Alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol concentration in vegetable oils

Vegetable oils are the richest dietary sources of vitamin E. Vitamin E determination levels in foods are of great importance to adjust the ingestion of nutrients by the population. The purpose of this paper is to determine the concentration of alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol in vegetable oils and compare the alpha-tocopherol value to the nutritional requirement of vitamin E. The analysis was performed using High Performance Liquid Chromatography. The values expressed as mg/kg for alpha and gamma-tocopherol were, respectively, 120.3±4.2 and 122.0±7.9 in canola oil; 432.3±86.6 and 92.3±9.5 in sunflower oil; 173.0±82.3 and 259.7±43.8 in corn oil; 71.3±6.4 and 273.3±11.1 in soybean oil. A significant difference was encountered between the alpha-tocopherol concentrations in vegetable oils. Similar results were found for gamma-tocopherol, except for corn and soybean oils. It was concluded that the soybean oil was not considered a source of vitamin E. The canola and corn oils were considered sources, and the sunflower oil was considered an excellent source.

Huitlacoche yield in some maize varieties in the Mediterranean region of Turkey

Huitlacoche is the Aztecs name given to the smut galls on ears of maize caused by the pathogenic plant fungus Ustilago maydis [(DC) Corda.)]. It is known as maize mushroom, and it has been considered a delicacy and in Mesoamerica. The aim of the present study was to determine the responses of some maize varieties to the growth of the fungus in order to evaluate the prospect production of these smutty ears as a maize mushroom. A 2-year study was conducted in the Mediterranean region of Turkey in 2010 and 2011. Inoculations were performed by injecting inoculum into the ear through the silk channel of plants in plots. Each treatment had control plots. Average ear-gall (huitlacoche) severity and incidence of all the varieties were at the rates of 4.0 and 41.6%, respectively. However, the highest severity of ear-gall (6.5) and incidence (60.6%) were found in Karadeniz Yıldızı flint maize variety; colossal smutty ears were formed in the maize cultivars. This study showed that certain maize cultivars (flint corn and dent corn) can be used efficiently in the production of huitlacoche.

Effect of huitlacoche (Ustilago maydis DC Corda) paste addition on functional, chemical and textural properties of tortilla chips

AbstractThis study analyzed the addition of huitlacoche paste (HP) in baked tortilla chips (TC), evaluating its effects on functional, physicochemical and structural changes during processing. Two blue corn grains were nixtamalized, stone milled, air dried and milled to obtain flour; commercial blue corn flour (TM1) and commercial TC (TM2) were used as controls. Additions of 0, 3, 6 and 9% of HP were formulated; masas were prepared at 55% moisture content (MC), precooked and baked in an industrial machine. TC crispiness was influenced by grain characteristics and percentage of HP. Huitlacoche paste addition caused an increase in total dietary fiber (from 5.27 to 14.54%), total soluble phenolics content (from 17.52 to 37.60 mg GAE/100 g) and antioxidant capacity (from 6.74 to 7.98 μmol TE/g) in TC. Results suggest that tortilla chips added with huitlacoche can be an alternative to prepare this traditional edible fungus and produce healthier snacks, not fried and enriched with bioactive compounds.

Fresh meat quality of pigs fed diets with different fatty acid profiles and supplemented with red wine solids

Abstract Three groups of pigs were fed three different diets, namely a diet rich in saturated fatty acids (palm oil-based, PO), a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-rich diet (corn oil-based, CO), and a PUFA-rich diet (corn oil-based) supplemented with red wine solids (RWS), which was added to the diet (CO+RWS) in order to assess the protective effect on the oxidative status of the pork meat. The addition of corn oil favourably modulates the FAs profile of the backfat, and to a lesser extent of the intramuscular fat of semimembranosus muscle, without causing adverse effects on the meat quality or on its oxidative stability. Moreover, these parameters were not affected by the addition of the RWS in the CO+RWS diet.

Extruded snacks with the addition of different fish meals

Abstract Tilapia, salmon, tuna and sardine meals were prepared to develop and analyze extruded snacks with residue meal from fish processing. Residue meals were included in five types of corn snacks: control (0% fish meal) and four with 9% tilapia, salmon, tuna and sardine meals. Although moisture, lipids and carbohydrates rates did not differ among the snacks, protein rates increased with the increment of fish meal, reaching 11.85% in the tuna snack. Tuna and sardine snacks had the highest iron levels. The most abundant fatty acids were linoleic, oleic, palmitic, linolenic and stearic acids, with sardine, salmon and tuna snacks presenting the highest values of n-3 series fatty acids. Greater luminosity rate was reported for salmon snack, followed by tilapia, tuna and sardine snacks. The highest sensory acceptance index was verified in tilapia (78.07%) and salmon (72.40%). A 9% addition of residue meals of tilapia, salmon and tuna improved the nutritional value of the snacks.

Home Made Cars: An insight on Consumer Ethnocentrism – Case Saab

Saab outstands in the history of the Finnish car manufacturing. This is not only due to that these cars have been manufactured in Finland more than other passenger vehicles altogether. Finns also have a special emotional attachment to the “Finnish Saabs”. Findings from previous studies show that consumers connect cars well to the origin of the brand (COB). They are however rarely aware of the Country of Manufacturing (COM). Domestic brands are often popular in the COB, but research from situations in which the domestic origin is limited to the COM is rare. The case of this study is a phenomenon, in which the products origin is two dimensional and divided into domestic COM and foreign COB. The aim is to understand the phenomenon’s effect on consumer behavior. The research problem is approached with two sub questions: • Which country do consumers perceive as the origin country of the car? • What is the role of this origin in the consumers’ product perception and purchasing decision of the car? The theoretical framework of this study applies previous findings of two areas of interest: Country of Origin effect and Consumer Ethnocentrism. This is followed by feasibility studies that present and discuss the history and current state of Finnish car manufacturing. Based on the findings of earlier stages of the study, the role of the domestic COM on consumer behavior is presumed high. This expectation is confirmed by the experts and also by the first consumer respondent, who states domestic origin having been the main motivation to his car choice. All further consumer respondents do however not connect Saab to the home country, but discuss it as a Nordic car. This unexpected finding means that they do not perceive the origin to be neither the COM nor COB, but a geographical area that includes both countries. In other words, consumers have widened their in-group in a way that is in this thesis explained with reference group theory. The consumers’ perceived origin of the car is in this research found to be an important factor to the consumers’ product perception and purchasing decision. Being fit for the yields of the local environment is discovered to have been the most important factor to Finnish consumers purchasing choice of a Saab and the Nordic origin has been an indicator of this fit to them.

Sexual behavior and factors affecting female reproduction in house and field crickets

The objective of this investigation was to clarify the adaptive significance of female sexual behaviours in the house cricket, Acheta domesticus, and the Texas field cricket, Gryllus integer. Experiments were focussed primarily on: nutritional factors affecting female reproductive success; the ontogeny of female sexual behaviours; female mating frequency and progeny production; and the pattern of sperm competition. Reproduction of singly mated female A. domesticus assigned to 3 nutritional regimes was compared . Females fed a vitamin and protein-enriched mouse chow, cannibalistic females, and starved females produced on the average, 513 , 200 and 68 offspring, respectively. Cannibals probably could not obtain the same amounts of essential nutrients as females fed mouse chow. Reabsorption of oocytes was likely the major factor contributing to the decreased reproduction of starved females. In addition, female !. domesticus fed mouse chow, but allowed constant access to males produced 11 times as many offspring than did females fed corn meal. Females fed corn meal probably could not absorb or synthesize enough dietary lipids, thus resulting in poor ovariole growth. Female !. domesticus first mate at an average adult age of 7 days, closely corresponding to when they first exhibit positive phonotaxis. Females mate repeatedly and often consume the externally attached spermatophore. In ~. domesticus, females allowed constant access to males produced significantly more offspring than did single maters. Similarly, doubly mated G. integer females produced more offspring than did single maters. This difference resulted largely from the failure of many single maters to reproduce. Remating by female crickets partly functions in offsetting the possibility of a failed initial mating. Nymph production increased significantly with the time the spermatophore was attached in singly mated ~. domesticus. Spermatophore consumption by the female was not affected by male guarding behaviour, and the interval between mating and eating of the spermatophore may often be shorter than the time required for maximum insemination. Some degree of sperm depletion in singly mated !. domesticus and G. integer may have occurred. The patterns of daily offspring production of singly and multiplymated females suggests that a factor provided by a male during mating stimulates female oviposition and/or egg production. Female crickets also might acquire nutrition from spermatophore consumption, a benefit that is augmented by female multiple mating. The electrophoretic examination of various allozymes in ~. integer did not permit determination of a pattern of sperm competition. However, the possibility of last male sperm predominance is related to male guarding behaviour.

Custom House Niagara forms, 1833

In 1833 William Clarke, the collector of customs at Niagara, completed and signed four forms for the movement of goods between Niagara and York, and Niagara and Brantford. The forms were issued to the firm of Lewis & Gray, James Armstrong, J.A. Wilks, and William Blackely. The goods being transported included scythes, corn brooms, hide whips, sacks, snuff, shovels, spades and two apple trees.

Isoflavone exposure throughout suckling results in improved adult bone health in mice

Exposure to isoflavones (ISO), abundant in soy protein infant formula, for the first 5 days of life results in higher bone mineral density (BMD),greater trabecular connectivity and higher fracture load of lumbar vertebrae (LV) at adulthood. The effect of lengthening the duration of exposure to ISO on bone development has not been studied. This study determined if providing ISO for the first 21 days of life, which more closely mimics the duration that infants are fed soy protein formula, results in higher BMD, improved bone structure and greater strength in femurs and LV than a 5-day protocol. Female CD-1 mice were randomized to subcutaneous injections of ISO (7 Q1 mg kg/body weight/day) or corn oil from postnatal day 1 to 21. BMD, structure and strength were measured at the femur and LV at 4 months of age, representing young Q2 adulthood. At the LV, exposure to ISO resulted in higher (P,0.05) BMD, trabecular connectivity and fracture load compared with control (CON). Exposure to ISO also resulted in higher (P,0.05) whole femur BMD, higher (P,0.05) bone volume/total volume and Q3 lower (P,0.05) trabecular separation at the femur neck, as well as greater (P,0.05) fracture load at femur midpoint and femur neck compared with the CON group. Exposure to ISO throughout suckling has favorable effects on LV outcomes, and, unlike previous studies using 5-day exposure to ISO, femur outcomes are also improved. Duration of exposure should be considered when using the CD-1 mouse to model the effect of early life exposure of infants to ISO.

EARLY LIFE EXPOSURE TO GENISTEIN AND DAIDZEIN DISRUPTS STRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT OF REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS IN FEMALE MICE

In mice, exposure to isoflavones (ISO), abundant in soy infant formula, during the first 5 d of life alters structural and functional development of reproductive organs. Effects of longer exposures are unknown. The study objective was to evaluate whether exposure to a combination of daidzein and genistein in the first 10 compared to 5 d of life results in greater adverse effects on ovarian and uterine structure in adult mice. Thirteen litters of 8–12 pups were cross-fostered and randomized to corn oil or ISO (2 mg daidzein + 5 mg genistein/kg body weight/d) for the first 5 or 10 d of life. The 10-d protocol mimicked the period when infants are fed soy protein formula (SPF) but avoids the time when suckling pups can consume the mother’s diet. Body and organ weights and histology of ovaries and uteri were analyzed. There were no differences in the ovary or uterus weight, number of ovarian follicles, number of multiple oocyte follicles, or percent of ovarian cysts with 5 or 10 d of ISO intervention compared to respective controls. The 10-d ISO group had higher body weights from 6 d to 4 mo. of age and a higher percent of hyperplasia in the oviduct than the respective control. Lower numbers of ovarian corpus lutea and a higher incidence of abnormal changes were reported in the uteri of both ISO groups compared to their respective controls. Five- and 10-d exposure to ISO had similar long-lasting adverse effects on the structures of ovaries and uterus in adult mice. Only the 10-d ISO exposure resulted in greater body weight gain at adulthood.

The Confederate Air Corps Certificate, 1958

A certificate from The Confederate Air Corps that reads, "To all who shall see these presents, greeting: Know yes, that in recognition of his having manifested an unusually high regard for black-eyed peas, turnip greens, hog jowl, sow belly, pot likkers, grits, chittlins, and good old corn squeezins, Dorothy Rungeling is, as of this date, hereby appointed to the rank of Colonel in the Confederate Air Corps. This officer will, by virtue of this appointment, therefore, be obliged to carefully and diligently discharge the duties of the office to which appointed by doing and performing all manner of things thereunto belonging. As evidence of his good faith in accepting this commission, the officer named herein will continue to praise the glories of the Deep South, consume a true gentleman's share of the fares mentioned above, pay respectful homage to our lovely Southern Belles, save his Confederate money, harass the carpetbaggers, and always remember that damnyankee is one word. As Secretary of this Corps, I strictly charge and require all officers of the air militia of the South to render such obedience and courtesies as are due an Officer of this distinguished rank and honored position. Done at the City of Montgomery, Alabama, the Cradle of the Confederacy, this Seventh day of July in the year One Thousand Nine Hundred and Fifty Eight." It is stamped with the name Thadeus P. Throckmorton - Secretary, Confederate Air Corps.

Letter to Henry Nelles from Gilles Moffatt

Letter to Henry Nelles from Gilles Moffatt who says that in most parts of the United Kingdom the weather has been unfavourable for harvesting. In Europe the weather has also been unfavourable. He says that the protection afforded to the colonies by the government regarding the Corn Laws will be diminished, Nov. 8, 1830. There is a second letter attached to this one which is also addressed to Henry Nelles from Gilles Moffatt in which he states that a great deal of money will be required (2 pages in total), Nov. 8, 1830.

Canada Starch Company (CASCO) Fonds, 1980-1987, n.d.

CASCO (Canada Starch Company) began operations in 1982 and was officially opened in May of 1983. Premier William Davis was in attendance. CASCO is a company whose roots can be traced back to 1858 when it was founded by W.T. Benson in Cardinal, Ontario. The company grew as corn uses were developed. Corn derived products now include: corn oil, liquid sweetener and feed for dairy and cattle. Starch is used as a finish for fine papers, a component in dry cell batteries, pharmaceuticals, wallpaper, film, tires, surgical dressings, plastics and plywood. Corn syrup is used in beverages, canned fruit, frozen seafood, licorice, ice cream and baking products. Corn solubles are used in animal feed, rubber substitutes, soap, paint and varnish. There are more than 250 industrial and food uses for corn