Health Risk Assessment of Employees Exposed to Chlorination By-products of Recreational Water in Large Amusement Parks in Shanghai

Objective Chlorination is often used to disinfect recreational water in large amusement parks;however,the health hazards of chlorination disinfection by-products(DBPs)to occupational populations are unknown.This study aimed to assess the exposure status of chlorinated DBPs in recreational water and the health risks to employees of large amusement parks.Methods Exposure parameters of employees of three large amusement parks in Shanghai were investigated using a questionnaire.Seven typical chlorinated DBPs in recreational water and spray samples were quantified by gas chromatography,and the health risks to amusement park employees exposed to chlorinated DBPs were evaluated according to the WHO's risk assessment framework.Results Trichloroacetic acid,dibromochloromethane,bromodichloromethane,and dichloroacetic acid were detected predominantly in recreational water.The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of the five DBPs did not exceed the risk thresholds.In addition,the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of mixed exposure to DBPs were within the acceptable risk limits.Conclusion Typical DBPs were widely detected in recreational water collected from three large amusement parks in Shanghai;however,the health risks of DBPs and their mixtures were within acceptable limits.

Progress in Analytical Methods of Halogenated Disinfection By-Products

Ensuring the health and safety of drinking water is crucial for both nations and their citizens.Since the 20th century,the disinfection of drinking water,effectively controlling pathogens in water sources,has become one of the significant advances in public health.However,the disinfectants used in the process,such as chlorine and chlorine dioxide,react with natural organic matter in the water to produce disinfection by-products(DBPs).Most of these DBPs contain chlorine,and if the source water contains bromine or iodine,brominated or iodinated DBPs,collectively referred to as Halogenated disinfection byproducts(X-DBPs),are formed.Numerous studies have found that X-DBPs pose potential risks to human health and the environment,leading to widespread concern.Mass spectrometry has become an important means of discovering new types of X-DBPs.This paper focuses on the study of methods for analyzing X-DBPs in drinking water using mass spectrometry.

Protective Role of Ca Against NaCl Toxicity in Jerusalem Artichoke by Up-Regulation of Antioxidant Enzymes

The ameliorative effect of external Ca^2＋ on Jerusalem artichoke （Helianthus tuberosus L.） under salt stress was studied through biochemical and physiological analyses of Jerusalem artichoke seedlings treated with or without 10 mol L^-1 CaCl2, 150 mmol L^-1 NaCl, and/or 5 mmol L^-1 ethylene-bis（oxyethylenenitrilo）-tetraacetic acid （EGTA） for five days. Exposure to NaC1 （150 mmol L^-1） decreased growth, leaf chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic rate of Jerusalem artichoke seedlings. NaC1 treatment showed 59% and 37% higher lipid peroxidation and electrolyte leakage, respectively, than the control. The activities of superoxide dismutase （SOD）, peroxidase （POD）, and catalase （CAT） were decreased by NaCl, indicating an impeded antioxidant defense mechanism of Jerusalem artichoke grown under salt stress. Addition of 10 mmol L^-1 CaCl2 to the salt solutions significantly decreased the damaging effect of NaC1 on growth and chlorophyll content and simultaneously restored the rate of photosynthesis almost to the level of the control. Ca^2＋ addition decreased the leaf malondialdehyde （MDA） content and electrolyte leakage from NaCl-treated seedlings by 47% and 24%, respectively, and significantly improved the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT in NaCl-treated plants. Addition of EGTA, a specific chelator of Ca2＋, decreased the growth, chlorophyll content, and photosynthesis, and increased level of MDA and electrolyte leakage from NaCl-treated plants and from the control plants. EGTA addition to the growth medium also repressed the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT in NaCl-treated and control seedlings. External Ca2＋ might protect Jerusalem artichoke against NaC1 stress by up-regulating the activities of antioxidant enzymes and thereby decreasing the oxidative stress.

Effects of molasses on the fermentation characteristics of mixed silage prepared with rice straw, local vegetable by-products and alfalfa in Southeast China

This experiment was conducted to study the effect of molasses on the fermentation characteristics of mixed silage ensiled rice straw and vegetable by-products with alfalfa.Mixture（202 g kg^-1 dry matter（DM））consisting of rice straw,broccoli residue and alfalfa at the ratio of 5：4：1 was ensiled with three experimental treatments：（1）no additives（control）;（2）molasses at 2.5%（M1）;（3）molasses at 5%（M2）on a fresh matter basis of mixture,respectively.All treatments were packed into laboratory-scale silos,and three silos per treatment were sampled on days 1,3,5,14 and 30.The result showed that the p H value of all mixed silages decreased gradually with the time of ensiling except for the control silage,in which a significant increase（P〈0.05）on day 30 occurred.The lactic acid content increased gradually with the time of ensiling and reached the highest value on day 14,and a marked decrease（P〈0.05）was found in the control silage on day 30.The changes of acetic acid content showed similar pattern with lactic acid content.A trace amount of propionic and butyric acid contents were found in the three mixed silages during the fermentation period.Comparing to the control,M1 and M2 treatments improved the fermentation quality of mixed silages as indicated by higher（P〈0.05）lactic acid contents and lower（P〈0.05）p H and ammonia-N contents.The Flieg points also showed that M1 and M2 silages were well preserved,whereas the control silage had a bad quality.Overall,the findings of this study suggested that adding molasses could improve fermentation quality of mixed silage,and M1 was more suitable for practical application.

Assessing Genetic Structure and Relatedness of Jerusalem Artichoke (<i>Helianthus tuberosus</i>L.) Germplasm with RAPD, ISSR and SRAP Markers

Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) is an old tuber crop with a recently renewed interest in multipurpose improvement, but little effort has been made to characterize its genetic resources. A study was conducted to assess genetic structure and genetic relatedness of 47 diverse Jerusalem artichoke accessions using RAPD, ISSR and SRAP markers. A total of 296 (87.1%) polymorphic bands were detected from 13 RAPD markers;92 (80%) from six ISSR primers;and 194 (88.6%) for nine combinations of SRAP primers. Five optimal clusters were inferred by the STRUCTURE program from the RAPD or ISSR data, while six optimal clusters were found from the SRAP data or combined marker data. Significant linear relationships between the distance matrices for all pairs of individual accessions were detected for all marker pairs and the estimated correlation coefficient was 0.40 for RAPD-ISSR, 0.53 for RAPD-SRAP, and 0.43 for ISSR-SRAP. Based on the combined data, the neighbor-joining clustering of the 47 accessions matched closely with those inferred from the STRUCTURE program. Three ancestral groups were observed for the Canadian germplasm. Most diverse germplasm harbored in the USA collection. These findings not only reveal the compatible patterns of genetic structure and relatedness inferred with three marker types, but also are useful for managing Jerusalem artichoke germplasm and utilizing diverse germplasm for genetic improvement.

Salting-out Extraction of 2,3-Butanediol from Jerusalem artichoke-based Fermentation Broth

The removal of solid impurities and separation of target products from a fermentation broth is becoming more tedious with the utilization of lignocelluloses as source of substrate.2,3-Butanediol,an important chemical used widely is also a main product of sugar-based fermentation carried out by Klebsiella pneumoniae.In this study,we investigated the use of salting-out extraction(SOE) that employed a K2HPO4/ethanol system consisting of 21% ethanol and 17% K2HPO4(mass fraction) to separate 2,3-butanediol from the viscous Jerusalem artichoke-based fermentation broth.After SOE,about 98% of solid matters was removed,and the viscosity decreased from 72.5 mPa s in the original fermentation broth to 4.4 mPa s in the top phase.The partition coefficient and yield of 2,3-butanediol reached 13.4 and 99%,respectively,and 89% of soluble proteins was removed from the broth.The results showed that SOE is an efficient way for isolating 2,3-BD from a highly viscous fermentation broth by removing much of the solid matters within the broth.

Soil Properties and Yield of Jerusalem Artichoke(Helianthus tuberosus L.)with Seawater Irrigation in North China Plain

Irrigation with various dilutions of seawater can act as an alternate water resource and thus plays an important role in saving freshwater resources as well as promoting agriculture in the coastal semi-arid areas of the North China Plain. Jerusalem artichoke （Helianthus tuberosus L.） grown in a field experiment was irrigated with seawater diluted with freshwater from 2001 to 2003 to determine the feasibility of seawater irrigation in the Laizhou area. For treatments of CK （non-irrigation） along with seawater concentrations of 25%, 50%, and 75%, total dissolved solid （TDS） in the non-irrigated soil significantly increased （P ≤ 0.05） in both 2002 and 2003 and was 1.3 times higher in 2003 than in 2001. In the 25% and 50% seawater concentration treatments, TDS in 2001 was significantly greater （P ≤ 0.05） than CK; however, TDS in these two treatments decreased by 34.9% and 40.1%, respectively, in 2003 compared with 2001. The sodium adsorption ratio （SAR） remained below 10 mmol^1/2 L^-1/2, indicating that alkalization was low with seawater irrigation. In 2001 and 2002, compared to CK and the irrigation treatment with 75% seawater, irrigation with 25% and 50% seawater increased the yields of Jerusalem .artichoke. This meant that Jerusalem artichoke could be safely grown in salt-affected land of Laizhou area with 25% and 50% seawater irrigation.

Optimization of pectin extraction and antioxidant activities from Jerusalem artichoke

Jerusalem artichoke is an economic crop widely planted in saline-alkaline soil. The use of Jerusalem artichoke is of great significance. In this study, the response surface method was employed to optimize the effects of processing variables （extraction temperature, pH, extraction time, and liquid-to- solid ratio） on the yield of Jerusalem artichoke pectin. Under the optimal extraction conditions： pHl .52, 63.62 min, 100℃ and a liquid-to-solid ratio of 44.4 mL/g, the maximum pectin yield was predicted to be 18.76%. Experiments were conducted under these optimal conditions and a pectin yield of 18.52＋0.90% was obtained, which validated the model prediction. The effects of different drying methods （freeze drying, spray drying and vacuum drying） on the properties of Jerusalem artichoke pectin were evaluated and they were compared with apple pectin. FTIR spectral analysis showed no major structural differences in Jerusalem artichoke pectin samples produced by various drying treatments. The antioxidant activities of pectin dried by different methods were investigated using in vitro hydroxyl and DPPH radical scavenging systems. The results revealed that the activities of spray dried pectin （SDP） and apple pectin （AP） were stronger than those of vacuum oven dried pectin （ODP） and vacuum freeze dried pectin （FDP）. Therefore compared with the other two drying methods, the spray drying method was the best.

Effect of Saline Aquaculture Effluent on Salt-Tolerant Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) in a Semi-Arid Coastal Area of China

An experiment with six treatments: CK1 (rainfed), CK2 (irrigated with freshwater), and 4 treatments of saline aquaculture effluent blended with brackish groundwater at different ratios of 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, and 1:4 (v/v) was carried out during 2004 to assess the effect of saline aquaculture effluent on plant growth and soil properties in the Laizhou region, Shandong Province, China and to determine an optimal salinity threshold for aquaculture effluent. Cumulative evapotranspiration for the saline aquaculture effluent irrigation and non-irrigation treatments was lower than that for the freshwater irrigation treatment. Soil electrical conductivity was higher with respect to saline aquaculture effluent irrigation treatment compared to that with respect to non-irrigation or freshwater irrigation treatment. For Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.), in comparison to the freshwater treatment, plant height and aboveground biomass for the 1:3 and 1:4 treatments were constrained, whereas stem width and root biomass were enhanced. Concomitantly, higher tuber yield was obtained for the 1:3 and 1:4 treatments compared to that for CK1 and 1:1 treatments. Nitrogen and phosphorus were higher in tubers of the 1:4 treatment. This study demonstrated that saline aquaculture effluent could be used successfully to irrigate Jerusalem artichoke with higher tuber yield and nutrient removal.

Simultaneous Control of Microorganisms and Disinfection By-products by Sequential Chlorination

Objective To introduce a new sequential chlorination disinfection process in which short-term free chlorine and chloramine are sequentially added. Methods Pilot tests of this sequential chlorination were carried out in a drinking water plant. Results The sequential chlorination disinfection process had the same or better efficiency on microbe （including virus） inactivation compared with the free chlorine disinfection process. There seemed to be some synergetic disinfection effect between free chlorine and monochloramine because they attacked different targets. The sequential chlorination disinfection process resulted in 35.7%-77.0% TTHM formation and 36.6%-54.8% THAA5 formation less than the free chlorination process. The poorer the water quality was, the more advantage the sequential chlorination disinfection had over the free chlorination. Conclusion This process takes advantages of free chlorine＇s quick inactivation of microorganisms and chloramine＇s low disinfection by-product （DBP） yield and long-term residual effect, allowing simultaneous control of microbes and DBPs in an effective and economic way.

Impact of Inulin Extracted, Purified from (Chicory and Globe Artichoke) Roots and the Combination with Maltodextrin as Prebiotic Dietary Fiber on the Functional Properties of Stirred Bio-Yogurt

Inulin is a prebiotic dietary fiber that plays an integral role in producing functional dairy products with improved health benefits. Therefore, the objectives of this study are as follows: extract and purify inulin from chicory roots and globe artichoke roots;evaluate the physicochemical, functional properties and functional groups of the purified inulin;determine the functional properties of chicory roots inulin-maltodextrin and globe artichoke roots inulin-maltodextrin and compare it with that of the commercial inulin;examine the impact of various inulin on physiochemical, microstructural, textural, sensory characteristics and as prebiotic dietary fiber on probiotic bacteria’s viability of stirred bio-yogurt. The characteristics of the microstructure were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy to detect the functional group. The resulting inulin exhibited a high yield and purity along with enhanced functional properties. Stirred bio-yogurt fortified with chicory roots inulin or globe artichoke roots inulin showed enhanced physicochemical, microstructural, microbiological, and overall sensorial acceptability followed by chicory roots inulin-maltodextrin or globe artichoke roots inulin-maltodextrin and the commercial inulin as compared to the control. Stirred bio-yogurt samples can offer various health benefits and wide applications as supplement of prebiotic dietary fiber in dairy industry.

Effects of Replacing Fishmeal with Animal By-products Meal Supplementation in Diets on the Growth and Nutrient Utilization of Mangrove Red Snapper

A feeding trial was conducted for 75 d to evaluate the nutritive value of a mixture of animal by-products （MAB） as a possible protein source in diets for juvenile mangrove red snapper, Lutjanus argentimaculatus （mean initial body weight, 30 g）. Fish were fed one of five isonitrogenous diets （40% crude protein） replacing 0, 25% （MAB25）, 50% （MAB50）, 75% （MAB75） and 100% （MAB100） of fish meal protein with similar percentages of MAB. The MAB consisted of 25% cow liver meal, 20% leather meal, 20% meat and bone meal, 15% blood meal, 10% APC （poultry feather meal）, 8% poultry manure dried, 1.5% choline and 0.5% chromic oxide. After 75 d of feeding, fish fed with diets MAB50, MAB75 and MABI00 exhibited significantly lower growth performance than that of fish fed with control and MAB25 diets. The optimum level of MAB was estimated to be 23%. Replacement of fish meal by MAB23% showed the following performance： maximum weight gain, 510%; SGR, 2.39% and FCE, 2.83%. The MAB substitution up to 75% of fish meal protein in diets did not show differences in apparent protein digestibility （83.6% for MAB25, 79.2% for MAB50, 78.7% for MAB75） compared with control （83.4%）, whereas in MABI00 group digestibility （65.3%） was significantly lower than in other groups. The apparent phosphorus absorption of test diet groups was significantly higher （37.1% for MAB25, 28.5% for MABS0, 55.6% for MAB75 and 54.5% for MABI00） than that of control （1 1.2%）. The levels of protein and ash in the whole body, carcass and viscera increased as MAB substitution in diets increased, whereas lipids and moisture remained consistent among all treatment groups. These results showed that approximately 23% of fish meal protein could be replaced by a mixture of animal by-products for juvenile snapper growing from 30 g to 167 g in 75 d without compromising growth performance and feed efficiency.

Nitric acid pressure leaching of limonitic laterite ores:Regeneration of HNO3 and simultaneous synthesis of fibrous CaSO4·2H2O by-products

An innovative technology,nitric acid pressure leaching of limonitic laterite ores,was proposed by our research team.The HNO3 regeneration is considerable significance for the improvement of the proposed technology and its commercial application,but it has not been systematically investigated.Herein,regenerating HNO3 from Ca(NO3)2 solution with low-cost H2SO4,and simultaneous synthesis of fibrous CaSO4·2H2O by-products were studied.As a theoretical basis,the solubility of CaSO4·2H2O in HNO3 medium is studied.It is concluded that the solubility of CaSO4·2H2O increases with increasing temperature or increasing HNO3 concentration,which has considerable guiding significance for the subsequent experimental research and analysis.Then,the effects of various factors on the residual Ca^2+ concentration of filtrate,the regenerated HNO3 concentration and the morphology of synthesized products are investigated using ICP-AES and SEM.And the effect mechanism is also analyzed.The results indicate the regenerated HNO3 concentration reaches 116 g/L with the residual Ca^2+ concentration being 9.7 g/L at the optimum conditions.Moreover,fibrous CaSO4·2H2O by-products with high aspect ratios(length,406.32μm;diameter,14.71μm;aspect ratio,27.62)can be simultaneously synthesized.

Neem by-products in the fight against mosquito-borne diseases:Biotoxicity of neem cake fractions towards the rural malaria vector Anopheles culicifacies(Diptera:Culicidae)

Objective: To evaluate the ovicidal, larvicidal and adulticidal potential of neem cake fractions of different polarity against the rural malaria vector Anopheles culicifacies(An.culicifacies).Methods: Neem cake fractions' total methanol extract(NTMeOH), total ethyl acetate extract(NTAc OEt), ethyl acetate fraction after repartition with NTMe OH(NRAc OEt),butanol fraction after repartition with NTMeOH(NRBuOH), and aqueous fraction after repartition of NTMeOH(NRH2O) were tested against An. culicifacies eggs, fourth instar larvae and adults.Results: In larvicidal experiments, NTMeOH, NTAcOEt, NRAcOEt, NRBuOH and NRH2O achieved LC50 values of 1.32, 1.50, 1.81, 1.95 and 2.54 mg/L, respectively. All fractions tested at 150 mg/L were able to reduce egg hatchability of more than 50%, with the exception of NTAc OEt and NRAc OEt. In adulticidal assays, NTMeOH, NTAcOEt,NRAcOEt, NRBuOH and NRH2O achieved LC50 values of 3.01, 2.95, 3.23, 3.63 and3.00 mg/L, respectively.Conclusions: Overall, this study suggests that the methanolic fractions of neem cake may be considered as a new and cheap source of highly effective compounds against the rural malaria vector An. culicifacies.

Comprehensive utilization of corn starch processing by-products:A review

Corn is a high starchy cereal crop with the highest production and provides over 85%of the starch produced worldwide.Various by-products,differentiated by technological process features such as steep liquor,corn germ,corn bran,gluten,are created largely during corn starch processing.They are inexpensive,nutrient-rich,and vary widely in chemical composition such as proteins,oils,carbohydrates,and minerals.In an increasingly resource-constrained modern world,the utilization approach of these by-products for non-starch industrial processing is attractive widely considering both nutritive value and economic aspects.In fact,at present,applications of these by-products can often be found in feed,fermentation,nutrient extraction and other industries.For example,protein-rich corn gluten can be used as a good animal feed,and corn germ can be used as a raw material for the high-quality edible oil industry.Undoubtedly,increasing utilization means that these by-products will no longer be treated as waste but will be transformed into high value-added products.In this work,the separation process and chemical composition of several main by-products of the corn starch industry is briefly described,and the application in many industrial fields of these by-products over the last ten years are discussed in particular.This review attempts to summarize all aspects of the application and research of these by-products.For the by-products of the corn starch industry,the most promising way is to be utilized in high value and used to produce high value-added products.According to the characteristics of their chemical composition,they have a better application prospect and research significance in the industries directly related to human beings,such as medicine,green food and health care products.In fact,in recent years,some researchers have recognized this and carried out the research.It is clear fromthese studies that the main issues to be faced nowand in the future are how to produce efficiently while maintaining the quality of the product and using it effectively.The retrospective discussions also provide some ideas for other grain and oilseed crops to be fully utilized.

Removal of disinfection by-products formation potential by biologically intensified process

The removal of disinfection by-products formation potential(DBPFP) in artificially intensified biological activated carbon(IBAC) process which is developed on the basis of traditional ozone granular activated carbon was evaluated. By IBAC removals of 31% and 68% for THMFP and HAAFP were obtained respectively. Under identical conditions, the removals of the same substances were 4% and 32% respectively only by the granular activated carbon(GAC) process. Compared with GAC, the high removal rates of the two formed potential substances were due to the increasing of bioactivity of the media and the synergistic capabilities of biological degradation cooperating with activated carbon adsorption of organic compounds. A clear linear correlation(R 2=0.9562 and R 2=0.9007) between DOC HAAFP removal rate and Empty Bed Contact Time(EBCT) of IBAC process was observed, while that between THMFP removal rate and EBCT of GAC was R 2=0.9782. In addition certain linear correlations between THMFP, HAAFP and UV 254 (R 2=0.855 and R 2=0.7702) were found for the treated water. For IBAC process there are also more advantages such as long backwashing cycle time, low backwashing intensity and prolonging activated carbon lifetime and so on.

Enzymatic recovery of glycopeptides from different industrial grades edible bird’s nest and its by-products:nutrient,probiotic and antioxidant activities,and physicochemical characteristics

This study was conducted to recover edible bird’s nest(EBN)hydrolysates from different grades of EBN,including the industrial by-products,using enzymatic treatment.The nutrient,physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of the recovered hydrolysates at different hydrolysis times were evaluated.Results showed that the recovery yield of enzymatic hydrolysis was above 89%for all grades of EBN and the degree of hydrolysis increased over time.Nitrite content(0.321-0.433 mg/L)was below the permissible tolerance level for all samples.Interestingly,the antioxidant activities(DPPH and ABTS scavenging activities and ferric reducing antioxidant powder(FRAP)activity)were significantly higher(P≤0.05)in hydrolysates recovered from EBN by-products(EBNhC and EBNhD)as compared to the high grade EBN hydrolysates(EBNhA and EBNhB).The in-vitro probiotic activity of EBN and its hydrolysates were examined using the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum.Evidently,EBN by-products hydrolysate(EBNhD)recorded the highest number of L.plantarum(1.1×1011 CFU/mL),indicating that low grade EBN has the potential as prebiotic material that promotes probiotic activity.This study demonstrated the concept of using EBN by-products hydrolysates for various applications,such as functional ingredients with enhanced bioactivities,to improve its economic value.

Study on Accumulation and Dynamic Changes of Three Carbohydrates in Jerusalem Artichoke in Natural Habitats

Two varieties of Jerusalem artichoke (early maturing variety Qingyu No.1 and middle maturing variety Qingyu No.2),which were bred independently by Research and Development Center of Jerusalem Artichoke,Qinghai Academy of Agriculture and Forestry,were used as materials,and the content and dynamic changes of three kinds of carbohydrates (sucrose,glucose and fructose) in various organs of Jerusalem artichoke in different periods in two natural habitats (water plain and low hill dry land) were studied.The results showed that the content of the three kinds of carbohydrates in Qingyu No.1 and Qingyu No.2 in the water plain and low hill dry land was relatively high in late June and late August.The total content of the three carbohydrates in Qingyu No.1 peaked earlier than that of Qingyu No.2.The total content of the three carbohydrates in the water plain peaked earlier than that of the low hill dry land.In the whole growth period,the total content of the three carbohydrates in the stems and roots of Jerusalem artichoke was higher than that of the leaves.In the leaves,fructose accumulation was relatively obvious in the whole growth period,and the content was high,followed by glucose.In the stems and roots,fructose content was high,followed by sucrose.In the tubers,glucose accumulation was obvious,and sucrose content was lower than glucose and fructose content.When the tubers were harvested,fructose content was high.

Biological Studies on Bio-Yoghurt Fortified with Prebiotic Obtained from <i>Jerusalem artichoke</i>

Inulin, an oligosaccharide produced by several plants, has been shown to enhance the viability of probiotic cultures in milk through storage. Jerusalem artichoke ( Helianthus tuberosus L.) is an interested prebiotic because its tuber has risen content of inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides. This study was aimed to: 1) set the effect of Jerusalem artichoke in deferent concentrations (2.5% & 5%) on the growth of probiotic Lb. acidophilus P106 in the bio-yoghurt during cold storage at 5℃ and sensory evaluation of probiotic yoghurts;2) study the effect of feeding with this synbiotic fermented milk on diabetic mice. It could be concluded that the Jerusalem artichoke influenced the growth of Lb. acidophilus P106 and 5% (w/v) Jerusalem artichoke was given the highest growth and sensory evaluation. On the other hand, no serious adverse effects were observed;the reduction of blood glucose was observed at the termination of empirical phase, also, high level (5%) of Jerusalem artichoke led to more reduction of blood glucose, cholesterol levels and total lipids compared with control.

Polyphenol Composition, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Quorum Quenching Activity of the “Carciofo di Montoro” (<i>Cynara cardunculus</i>var. <i>scolymus</i>) Global Artichoke of the Campania Region, Southern Italy

Biochemical characteristics, antimicrobial and quorum quenching activity of the extract of the “Carciofo di Montoro”, a typical ecotype of Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus of the Campania region (Southern Italy) were studied, to consider it as potential reserve of bioactive constituents useful for food industry and beneficial for managing and preventing several chronic illnesses in humans. The extract exhibited a good polyphenol content (528 μg GAE/g) and antioxidant activity (EC50 less than 5 mg). Ultra pressure liquid chromatography (UPLC) revealed high amount of chlorogenic acid, cynarin and epicatechin. The extract showed antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylocccus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis and Bacillus cereus pathogen strains. Finally, quorum quenching activity was demonstrated. The variety Carciofo di Montoro could represent a good source of health-promoting polyphenols, encouraging a nutraceutical use of such ecotype, for several phyto-pharmaceutical applications.