Prediction of apparent protein digestibility of ingredients and diets by in vitro pH-stat degree of protein hydrolysis with species-specific enzymes for juvenile Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

Aquafeed production faces global issues related to availability of feed ingredients. Feed manufacturers require greater flexibility in order to develop nutritional and cost-effective formulations that take into account nutrient content and availability of ingredients. The search for appropriate ingredients requires detailed screening of their potential nutritional value and variability at the industrial level. In vitro digestion of feedstuffs by enzymes extracted from the target species has been correlated with apparent protein digestibility (APD) in fish and shrimp species. The present study verified the relationship between APD and in vitro degree of protein hydrolysis (DH) with Litopenaeus vannamei hepatopancreas enzymes in several different ingredients (n = 26): blood meals, casein, corn gluten meal, crab meal, distiller`s dried grains with solubles, feather meal, fish meals, gelatin, krill meals, poultry by-product meal, soybean meals, squid meals and wheat gluten. The relationship between APD and DH was further verified in diets formulated with these ingredients at 30% inclusion into a reference diet. APD was determined in vivo (30.1 +/- 0.5 degrees C, 32.2 +/- 0.4%.) with juvenile L vannamei (9 to 12 g) after placement of test ingredients into a reference diet (35 g kg(-1) CP: 8.03 g kg(-1) lipid; 2.01 kcal g(-1)) with chromic oxide as the inert marker. In vitro DH was assessed in ingredients and diets with standardized hepatopancreas enzymes extracted from pond-reared shrimp. The DH of ingredients was determined under different assay conditions to check for the most suitable in vitro protocol for APD prediction: different batches of enzyme extracts (HPf5 or HPf6), temperatures (25 or 30 degrees C) and enzyme activity (azocasein): crude protein ratios (4 U: 80 mg CP or 4 U: 40 mg CP). DH was not affected by ingredient proximate composition. APD was significantly correlated to DH in regressions considering either ingredients or diets. The relationships between APD and DH of the ingredients could be suitably adjusted to a Rational Function (y = (a + bx)/(1 + cx + dx2), n = 26. Best in vitro APD predictions were obtained at 25 degrees C, 4 U: 80 mg CP both for ingredients (R(2) = 0.86: P = 0.001) and test diets (R(2) = 0.96; P = 0.007). The regression model including all 26 ingredients generated higher prediction residuals (i.e., predicted APD - determined APD) for corn gluten meal, feather meal. poultry by-product meal and krill flour. The remaining test ingredients presented mean prediction residuals of 3.5 points. A model including only ingredients with APD>80% showed higher prediction precision (R(2) = 0.98: P = 0.000004; n = 20) with average residual of 1.8 points. Predictive models including only ingredients from the same origin (e.g., marine-based, R(2) = 0.98; P = 0.033) also displayed low residuals. Since in vitro techniques have been usually validated through regressions against in vivo APD, the DH predictive capacity may depend on the consistency of the in vivo methodology. Regressions between APD and DH suggested a close relationship between peptide bond breakage by hepatopancreas digestive proteases and the apparent nitrogen assimilation in shrimp, and this may be a useful tool to provide rapid nutritional information. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Eating behaviors and the social status of families of malnourished children

The objective of this study was to learn about the everyday eating behaviors and the social status of the families of malnourished children. This qualitative study involved eight families. Data were collected by participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis revealed the following themes: family eating; the family's social status and eating during childhood; and the presence of social programs and equipment. The family did not gather for meals and their food consisted basically of different sources of carbohydrates. Fruits and vegetables were very limited and considered to be food choices that did not provide sustenance. Differences were observed between the family's' and the children's' eating habits. Social programs and equipment provided important support, especially regarding the positive attachment with institutions and professionals and following the children's health. The family's social status does not allow the offering of appropriate quantities and quality of food throughout the month, thus compromising the nutritional status of the children, who are deprived of appropriate foods of adequate nutritional value.

Enrichment of Pleurotus ostreatus mushrooms with selenium in coffee husks

Pleurotus ostreatus fungus forms an edible mushroom that possesses important nutritional and medicinal properties. Selenium (Se) is essential to human diets and it is in low concentration in the soil, and consequently in food. P. ostreatus was grown in coffee husks enriched with various concentrations of sodium selenite. The biological efficiency of P. ostreatus was affected by the addition of high concentrations of Se. The highest level of Se absorption was obtained by adding 51 mg kg(1) of sodium selenite. The mushrooms from first flush contained more Se than the further flushes. These results demonstrate the great potential of coffee husks in the production of Se-enriched mushrooms and show the ability of this fungus to absorb and biomagnify Se. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical and chemical characterization of the pulp of different varieties of avocado targeting oil extraction potential

The aim of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical properties of avocado pulp of four different varieties (Avocado, Guatemala, Dickinson, and Butter pear) and to identify which has the greatest potential for oil extraction. Fresh avocado pulp was characterized by moisture, protein, fat, ash, carbohydrates and energy contents were determined. The carotenoids and chlorophyll contents were determined by the organic solvent extraction method. The results showed significant differences in the composition of the fruit when varieties are compared. However, the striking feature in all varieties is high lipid content; Avocado and Dickinson are the most suitable varieties for oil extraction, taking into account moisture content and the levels of lipids in the pulp. Moreover, it could be said that the variety Dickinson is the most affected by the parameters evaluated in terms of overall quality. Chlorophyll and carotenoids, fat-soluble pigments, showed a negative correlation with respect to lipids since it could be related to its function in the fruit. The varieties Avocado and Dickinson are an alternative to oil extraction having great commercial potential to be exploited thus avoiding waste and increasing farmers income.

Effect of storage and processing of Brazilian flaxseed on lipid and lignan contents

Flaxseed has been widely studied around the world; its incorporation into products habitually consumed by human populations has been stimulated due to its unique nutritional value. The objective of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition of Brazilian flaxseed, to analyze the stability of lipids present in whole flaxseed flour (WFF) or partially defatted flaxseed flour (DFF) stored under several temperatures, and to investigate the effect of bread making on a product containing flaxseed. Whole flaxseed flour presented (g.100 g-1) 25.7 of insoluble fiber, 10.7 of soluble fiber, 38.9 of lipids, and 2.65 of lignan. Defatted flaxseed flour presented 65% less lipids, 36% more fiber and 56% more lignan than whole flaxseed flour. The fatty acid profile was maintained in the defatted flaxseed flour, and it presented a stable composition during storage under ambient temperature, refrigeration, and freezing. The fatty acid profile was similar in the bread containing defatted flaxseed flour after dough development, baking, and storage at room temperature or refrigerated. After baking, 89% of the lignan content was kept in bread. Results show that Brazilian flaxseed has an interesting chemical composition, and that defatted flaxseed, by-product of lipid extraction, presents a good stability to grind and storage under several temperatures. Thus, defatted flaxseed flour can be incorporated in bread, increasing its nutritional and functional value.

Utilización nutritiva de fuentes de proteína alternativas a la harina de pescado en dietas de engorde para dorada (Sparus aurata)

[ES] Se estudia la utilización nutritiva de niveles crecientes de cuatro fuentes proteicas, harina de soja, de altramuz, harina de gluten de maíz y harina de carne y huesos, alternativas a la harina de pescado en dietas de engorde para dorada, especie que junto con la lubina ha experimentado uno de los mayores índices de crecimiento en el terreno de la acuicultura en los últimos 20 años en Europa

Indigenous fodder trees can increase grazing accessibility for landless and mobile pastoralists in northern Pakistan

Degraded hillsides in Northern Pakistan are rehabilitated through social forestry campaigns using fast growing exotic trees. These plantations on former scrublands curtail access by livestock owned by landless pastoralists and create social tension. This study proposes an alternative strategy of planting indigenous fodder trees and shrubs that are well-suited to the local socio-ecological characteristics and can benefit all social segments. The choice of fodder tree species, their nutritional value and distribution within the complex socio-ecological system is explained. This study also explores the suitability of these trees at different elevations, sites and transhumant routes. Providing mobile herders with adequate fodder trees could relax social tensions and complement food security.

Amino Acid Export in Developing Arabidopsis Seeds Depends on UmamiT Facilitators

Essential amino acids cannot be synthesized by humans and animals. They often are limiting in plant-derived foods and determine the nutritional value of a given diet [1]. Seeds and fruits often represent the harvestable portion of plants. In order to improve the amino acid composition of these tissues, it is indispensable to understand how these substrates are transported within the plant. Amino acids result from nitrogen assimilation, which often occurs in leaves, the source tissue. They are transported via the vasculature, the xylem, and the phloem into the seeds, the so-called sink tissue, where they are stored or consumed. In seeds, several tissues are symplasmically isolated [2, 3], i.e., not connected by plasmodesmata, channels in the cell walls that enable a cytoplasmic continuum in plants [4]. Consequently, amino acids must be exported from cells into the apoplast and re-imported many times to support seed development. Several amino acid importers are known, but exporters remained elusive [5, 6]. Here, we characterize four members of the plant-specific UmamiT transporter family from Arabidopsis, related to the amino acid facilitator SIAR1 and the vacuolar auxin transporter WAT1 [7, 8]. We show that the proteins transport amino acids along their (electro)chemical potential across the plasma membrane. In seeds, they are found in tissues from which amino acids are exported. Loss-of-function mutants accumulate high levels of free amino acids in fruits and produce smaller seeds. Our results strongly suggest a crucial role for the UmamiTs in amino acid export and possibly a means to improve yield quality.

Different-sized grazers have distinctive effects on plant functional composition of an African savannah

Grazing ungulates play a key role in many ecosystems worldwide and can form diverse assemblages, such as in African savannahs. In many of these ecosystems, present-day ungulate communities are impoverished subsets of once diverse assemblages. While we know that excluding all ungulates from grasslands can exert major effects on both the structure and composition of the vegetation, how different individual ungulate species may have contrasting effects on grassland communities remains poorly understood. Here, we performed a long-term ‘Russian doll’ grazing exclosure experiment in an African savannah to test for the effects of different size classes of grazers on grassland structure and composition. At five sites, grazer species of decreasing size class (ranging from white rhino to scrub hare) were excluded using four fence types, to experimentally create different realized grazer assemblages. The vegetation structure and the grass functional community composition were characterized in 6 different years over a 10-year period. Additionally, animal footprints were counted to quantify the abundance of different ungulate species in each treatment. We found that while vegetation height was mostly driven by total grazing pressure of all species together, ungulate community composition best explained the functional community composition of grasses. In the short term, smaller ungulate species (‘mesoherbivores’) had strongest effects on vegetation composition, by shifting communities towards dominance by species with low specific leaf area and low nutritional value. In the long term, large grazers had stronger but similar effects on the functional composition of the system. Surprisingly, the largest ‘mega-herbivore’, the white rhinoceros, did not have strong effects on the vegetation structure or composition. Synthesis. Our results support the idea that different size classes of grazers have varying effects on the functional composition of grassland plant communities. Therefore, the worldwide decline in the diversity of ungulate species is expected to have (had) major impacts on community composition and functioning of grassland ecosystems, even if total grazing pressure has remained constant, for example, due to replacement by livestock.

An investigation into the relationship between screen time, consumption of advertised foods, and physical activity among Texas 4th grade elementary school children

Background. The high prevalence of obesity among children has spurred creation of a list of possible causative factors, including the advertising of foods of minimal nutritional value, a decrease in physical activity, and increased media use. Few studies show prevalence rates of these factors among large cohorts of children. ^ Methods. Using data from the 2004-2005 School Physical Activity and Nutrition project (SPAN), a secondary analysis of 7907 4th-grade children (mean age 9.74 years) was conducted. In addition, a comic-book–based intervention that addressed advertised food consumption, physical activity, and media use was developed and evaluated using a pre-post test design among 4th-grade children in an urban school district. ^ Results. Among a cohort of 4th-grade children across the state of Texas, children who had more than 2 hours of video game or computer time the previous day were more than twice as likely to drink soda and eat candy or pastries. In addition, children who watched more than 2 hours of TV the previous day were more than three times as likely to consume chips, punch, soda, candy, frozen desserts, or pastries (AOR 3.41, 95% CI: 1.58, 7.37). A comic-book based intervention held great promise and acceptance among 4th-grade children. Outcome evaluation showed that while results moved in a positive direction, they were not statistically significant. ^ Conclusion. Statistically significant associations were found between screen time and eating various types of advertised food. The comic book intervention was widely accepted by the children exposed to it, and pre-post surveys indicated they moved constructs in a positive direction. Further research is needed to look at more specific ways in which children are exposed to TV, and the relationship of the TV viewing time with their consumption of advertised foods. In addition, researchers should look at comic book interventions more closely and attempt to utilize them in more in studies with a longer follow-up time. ^

Caracterización por contenido de β-carotenos de ocho cultivares de zanahoria (Daucus carota L.) y su relación con el color

El objetivo fue determinar, durante dos años, el contenido de β-caroteno y su relación con el Índice de Color (IC), de ocho cultivares comerciales del tipo 'Flakkee' cultivadas en el INTA La Consulta. El diseño experimental a campo utilizado fue en bloques al azar con 3 repeticiones. Se evaluó β-caroteno (espectrofotometría a 450 nm) y se calculó el IC, mediante captación de imagen digital con PC y escáner, midiendo L, a y b del Sistema CIELAB. Los datos fueron analizados por ACP (análisis de componentes principales), la visualización de la variabilidad, por cartografiado de datos, análisis de varianza, pruebas de diferencia de medias y correlaciones. Los contenidos de β-carotenos y el IC de los cultivares se mantuvieron constantes durante los dos años estudiados, resultando las cultivares Natasha, Flakesse y Colmar las de mayor valor nutricional en cuanto a aporte de β-carotenos. En el rango de valores menores de 18 mg%g de β-carotenos, se observó una correlación positiva significativa en las cultivares Supreme, Spring y Laval. No se encontró una correlación alta lineal entre el IC y el contenido de β-carotenos. El uso del IC resulta adecuado para predecir, en un intervalo de valores, el contenido de β-carotenos en cultivares de zanahoria.

Fatty acid composition, element concentration and isotope ratios of sea ice algae sampled in Rijpfjorden, Svalbard

The accelerating decrease of Arctic sea ice substantially changes the growth conditions for primary producers, particularly with respect to light. This affects the biochemical composition of sea ice algae, which are an essential high-quality food source for herbivores early in the season. Their high nutritional value is related to their content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which play an important role for successful maturation, egg production, hatching and nauplii development in grazers. We followed the fatty acid composition of an assemblage of sea ice algae in a high Arctic fjord during spring from the early bloom stage to post bloom. Light conditions proved to be decisive in determining the nutritional quality of sea ice algae, and irradiance was negatively correlated with the relative amount of PUFAs. Algal PUFA content decreased on average by 40 % from April to June, while algal biomass (measured as particulate carbon, C) did not differ. This decrease was even more pronounced when algae were exposed to higher irradiances due to reduced snow cover. The ratio of chlorophyll a (chl a) to C, as well as the level of photoprotective pigments, confirmed a physiological adaptation to higher light levels in algae of poorer nutritional quality. We conclude that high irradiances are detrimental to sea ice algal food quality, and that the biochemical composition of sea ice algae is strongly dependent on growth conditions.

Flying vs. climbing: Factors controlling arboreal seed removal in oak-beech forests

Nuts are heavy and nutritious seeds that need animals to be successfully dispersed. Most studies address nut removal by a single animal species once seeds fall onto the ground. However, nuts are also accessible before the seed drop and usually to a wide guild of seed foragers. This study examines the factorscontrollingarborealseedremoval in oak–beechforests within the whole guild of nut foragers. We found that seed-dispersing rodents (Apodemus sylvaticus) were the main acorn removers in the oaks (up to 3.75 m height), with a rapid seed encounter and a high removal rate. However, rodents did not climb the beech trees, probably due to their smoother bark in comparison to oak bark and/or the lower nutritional value of beechnuts with regard to acorns. Jays (Garrulus glandarius) were more abundant in oak stands (both dense and scattered) and clearly preferred acorns to beechnuts whereas nuthatches (Sitta europaea) were more abundant in beech stands and preferred beechnuts to acorns. Non-storing birds such as great tits (Parus major) also removed acorns and beechnuts, especially in the stands where oaks are dominant. Jays and rodents preferred sound seeds over insect-infested seeds but such a preference was not found for nuthatches. This study highlights that pure beech stands showed a reduced guild of arboreal nut foragers in comparison to oak stands. This different guild could probably affect the spatial patterns of seed dispersal, with a proportionally higher number of long dispersal events for acorns (mostly jay-dispersed) than for beechnuts (mostly nuthatch-dispersed). Long-distance dispersal of beechnuts (by jays) is determined by the presence of other preferred species (oaks) and their frequency of non-mast years. Seed location in different habitats strongly determines the contribution of different arboreal removers (including climbing rodents) and their removal speed, leading to a differential seed fate that will eventually affect tree regeneration. As nuthatches are sedentary birds, it is important to maintain old and dead trees where they can breed (crevices), forage (arthropods) and store seeds in order to favor beechnut dispersal and gene flow. By maintaining or favoring oak trees within beech stands we will ensure a wider guild of arboreal nut dispersers.

Caracterización molecular del mutante riso 1508 de cebada : modificaciones transcripcionales y posttranscripcionales en el desarrollo de la semilla

La semilla es el principal órgano reproductivo de las plantas espermatofitas, permitiendo la dispersión de las poblaciones y asegurando su supervivencia gracias a su tolerancia a la desecación y a su capacidad para germinar bajo condiciones ambientales óptimas. El rendimiento y valor económico de los cereales, que constituyen la primera cosecha mundial, depende, en buena medida, de la eficacia con que se acumulan en la semilla sustancias de reserva: proteínas, carbohidratos y lípidos. El principal carbohidrato acumulado en la semilla de cebada es el almidón y la fracción mayoritaria de proteínas es la de las prolaminas (solubles en etanol al 70%); estas proteínas tienen muy bajo contenido en lisina, un aminoácido esencial en la dieta de animales monogástricos. Con el fin de mejorar el valor nutricional de la semilla de cebada, se han obtenido diferentes mutantes con un mayor contenido en este aminoácido. Riso 1508 es un mutante de cebada rico en lisina cuya mutación lys3a, de efectos pleiotrópicos, segrega como un único gen mendeliano. Entre otros, presenta una reducción drástica de la expresión de algunos genes que codifican proteínas de reserva de tipo prolamina, en concreto, presenta reducida la expresión de los genes que codifican B-, C- y ϒ-Hordeínas y del inhibidor de tripsina CMe, pero no tiene alterada la expresión del gen que codifica las D-Hordeínas. Este último gen carece en su promotor del motivo GLM (5’‐(G/A)TGA(G/C)TCA(T/C)‐3’), que es reconocido por factores transcripcionales bZIP. En este trabajo, el mutante de cebada Riso 1508 se ha utilizado como herramienta para profundizar en el conocimiento de la regulación génica en semillas durante las fases de la maduración y la germinación. Para ello, en una primera aproximación, se llevó a cabo un análisis transcriptómico comparando el genotipo mutante con el silvestre durante la maduración de la semilla. Además de confirmar variaciones en los genes que codifican proteínas de reserva, este análisis indicó que también estaban afectados los genes relacionados con metabolismo de carbohidratos. Por ello se decidió caracterizar la familia multigénica de sacarosas sintasa (SUSy) en cebada. Se anotaron dos nuevos genes, HvSs3 y HvSs4, cuya expresión se comparó con la de los genes HvSs1 y HvSs2, previamente descritos en el laboratorio. La expresión de los cuatro genes en tejidos diferentes y su respuesta a estreses abióticos se analizó mediante RT-qPCR. HvSs1 y HvSs2 se expresaron preferencialmente durante el desarrollo del endospermo, y HvSs1 también fue un tránscrito abundante durante la germinación. HvSs1 se indujo en hojas en condiciones de anoxia y HvSs3 por estrés hídrico, y ambos genes se indujeron por tratamientos de frío. La localización subcelular de las cuatro isoformas no fue sólo citoplásmica, sino que también se localizaron en zonas próximas a retículo endoplásmico y en la cara interna de la membrana plasmática; además, se observó una co-localización de HvSS1 con el marcador de mitocondrias. Estos datos sugieren un papel distinto aunque parcialmente solapante de las cuatro Sacarosa Sintasas de cebada, descritas hasta la fecha. Las cinéticas de expresión de los genes que codifican los TFs más importantes implicados en la regulación génica durante el desarrollo del endospermo de cebada, se analizaron por RT-qPCR en ambos genotipos, demostrando que los TFs de la clase DOF aparecieron desregulados durante todo el proceso en Riso 1508 comparado con el cv. Bomi, aunque también se observaron diferencias significativas en algunos de los que codifican bZIPs. Estudios previos indicaban que el ortólogo de BLZ2 en maíz, O2, se regula post-traduccionalmente mediante un mecanismo de fosforilación/defosforilación reversible, y que la forma defosforilada es la fisiológicamente activa. En este trabajo se demostró que BLZ2 está sujeto a este tipo de regulación y que la proteín-fosfatasa HvPP2C2 está implicada en el proceso. La interacción de HvPP2C2 y BLZ2 tiene lugar en el núcleo celular únicamente en presencia de 100 μM ABA. En el mutante Riso 1508, BLZ2 se encuentra en un estado hiperfosforilado tanto durante la maduración como durante la germinación de la semilla, lo que dificultaría la unión de BLZ2 a las secuencias GLM en los promotores de los genes que codifican B-, C-,y ϒ- Hordeínas y CMe. Summary The seed is the main reproductive organ of spermatophyte plants allowing the spread of populations and ensuring their survival through its desiccation tolerance and because of their ability to germinate under optimum environmental conditions. Yield and economic value of cereal crops, that constitute the first world crop, depend largely on the efficiency with which they accumulate in the seed reserve substances: proteins, carbohydrates and lipids. The main carbohydrate accumulated in the barley seed is starch and the major protein fraction is that of prolamins (soluble in 70% ethanol); these proteins have a very low lysine content, an essential amino-acid for the diet of monogastric animals. In order to improve the nutritional value of the barley seed, different mutants have been obtained with a higher content of this amino-acid. Riso 1508 is one lysine-rich mutant whose mutation (lys3a) segregates as a single Mendelian gene with pleiotropic effects, such as a drastic reduction of genes encoding the trypsin inhibitor CMe and the B-, C-and ϒ-hordeins, but has not altered the expression of the gene encoding the D-hordeins. This latter gene lacks in its promotor the GLM motif (5’‐(G/A)TGA(G/C)TCA(T/C)‐3’), that is recognised by bZIP transcription factors In this work we have used the barley mutant Riso 1508 as a tool for better understanding gene regulation in seeds during the maturation and germination phases. To this aim, a transcriptomic analysis was performed comparing wild and mutant genotypes during seed maturation. Besides confirming variations in the expression of genes encoding reserve proteins, this analysis indicated that some genes related with carbohydrate metabolism were also affected. It was therefore decided to characterize the multigene family of sucrose synthases (SUSy) in barley. Two new genes were annotated, HvSs3 and HvSs4, and its expression was compared with that of genes HvSs1 and HvSs2, previously described in our laboratory. The expression of the four genes in different tissues and in response to abiotic stresses was analyzed by RTqPCR. HvSs1 and HvSs2 were preferentially expressed during the development of the endosperm, and the HvSs1 transcript was also abundant upon germination. HvSs1 was induced in leaves by anoxic conditions, HvSs3 by water stress, and both genes were induced by cold treatments. The subcellular localization of all four isoforms was not only cytoplasmic, but they could be found along the endoplasmic reticulum and at the inner side of the cell membrane; HvSS1, was also associated with the mitochondrial marker. These data suggest a distinct but partially overlapping roles for the barley sucrose synthases, described so far. The expression kinetics of the genes encoding the most important TFs involved in gene regulation during barley endosperm development was analyzed by RT-qPCR in both genotypes. These data show that the genes encoding DOF TFs were mis-regulated throughout the process in Riso 1508, although significant differences were also found among some of those encoding bZIPs. Previous studies indicated that the BLZ2 orthologue in maize, O2, was post-translationally regulated by reversible phosphorylation/dephosphorylation and that the dephosphorylated protein is the physiologically active form. In this work we demostrate that BLZ2 is under a similar regulation and that the proteinphosphatase HvPP2C2 is implicated in the process. The interaction between HvPP2C2 and BLZ2 takes place in the cell nucleus only in the presence of 100 μM ABA. In the Riso 1508 mutant, BLZ2 is found in a hyperphosphorylated state in the maturation phase and upon seed germination; because of this, the BLZ2 binding to the GLM promoter sequences of genes encoding B-, C- y ϒ- Hordeins and CMe would be decreased in the mutant.

Rheological behaviour and functionality of inulin-extra virgin olive oil-based mashed potatoes

Developing products having a high nutritional value and good storage stability during freezing is a challenge. Inulin (I) and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) have interesting functional properties. The e?ect of the addition of I and EVOO blends at di?erent I:EVOO ratios (0:0, 0:60, 15:45, 30:30, 45:15, 60:0, 30:45 and 45:30) on the rheological, physical, sensory and structural properties of fresh and frozen ? thawed mashed potatoes formulated without and with added cryoprotectants was analysed and compared. Addition of I and EVOO (either alone or blended) reduced apparent viscosity and pseudoplasticity producing softer systems, indicating that both ingredients behave as soft ?llers. Samples with added I at the higher concentrations )1 (?45 g kg ) showed lower ?ow index and consistency, which is related to formation of smaller I particles; microphotographs indicated that gelling properties of I depended mostly upon processing. Frozen ? thawed samples were judged more acceptable and creamier than their fresh counterparts.