Irina M. Zharkova’s research while affiliated with Voronezh State Technical University and other places

Gluten-free bread (GFB) consisting of amaranth flour, tigernut (chufa tuber) flour, apple powder, carrot powder, and soy protein isolate can have osteoprotective effects. Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO) was chosen as a model of experimental osteoporosis. Experimental studies were carried out on white male Wistar rats ( n = 150): Group 1 – healthy animals receiving standard diet (StD); Group 2 – GIO rats receiving StD; Group 3 – GIO animals receiving zoledronic acid (ZA) and StD; Group 4 – GIO rats receiving ZA and GFB; Group 5 – GIO animals receiving GFB. We evaluated the general condition of animals and carried out morphological and biochemical studies. Destructive changes in the spatial structure of the bone tissue in GIO, observed in Group 2, led to the inability of the bone to withstand the functional load. At the same time, isolated treatment with ZA had virtually no effect on the final morphological picture. Including GFB in the diet of experimental animals both alone and with ZA had a noticeable protective effect on conditions triggering GIO.

New alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages from non-traditional vegetable raw materials expand the domestic product range and allow food producers to develop new market segments. The present research objective was to summarize and analyze the current data on the use of tomatoes in alcohol production. The review covered Russian and foreign open access scientific publications and patents registered in Pubmed, E-library, Cyberleninka, Espacenet, and Patentscope in 2005–2021. Most publications featured tomato juice in soft drinks production as a means to increase their nutritional value, improve sensory profile, expand the product range, and develop new functional products, e.g., with antioxidant properties, for diabetic consumers, etc. Tomato pulp, juice, or puree is used in beer production. No publications featured the effect of tomato cultivars on the technical properties of the finished product. The analysis revealed the need to study the effect of red, yellow, and dark tomatoes on the sensory and physico-chemical quality of beer drinks. Another research prospect is a novel semi-finished product from tomato pomace that would increase the nutritional value of beer drinks.

Introduction. Various formulations of sprouted grain breads, including those with amaranth flour, were developed to combat food-related diseases. Healthy food industry requires thorough assessment procedures and hygienic practices. The research objective was to assess the functional properties and safety indicators of amaranth bread made from sprouted wheat grain. Study objects and methods. One day old grain bread was tested for antioxidant activity using amperometric method. Its glycemic index was determined according to the ratio of the area under the glycemic curve per bread sample to the area under the glycemic curve for pure glucose, expressed as a percentage. Crumb proteins digestibility was measured in vivo using ciliates Paramecium caudatum. Phytin content was measured by the colorimetric method, while safety indicators were compared to the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union No. 021/2011. Bound moisture content was determined with a refractometer after three days of storage according to the change in sucrose concentration. The number of mesophilic aerobic and facultative anaerobic microorganisms (NMAFAnM) was described based on State Standard 10444.15-94. Results and discussion. The amaranth flour slightly affected the antioxidant activity of the grain bread. It decreased the glycemic index by 8.3% and increased the microbiological purity by 1.4 times, raised the crumb proteins digestibility by 3.0%, reduced the phytin content by 7.0%, and slowed down the staleness process by 12 h. In terms of safety indicators, the obtained sample of amaranth grain bread met the TR CU 021/2011 requirements «On food safety». The decrease in the glycemic index values could be explained by the lower activity of amylolytic enzymes in amaranth flour compared to sprouted wheat. The low digestibility of carbohydrates resulted from their effect on starch. The increase in digestibility and the decrease in phytin content were caused by the lower amount of dietary fiber. The high content of bound moisture explains the longer shelf life. Amaranth flour had lower microbiological contamination compared to wheat, which decreased the NMAFAnM. Conclusion. Amaranth flour had a positive effect on the functional properties of grain bread safety indicators, which makes it possible to include it into sprouted wheat grain products.

The aim of the study was to determine the bioavailability of minerals and oxidation-antioxidant status in the laboratory animals fed with bread from regular and bioactivated wheat grain. Material and Methods ― Studies were conducted for 21 days on white inbred BALB/с mice. The animals were organized in three groups with 30 mice in each one. Group 1 (control group) was given the complete compound feed; Group 2 was fed with regular whole wheat bread; and Group 3 was given the bread from the bioactivated wheat grain. Their blood plasma was tested for total protein, cholesterol, glucose, low and high density lipoproteins, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD). Calcium was detected histochemically using McGee-Russell’s method with Alizarin red S. Results ― It was established that the levels of glucose, total protein, cholesterol, and lipids in the blood plasma of animals in all groups were within the physiological norms. There were no significant reliable deviations in the levels of mineral substances in the blood plasma of the animals in the study groups. However, the histochemical response of the bone tissue calcium to the Alizarin red S revealed significant differences in its content in the tissues between the animals of the three groups. At the 21st day of the experiment, the maximum light absorption of the colored specimen was observed in Group 3 which indicated higher calcium content in the bone tissue of the animals fed with the bread from the bioactivated wheat grain. The oxidation-antioxidant status of the animals in Groups 2 and 3 was higher than that of the control group. On the 21st day of the experiment, MDA content in the blood plasma of the animals in Group 3 was 0.04±0.017 mmol/L which is 2.0 and 1.5 times less as compared to Groups 1 and 2 respectively. The activity of SOD in the blood plasma on the 21st day of the experiment was the highest in Group 3 animals. Conclusion ― The experiment on the laboratory mice has shown that the use of the bread from the bioactivated wheat grain makes it possible to improve the bioavailability of minerals and increase the antioxidant activity of blood plasma.