Nutritional and Sensory Properties of Penne-Type Pasta Based on Cereals (Oryza sativa (L.), Digitaria exilis, Pennicetum glaucum), Tubers (Ipomoea batata, Manihot esculenta Crantz), and a Legume (Vigna unguiculata (L.))

This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional and sensory characteristics of penne-type pasta produced from locally sourced cereals, tubers, and legumes. To achieve this, we formulated four different types of pasta with varying levels of incorporation ranging from 10 to 50% cereals such as millet, fonio, and rice, tubers such as manioc and sweet potato, and legumes such as cowpea. The results showed that the incorporation of local products considerably improved the nutrient content of penne without being rejected by consumers. Sensory analysis showed that the best results were obtained with mixtures of sweet potato, cowpea, and wheat, as well as with rice, manioc, cowpea, and sample wheat. These results are of great importance to manufacturers in a world where developing nutritious and attractive food products is a crucial challenge.

The Relationship Between Developmental Accumulation of Leaf Soluble Proteins and Vernalization Response of Wheat(Triticum aestivum L.em. Thell)

The relationship between vernalization requirement and quantitative and qualitative changes in total leaf soluble proteins were determined in one spring （cv. Kohdasht） and two winter （cvs. Sardari and Norstar） cultivars of wheat （Triticum aestivum L.） exposed to 4℃. Plants were sampled on days 2, 14, 21 and 35 of exposure to 4℃. The final leaf number （FLN） was determined throughout the vernalization periods （0, 7, 14, 24, and 35 d） at 4℃. The final leaf number decreased until days 24 and 35 in Sardari and Norstar eultivars, respectively, indicating the vernalization saturation at these times. No clear changes were detected in the final leaf number of Kohdash cultivar, verifying no vernalization requirement for this spring wheat cultivar. Comparing with control, clear cold-induced 2-fold increases in proteins quantity occurred after 48 h following the 4℃-treatment in the leaves of the both winter wheat cultivars but, such response was not detected in the spring cultivar. However, the electrophoretic protein patterns showed between-cultivar and between-temperature treatment differences. With increasing exposure time to 4℃, the winter cultivars tended to produce more HMW polypeptides than the spring cultivar. Similar proteins were induced in both Sardari and Norstar winter wheat cultivars, however, the long vernalization requirement in Norstar resulted in high level and longer duration of expression of cold-induced proteins compared to Sardari with a short vernalization requirement. These observations indicate that vernalization response regulates the expression of low temperature （LT） tolerance proteins and determines the duration of expression of LT- induced proteins.

Antioxygenic Activity of <i>Solanum nigrum L.</i>Leaves in Sunflower Oil Model System and Its Thermal Stability

The antioxygenic activity of Solanum nigrum L. leaves and its various solvent extracts were evaluated using sunflower oil model system. Leaf powder and its methanol/water (80:20) soluble fraction showed strong antioxygenic activity in refined sunflower oil. On the other hand, ethyl acetate fraction exhibited marginal antioxygenic activity, whereas the water soluble fraction was practically devoid of any activity in refined sunflower oil. Thermal stability of different extracts of Solanum nigrum L. leaves heated at 80?C in refined sunflower oil also indicated the strong efficacy of methanol/water (80:20) extract to inhibit thermal oxidation. Solanum nigrum L. contain high levels of magnesium (239.0 mg/100g) and phosphorous (80.3 mg/100g). Fatty acid analysis of the lipid extracted from Solanum nigrum L. leaves indicated the presence of linoleic (59.1%) as a major fatty acid. The result of this study confirmed the presence of antioxygenic compounds in leaves, in particular its methanol/water (80:20) extracts showed great potential as a natural antioxidant to inhibit lipid peroxidation in foods.

Development and Evaluation of Shelf Stability of Flaxoat Nutty Bar in Different Packaging Materials

Flaxoat nutty bar, a granola cereal bar was developed using oat and wheat as major cereal ingredients and their shelf life was assessed in polypropylene (PP 75 μ), paper (42 GSM) aluminium foil (20 μ) polyethylene (PFP, 37.5 μ) and metallised polyester (MP, 12 μ) low density/linear low density (150 μ) (with and without vacuum) films and stored under ambient temperature conditions and 37℃. Chemical changes in bar under different packaging materials during storage revealed that, the bar remained stable and acceptable for 12 months at ambient conditions irrespective of the packaging materials used, while at 37℃, the bar packed in PP films remained stable for 6 months only and rest of the bars packed in PFP, MP and MP (vacuum) films found stable and acceptable for the entire storage period of 12 months. The effect of aw on lipid peroxidation established the maximum stability of the bar at 0.33 aw. Fourteen fatty acids were identified in which oleic (50.91%), linoleic (22.50%) and palmitic (12.63%) acids were found to be the major fatty acids. Fortification of a bar with vitamin C, B1 and B2 contents to meet 50% RDA enhanced vitamin contents and the maximum retention was observed in bars packed under vacuum in MP films.

<i>In Vitr</i>Antioxygenic Activity of Ridge Gourd (<i>Luffa acutangula</i>) Pulp, Peel and Their Extracts on Peroxidation Models

Ridge gourd pulp and peel powders as well as their various solvent fractions were evaluated for antioxygenic activity using different methods. Ridge gourd pulp and peel powders at 2% level and their ethanol/water soluble extracts exhibited strong antioxygenic activity in sunflower oil stored at 37?C. The water soluble extract devoid of any antioxygenic activity in sunflower oil. Ridge gourd pulp and peel powders as well as their extracts were evaluated for their antioxygenic activity using linoleic acid peroxidation, β-carotene-linoleic acid bleaching and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) methods. Ethanol/water extracts from ridge gourd pulp and peel showed highest antioxygenic activity followed by water extracts, while the petroleum ether extract showed moderate antioxygenic activity. Ridge gourd peel powder and its extracts showed slightly higher antioxygenic activity than ridge gourd pulp powder and its extracts. This may be attributed to the presence of higher amounts of phenolics and flavonoids which have been reported as potential antioxidants.

Spring Wheat Disease and Yield Responses to Nitrogen Fertilization and Chemical Treatments

P. tritici-repentis, B. graminb and C. sativus are important diseases of spring wheat in Estonia. Field trials were carried out during 2006 and 2008 in JiSgeva PBI. Two kinds of treatments were used： Tl consisted of four different rates of basic fertilizer： NO = NOPOK0; N1 = N60P13K23, N2 = N 100P22K39; N3 = N140P31K54 kg ha^-1. T2 treatment consisted of same rates of basic fertilizers and in addition growth regulator, fungicides and leaf fertilizers. Seeds of the varieties ＂Monsun＂ and ＂Vinjett＂ were untreated. Results of the effects of fertilizers on the infections of fungal diseases on spring wheat monoculture revealed that test years had the biggest influence on infection intensity of B. graminis （REy = 50.7-59.2） in T1 and T2 and P. tritici-repentis in T2 （REy = 31.6）, whereas infection of C. sativus was more dependent on year in Tl （R2y = 37.3）. Yield correlated highly with a fertilizer rate and year. In the treatment T2, the yield depended more on weather conditions （REy = 40.7） and in T1, the yield was more dependent on fertilization rate （REF = 60.2）. We found TI to be more economic as the optimum N rate varied from N60 to N100 kg hat and the benefit in monetary terms raised from 297ε hal （＂Monsun＂ 2007） to 9056 hal （＂Vinjett＂ 2008）. In T2, N rate 60 kg ha^-1 raised the monetary benefit from 806 ha^-1 （＂Monsun＂ 2007） to 731ε ha^-1 （＂Vinjett＂ 2008）. The highest economic profit was gained by using low rates of fertilizer for ＂Monsun＂ and the highest rates of fertilizer for ＂Vinjett＂.