Wafaa A. Ibrahim’s research while affiliated with National Research Center, Egypt and other places

Background: Heated temperature pretreatment and pasteurization is highly effective in inactivating microorganisms and maintaining color in various foods and it offers a safe alternative method of food decontamination and maintaining quality. Sweet potato (Batata) juice was exposed to heated temperature and pasteurization. Results: The highest amount of reducing sugar was found in heating pretreated and pasteurized sweet potato (Batata) juice and the lowest in fresh sweet potato juice. With regard to Hunter color parameters the fresh sweet potato (Batata) juice was higher than the pasteurized batata juice samples. The initial populations of the total aerobic bacteria in Batata juice were significantly reduced by pasteurization to zero, while the non-pasteurized control showed the highest population in the samples. Microbial studies showed reduction in total bacterial counts in pasteurized juice improves microbial decontamination and sensory evaluation as well as colo of the sweet potato (Batata) juice without any adverse change in quality. The sensory properties (color, taste, flavor and acceptable) of the sweet potato (Batata) juice were considered to be preferable with the scores greater than 9, but in fresh sweet potato juice the scores lower than 5. Conclusions: It can be found that the best preservation effect appeared to be pasteurization, in which the microbial population could be lowered and nutrition quality of Batata juice was maintained well after pasteurization processing. These results support the application of heated temperature pretreatment and pasteurization as a measure of food preservation technique for sweet potato (Batata) juice that can be explored commercially to benefit both the producers and consumers.

In Europe, use of potatoes (Solani tuberosi tuberecens) is a traditional remedy for stomach complaints. But in Egypt, uses of sweet potato (Batata) juice as a functional juice relieve acid reflux and dyspepsia. We performed a pilot study on the effectiveness and tolerability of freshly squeezed Batata juice in patients suffering from dyspeptic symptoms. Results production of Batata juice by thermal and pasteurization methods indicated that the Total chlorophyll (Chl.A and Chl.B), total carotenoids, antioxidant activity-DPPH, total phenols and vitamin C were decreased in pasteurized Batata juice compared with fresh Batata juice. After informed written consent, a total of 12 male subjects with various dyspeptic symptoms were enrolled, to drink about 100 ml of juice two times per day and whenever dyspeptic symptoms appeared for two weeks. Validated outcome measures included the gastrointestinal symptom (GIS) profile, a disease-specific health assessment questionnaire (QOLRAD). The GIS profile showed a high significant improvement in symptoms especially for nausea (3.2 ± 0.09) to (2.3 ± 0.87), abdominal cramps (2.9 ± 08) to (2.3 ± 0.7), heart burn (2.9 ± 0.78) to (1.5 ± 1.0) and retrosternal discomfort (2.8± 0.6) to (2.5 ± 0.6). Episodes of sickness, vomiting, bloating, epigastric pain, loss of appetite and early satiety were also significantly improved.

Background and Objective: The cornerstone management options for tyrosinemia treatment are tyrosine and phenylalanine low diet, plus nitisinone (2-[2-nitro-4-trifluoromethylbenzoyl]-1,3-cyclohexanedione) (NCTB). Tyrosine ammonia lyase (TAL) converts tyrosine to harmless metabolites, i.e., P-coumaric acid and ammonia. This study aims to produce functional foods using tyrosine ammonia-lyase enzyme (TAL) for tyrosinemia treatment through feeding of female mice as animal model. Material and methods: Extracted TAL enzyme was used to treat egg white and mushroom flour to produce functional foods for tyrosinemia treatment. These functional foods were used to examine their effectiveness on food quality by estimation of color characteristics and determination of tyrosine concentrations. Moreover, determination the levels of tyrosinemia related-genes expression and DNA damage were carried out. Results: This study found that treated egg white and mushroom flour with TAL enzyme were stable in color. Tyrosine reduction percentages in female mice fed Tal-enzyme treated egg white and Tal-enzyme treated mushroom flour were 72.3% and 30.96%, respectively, compared with untreated diets using tandem mass spectrometry. In addition, the expression levels of tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) and 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPD) genes were remarkably elevated in mice feeding on TAL- egg white than other groups. Also, the DNA damage rate in mice fed on TAL – egg white showed lowest was decreased significantly compared with other groups. Conclusion: Addition of TAL enzyme reduced tyrosine to egg white and mushroom flour could be utilized and applied as functional food for tyrosinemia treatment regimes.

Background and Objective: Wheat grass juice contains many vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, antioxidant and medicinal practices for treating various disorders, so it is one of the better juices to improve the nutritional quality of the other juices. This study was carried out to produce highly nutrients juice from wheat grass juice (WGJ) with cantaloupe juices (CJ). Materials and Methods: Five blends were prepared, based on partial replacement of CJ with different ratios (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50%) of wheat grass juice (WGJ). Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L.) juice and wheat grass (Triticum aestivum cv.) juice were optimized to a blended juice which was filling in pet bottles (200 mL capacity) at room temperature. Physico-chemical properties, bioactive compounds, color attributes, aroma compounds and sensory evaluation of juices were evaluated. The data were statistically analyzed by two-way ANOVA. Results: Minor changes in pH, total soluble solids, acidity and bioactive compounds were showed. A remarkable improvements in vitamin C, minerals (Fe, Cu, Zn and Ca), antioxidant activity, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, total chlorophyll and total carotenoids were achieved with the increasing proportion of WGJ in the blend juice. Addition of WGJ to the CJ caused changes in the aroma profiles, increases could noted for alcohols and aldehydes with a main reduction in the concentration of acetates and non-acetates esters. Conclusion: All quality characteristics especially color attributes and sensory evaluation tests showed that 10% of CJ could be replaced with WGJ providing a good quality of juice with higher bioactive compounds and considered as most stable antioxidant activity and also could be recommended for consumption as a new juice.

PKU patients react to therapy with a low phenylalanine diet, but adherence to this diet is troublesome, subsequently the expansion of alternative ways is demand. Phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) is one of this ways, which converts phenylalanine to harmless metabolites; trans-cinnamic acid and ammonia. In the current study, the extraction of PAL enzyme was used to investigate the efficiency for production of functional PKU egg white and mushroom flour with good quality by evaluation of colour characteristics, determination of phenylalanine concentrations and genetic materials expression of PKU related genes and DNA damage. Results indicated that the PAL enzyme treated of egg white and mushroom flour was stable colour and the calculated reduction per cent in phenylalanine concentration from female mice fed on untreated and PAL-treated samples was 22.77% in egg white and 31.37% in mushroom flour. Also, the results revealed that female mice fed on diet contained treated egg white exhibited low expression levels of PKU exons (3, 6, 7, 11, and 12) and low DNA damage which were similar to those in control mice.

Background and Objective: The study was utilized of different (green, yellow and red) Bell Pepper Juice (BPJ) in preparing of Processed Cheese Spread (PCS) to improve its organoleptic, nutritional and functional properties. Methodology: The BPJ was added to base blend at the levels of 20%. The prepared samples were analyzed for chemical, physical, microbiological and sensory properties. Results: Processed Cheese Spreads (PCSs) were analysis after fortification with BPJ and processing. The vitamins content (A, E, K, D, C and B6) was significantly higher in PCSs incorporation of BPJ, also nicotinic acid, thiamin, riboflavin and folic acid content was significantly increased in cheese spread containing 20% BPJ compared with control or unfortified PCSs. Furthermore, the total phenol compounds and residual scaving activity content were significantly higher in cheese spread containing 20% of BPJ. No significant change was observed in the chemical and physical composition of PCSs made with and without incorporation of BPJ. Conclusion: In general, organoleptic grade of the PCSs made with 20% of different BPJ were better among the other treatments. Using of BPJ in PCS makes this dairy product useful as a healthy and a functional food.