Marija Bodroža-Solarov

Quality Characteristics and Antioxidant Properties of Breads Supplemented with Sugar Beet Molasses-Based Ingredients

Osmotic dehydration in sugar beet molasses as hypertonic medium was used to treat apples, plums, carrots and cabbage. Following the treatment, the fruits/vegetables were dried and ground. The obtained powders or pure beet molasses were incorporated into white wheat bread at 5 and 10% levels (flour basis). The results showed that the mineral content (K, Mg, Ca) and antioxidant potential of breads were significantly improved. The most marked was the increase in K content: 89.1% (bread with molasses)-94.1% (bread with plum), at 5% level. The highest increase in antioxidant potential was measured in the breads made with plum (62.5–81.6% for 5 and 10% levels, respectively).

The protective effect of hulls on the occurrence of Alternaria mycotoxins in spelt wheat

BACKGROUND Since there is an increasing demand on the world market for alternative crops suitable for organic production, spelt wheat (Triticum aestivum spp. spelta L.) is a highly attractive farming option. Alternaria species are widespread and infect a great variety of economically important crops. Certain species are known producers of mycotoxins. The aim of this study was to assess the protective effect of hulls covering the spelt kernels on Alternaria toxins. RESULTS Alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) were evaluated in hulls and dehulled kernels after plant inoculation with one A. alternata and two different A. tenuissima isolates. Mycotoxins were determinated using high-performance liquid chromatography with dioade array detection. The detected levels of AOH and AME were four times higher in hulls compared to kernels in inoculation treatments. AOH was registered at levels ranging from 227 to 331 µg kg(-1) in dehulled kernels and from 433 up to 1647 µg kg(-1) in hulls. AME was predominant toxin detected in the range of 277 to 398 µg kg(-1) in dehulled kernels and from 1844 to 2183 µg kg(-1) in hulls, with highly significant difference to water control treatment. CONCLUSION Obtained results indicate the significantly higher concentrations of Alternaria toxins in hulls than in dehulled kernels which implicate the possible protective effect of spelt wheat hulls.

Characterization of the liposoluble fraction of common wheat (Triticum aestivum) and spelt (T. aestivum ssp. spelta) flours using multivariate analysis.

BACKGROUND In the present paper, a special method for derivatization of liposoluble extract of common wheat and spelt flours was employed which enables simultaneous detection of fatty acid and non-saponifiable lipid fractions. RESULTS Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analytical data for both fractions were separately analyzed by multivariate statistical techniques to model classes of different common wheat and spelt cultivars. Cluster analysis was used, and the results obtained revealed that better discrimination of samples was achieved by analyzing the peak area after 16 min retention time (non-saponifiable lipids), rather than commonly used peak area between 12 and 16 min (fatty acid fraction), due to more distinctive positions of points in factor space, even though the distances between points for fatty acid fraction (12-16 min) were greater. Similar results were obtained by principal components analysis, where all wheat points almost coincided whereas spelt showed good discrimination. CONCLUSION Comparison of chromatogram areas for non-saponifiable lipid fraction between common and spelt wheat showed a statistically high difference and hence has a potential for use in authenticity control.

Betaine in Cereal Grains and Grain-Based Products

Betaine is a non-essential nutrient which performs several important physiological functions in organisms. Abundant data exist to suggest that betaine has a potential for prevention of chronic diseases and that its dietary intake may contribute to overall health enhancement. Several studies have pointed out that the betaine status of the general population is inadequate and have suggested nutritional strategies to improve dietary intake of betaine. Cereal-based food has been implicated as the major source of betaine in the Western diet. This review summarizes the results on the betaine content in various cereals and related products. Attention has been given to the betaine content in gluten-free grains and products. It also discusses the stability of betaine during processing (cooking, baking, extrusion) and possibilities to increase betaine content by fortification.

Breadmaking performance and textural changes during storage of composite breads made from spelt wheat and different forms of amaranth grain

The objectives of the present study were to assess the baking properties of composite spelt wheat–amaranth blends and to study the staling of composite breads during a six-day storage. Different forms of amaranth grains were added to spelt bread formulation: native amaranth flour and flour from popped amaranth, including their scalded and non-scalded variants. Native amaranth flour (both scalded and non-scalded) gave loaves with the highest volume and contributed to significantly softer crumb but not in comparison to the control bread. Crumb resilience did not show significant differences among the breads but there were differences in the crumb stress relaxation parameters which indicated certain influence on the crumb viscoelastic properties. During storage, all samples developed firmer and less elastic crumbs. Drying loss and staling degree significantly increased with increased storage time. The staling rate was the highest in the bread with non-scalded amaranth flours (native and flour from popped amaranth). The changes in the crumb textural and elastic properties caused by staling turned significant after six days of storage. In general, inclusion of different forms of amaranth flour did not alter the staling of breads and they exerted similar behaviour during storage.

A New Concept to Secure Food Safety Standards against Fusarium Species and Aspergillus Flavus and Their Toxins in Maize

Commercial maize hybrids are exposed to different degrees of ear infection by toxigenic fungal species and toxin contamination. Their resistance to different fungi and toxin relationships are largely unknown. Without this knowledge, screening and breeding are not possible for these pathogens. Seven- to tenfold differences were found in resistance to Fusarium spp., and there was a five-fold difference in ear coverage (%) in response to A. flavus. Three hybrids of the twenty entries had lower infection severity compared with the general means for toxigenic species. Three were highly susceptible to each, and 14 hybrids reacted differently to the different fungi. Differences were also observed in the toxin content. Again, three hybrids had lower toxin content in response to all toxigenic species, one had higher values for all, and 16 had variable resistance levels. Correlations between infection severity and deoxynivalenol (DON) content were 0.95 and 0.82 (p = 0.001) for F. graminearum and F. culmorum, respectively. For fumonisin and F. verticillioides ear rot, the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was 0.45 (p = 0.05). Two independent isolates with different aggressiveness were used, and their mean X values better described the resistance levels. This increased the reliability of the data. With the introduction of this methodological concept (testing the resistance levels separately for different fungi and with two isolates independently), highly significant resistance differences were found. The resistance to different fungal species correlated only in certain cases; thus, each should be tested separately. This is very useful in registration tests and post-registration screening and breeding. This would allow a rapid increase in food and feed safety.

The development and validation of HPLC method for quantification of DL-α-tocopherol in quinoa seeds (Chenopodium quinoa willd.)

Aiming to achieve a precise method with easy application, this study presents the development and validation of a fast method for quantification of vitamin DL-α-tocopherol in quinoa seeds. The methodology was based on an extraction procedure using ultrasonic bath and determination by normal-phase HPLC with UV-VIS detector. Validation parameters showed adequate linearity, relative standard deviations between 0.5 and 0.8% (n=10), limits of detection and quantification were 3.0 ng/mL and 11.0 ng/mL, respectively. Moreover, testing the robustness of the method suggested that it was not changeable with time or condition. The results showed that this method is accurate and simple and thus applicable in laboratories for determination of DL-α-tocopherol in quinoa seeds.

THE EFFECT OF EXTRUDING ON AMARANTHUS SP. GRAIN AND GRITS QUALITY

Thermal treatment of cereals is used for improvement of their nutritive, hygienic, physic-chemical and other characteristics. Amaranthus sp. grains, which are similar in nutritive value and food processing to that of the cereals, have been classified to pseudocereals. The extruded products were obtained by extrusion of whole grains and grits of Amaranthus sp. The experiments were carried out on a single-screw extruder at a medium temperature (110°C) and humidity of 18%. Grains, grits and extruded products were analysed for chemical composition, energy value and microbiological status. The extrusion of Amaranthus sp. grain and grits decreased moisture and starch content, while the protein content remained constant. Thermal treatment improved the microbiological status of products in relation to untreated ones.