented with 5, 10, 15 and 20% chia oil (T1, T2, T3 and T4), respectively. Margarine without any addition of chia oil was kept as control. Margarine samples were stored at 5 °C for a period of 90 days. Physico-chemical (fat, moisture, refractive index, melting point, solid fat index, fatty acids profile, total phenolic contents, DPPH free radical scavenging activity, free fatty acids and peroxide value) and sensory characteristics were studied at the interval of 45 days. Results: The melting point of T1, T2, T3 and T4 developed in current investigation were 34.2, 33.8, 33.1 and 32.5 °C, respectively. The solid fat index of control, T1, T2, T3 and T4 were 47.21, 22.71, 20.33, 18.12 and 16.58%, respectively. The α-linolenic acid contents in T1, T2, T3 and T4 were found 2.92, 5.85, 9.22, 12.29%, respectively. The concentration of eicosanoic acid in T2, T3 and T4 was 1.82, 3.52, 6.43 and 9.81%, respectively. The content of docosahexanoic acid in T2, T3 and T4 was present 1.26, 2.64, 3.49 and 5.19%, respectively. The omega-3 fatty acids were not detected in the control sample. Total phenolic contents of control, T1, T2, T3 and T4 samples were 0.27, 2.22, 4.15, 7.23 and 11.42 mg GAE/mL, respectively. DPPH free radical scavenging activity for control, T1, T2, T3 and T4 was noted 65.8, 5.37, 17.82, 24.95, 45.42 and 62.8%, respectively. Chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, phenolic glycoside k and phenolic glycoside Q in T3 were present 0.78, 0.73, 1.82, 4.12 and 4.49 mg/mL, respectively. After 90 days of storage period, free fatty acids and peroxide value of all the treatments were less than 0.2 (% and MeqO2/kg). Sensory characteristics of treatments were not different from the control. Conclusion: Margarines supplemented with chia oil showed enhanced level of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidant characteristics. These results suggest that chia oil can be used for formulation of margarine with increased level of omega-3 fatty acids and acceptable sensory characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fish meat and its products are usually accepted as good source of biological high value food components and especially for polyunsaturated fatty acids. The quality of fish meat products is considered to be decreased by the lipid peroxidation which leads to reduction in nutritional quality, financial loss and severe health problems. Many tactics are present to reserve their quality and safety. In the present investigation, the extraction and supplementation of optimal total polyphenol extracts (TPC) from vegetable and fruit by−products was explored for lipids oxidative stability and sensoric acceptability of functional fish product samples. Methods: Vegetable and fruit by−products (cabbage leaves and banana peels) were collected from local fruits and vegetables processing industries. A 3−level five factor Box−Behnken design was used to study the effect of extraction/sonication temperature (°C), amplitude level, water/meal ratio, extraction/sonication time (minutes) and pH conditions for maximum yield of TPC from dried vegetable and fruit samples. The TPC samples were analyzed for chemical composition (total polyphenols, cyanogenic contents and tannins). Natural TPC extracts were supplemented at different concentration (0.5, 1 and 1.5%) to fish meat for preparation of different meat ball samples. The fish meat product samples without supplementation of TPC extract were kept as control. The partial/parfrying of the products was carried out to determine the lipid stability (peroxide value and free fatty acids) stored at refrigerator (for 9 days) and at − 18 °C in a freezer for a storage period of 60−days. The sensoric analysis (color, flavor and overall acceptability) was performed at different storage intervals for experimental treatments. Results: The percent values of TPC yield from cabbage leave and banana peel samples ranged from a from minimum value of 9.8 ± 0.12% to a maximum value of 19.8 ± 0.15% for cabbage leaves and minimum value of 15.55 ± 0.13% to a maximum value of 24.4 ± 0.17% for banana peels, respectively. The results revealed that extraction conditions significantly affect the TPC yield from cabbage leaves and banana peels. The cabbage leaves and banana peels contain up to 4.8% total phenolics, cyanogenic compounds (1.44 − 1.47 ± 0.14) and tannins (6.55–7.90 ± 0.22). Peroxide values (meqO2 /kg) of meat balls treated with TPC extracts at 4 °C were in the range of 1.31 ± 0.12 to 3.10 ± 0.20 while at − 18 °C ranged was found 1.31 ± 0.12 to 1.55 ± 0.17, respectively. Peroxide values of all the treatments increased at the end of second interval then decreased at the end of last storage interval. Peroxide values of all treatments were higher and significantly different at the beginning and the end of the storage period (p < 0.05). In a similar way, free fatty acids and moisture content values trend was recorded for all experimental treatments. Sensory scores of fish product samples for color, flavor and overall acceptability showed a significant difference in sensory scores at refrigeration temperatures where sensory scores of fish product samples decreased significantly (p < 0.05) throughout refrigeration storage. Whereas, the sensory scores at the − 18 °C shows the good sensory characteristics, relatively. Conclusions: Phenolic extracts containing antioxidant status can interact with free lipidperoxy or lipidoxy free radicals (formed in result of lipid oxidation) and hence stopping their further self−breakdown. Plant−based phenolic extracts can be used to decrease oxidation process and increase the shelf life of fish meat products. Additional studies should be undertaken to determine the maximal shelf life of food products supplemented with different plant−based polyphenol extracts and treatment of nutritional disorders through their absorption, metabolism and distribution pattern into biological tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiovascular diseases and diabetes are responsible for large number of deaths throughout the globe. Bitter gourd has the potential to become a component of the diet or a dietary supplement for diabetic and pre-diabetic patients owing to the presence of insulin like molecules. Recent investigations have suggested that bitter gourd extracts may ameliorate high fat diet induced obesity and hyperlipidemia in animal models. Moreover, its supplements in food result in lowering weight gain and visceral fat mass. Methods: The current study was designed to investigate the nutraceutical potential of skin, flesh and whole fruit of bitter gourd cultivars against hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. For the purpose, various bitter gourd cultivars were procured from local market. Bio-evaluation studies were carried out on biochemical parameters using rodent experiment model. Results: From results, it was revealed that maximum reduction in blood glucose skin 1.06%, flesh 2.65%, whole fruit 4.29%, total cholesterol skin 6.60%, flesh 6.04%, whole fruit 6.70%, low density lipoprotein skin 5.55%, flesh 6.81%, whole fruit 6.60%, and triglycerides skin 0.04%, flesh 3.38%, whole fruit 2.02%, were observed. Moreover, insulin skin 2.14%, flesh 3.52%, whole fruit 2.73%, production was slightly enhanced with improved levels of high density lipoprotein in whole fruit of bitter gourd. Conclusion: Overwhelmingly, it may be inferred here that bitter gourd holds the potential to significantly improve diabetic conditions and associated late complications with no ill effects on body organs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]