OBJECTIVES: A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station for irrigated crops at Thasara, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, to study the dissipation and risk assessment of β-cyfluthrin and imidacloprid as combination product in/on chickpea.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Solomon 300 OD comprising 9 per cent β-cyfluthrin and 21 per cent imidacloprid was foliar sprayed at the doses of 18 + 42g a.i. ha^-1 (standard dose) and 36 + 84g a.i. ha^-1 (double dose). Totally three sprays were made at an interval of 1 week starting from fruiting stage.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS: The residues of β-cyfluthrin estimated using gas chromatograph with electron capture detector (GC-ECD) showed an initial deposit of 0.16 and 0.27 μg g^-1 in standard and double doses, respectively. The residues for corresponding doses persisted till 7th and 10th day after application and reached below determination level of 0.01μg g^-1 on the 10th and 15th day, respectively. Imidacloprid was estimated using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and showed initial deposits of 1.22 and 2.7 μg g^-1 in standard and double doses, respectively. Its levels reached below the determination level (0.01 μg g^-1) on the 15th day in green pods. Statistical analysis of dissipation kinetics showed that β-cyfluthrin followed zero-order kinetics in standard dose with half-life of 7.27 days. In double dose, the dissipation kinetics followed first-order kinetics with half-life of 9 days. Imidacloprid followed first-order kinetics in both the doses with half-life of 6.7 and 7.7 days.

CONCLUSIONS: A pre-harvest interval (PHI) of 15 days is suggested. Theoretical risk assessment calculated as hazard quotient was less than 1, rendering the use of combination product as safe-provided proper PHI is followed.

Objectives

The study aimed to evaluate the anti-nutrient reductions and γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) enrichments of chikki (peanut brittle), a popular of traditional snack food, using Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis. The nutritional, storage, and sensorial analysis in order to understand the safety and functionality of chikki following fermentation were attempted.

Materials and Methods

Partial fermentations of chikki were carried out using overnight grown culture of L. lactis samples. The fermented chikki were further analysed for GABA and anti-nutrients. The antioxidant profile, protein, and sugar were also analysed. The storage studies were carried on up to 2 months for functional property evaluations.

Results

Fermentations at 37°C, pH of 5, with 1% inoculum and incubation for 24 h were optimal conditions, and resulted in the GABA concentration of 816 mg/g, respectively, and the GABA concentration did not change significantly (P > 0.05) upon storage for upto a period of 2 months. Analysis of the fermented chikki revealed a slightly higher level of phenolic, flavonoid, protein, and sugar contents as compared to those which were not subjected to fermentation. The results of sensorial analysis showed an overall general acceptability on a 5-point hedonic scale to be 8.5 ± 0.01 (before storage) and 8.03 ± 0.01 (after storage). The fermented chikki also possessed antioxidant properties and significantly (P < 0.05) low levels of phytates with complete reductions of other anti-nutrients.

Conclusions

Traditionally prepared/manufactured chikki lacks GABA, possesses notable levels of anti-nutrients with lower phenolics, flavonoids, as well as antioxidants. Our study suggested a simple preparation of GABA could enrich the popular ethnic snack through fermentation by L. lactis subsp. lactis. The developed snack is acceptable, economical with good shelf life, and has substantially reduced levels of anti-nutrients originating from groundnuts affording consumer safety.

Objectives: A comparative study regarding the fatty acid profiles and antioxidant properties of the two most common varieties of rice (Carnaroli and Karnak) cultivated in Sybaris (Southern Italy) was conducted. Carnaroli variety from Pavia district (Northern Italy) was also investigated.

Methods: Free and bound lipids were separately extracted. Fatty acid composition was determined by high resolution gas chromatography (HRGC). Free and bound phenolic acids were determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The antioxidant properties were assessed using 2,2’-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay.

Results: The total lipid content was found to be higher in both Sybaris species with respect to the Pavia variety. The lipid distribution was also significantly different. In particular, the amount of bound lipids (14.2–16.3 mg g^?1) was higher than the free lipids (7.2–7.5 mg g^?1), and unsaturated fatty acids (USFA) were significantly higher in the free-FA fraction than in bound-FA in both Sybaris varieties. By contrast, Carnaroli variety from Northern Italy displayed a higher content of free (5.3 mg g^?1) than bound lipids (2.5 mg g^?1) and a higher content of USFA in the bound-FA. The antioxidant activity of Pavia rice extract was higher than that of both Sybaris varieties.

Conclusions: The two Sybaris varieties are richer in lipids than the Pavia rice, while exhibiting the same qualitative fatty acid profile with some differences in the content of individual fatty acids. The distribution of lipids (free or bound) was found to be significantly different in the Carnaroli varieties, highlighting the effects of different climatic and pedological areas.

Colour and moisture content are two most important attributes of the commercial food product. Estimation of moisture content is very important to know the storability of the food product. It also relates to the process of drying in a fruit or vegetable. Extra drying and shrinkage deteriorates the quality of food product. The goal of the experiment was to examine the changes in RGB values of an apple during drying at different temperatures. In this study, emphasis was given on how the colour changes when there is a significant change in the moisture content of the apple. Three randomly chosen varieties of apples were sliced to 8 mm thickness and dried in vacuum oven at 60°C, 70°C, and 80°C. The loss of moisture was recorded for every 30 min interval and corresponding digital images were taken to determine the change in RGB value. The images that were captured during the study was analysed in MATLAB image analysis computer software. The analysis of moisture content and average colour share with respect to time showed that average colour share value decreases with time at all three temperatures. More than 50 per cent of variation in moisture content was explained by average colour share. There is a significant linear relationship between moisture content and colour changes in RGB and can be used to predict the moisture content of apple during drying process.