S. Jittinandana

Recommending vitamin A-rich foods in southern Thailand.

Thailand is classified by the World Health Organization as a country with a moderate level of subclinical vitamin A deficiency. in 1992 the eruption of infant xerophthalmia in the countrys lower region led to the universal distribution of vitamin A capsules among infants (50,000 IU for those < 6 months old, 100,000 IU for those 6–12 months old) and pre-school children (200,000 IU) in high-risk areas every 6 months. Since then, no new cases of xerophthalmia have arisen. the universal distribution programme covered the period 1992 to 1998. However, to control the problem and prevent it from reoccurring once capsule distribution is discontinued, a food-based strategy for the prevention of vitamin A deficiency is being undertaken in southern Thailand. This strategy has two components: recommendation of vitamin A–rich food recipes for consumption by pregnant women, and development of vitamin A–rich snacks targeted at children. Both of these components have been adopted and successfully promoted by the Health Promotion Center (Region 12) in southern Thailand as part of public special events, regular counselling, and education programmes, and as micro-level income-generation projects by community womens groups.

Effect of Dietary Vitamin E Supplementation and Refrigerated Storage on Quality of Rainbow Trout Fillets

Rainbow trout were fed a low vitamin E (200 mg/kg; LVE) or a high vitamin E (5000 mg/kg; HVE) diet for 9 wk to characterize the effect of vitamin E supplementation at 5000 mg/kg on fillet quality. Fish were sampled at 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 9 wk of the trial. Fillets were stored at 2 °C for 0, 7, and 14 d, and analyzed for pH, psychrotrophic counts, color, cook yield, shear force, crude fat and moisture content, α-tocopherol, fatty acid composition, and lipid oxidation. There was a significant feeding duration by fillet storage time interaction for psychrotrophic counts, crude fat content, cook yield, and shear force. Fillet L* value was not affected by diet, feeding duration or storage time. Fillet a* was lowest at 14-d storage, and b* values increased with fillet storage time. High vitamin E diet increased fillet α-tocopherol from 33 to 155 mg/kg. High vitamin E decreased palmitic acid and increased linoleic acid and omega-6 fatty acids. Feeding through 9 wk increased the relative proportions of unsaturated, polyunsaturated, and omega-3 fatty acids, and decreased saturated and omega-6 fatty acids. At 0-d storage, HVE diet did not affect thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) at any sampling week, and fasted fish generated fewer TBARS compared to non-fasted fish.

Cryoprotection of Frozen Trout Fillets for Smoked Trout Production

Abstract Fillets were soaked in water, 8% sucrose/sorbitol (S/S) or 1% sodium lactate (SL) with or without 0.5% phosphate and 0.05% MgCl2. After treatment, fillets were frozen stored at -20°C for 90 days. Smoked fillets and gels were subsequently prepared from those frozen fillets. L* and a* values of fillets following treatments with cryoprot-ectants and freezing, were lower than water-soaked fillets. Cryoprotectants (S/S and SL) significantly improved hardness and cohesiveness of gels prepared from frozen fillets, but did not affect the fillet shear force, and they increased smoke-oven yield of fillets compared to untreated and water controls.

Improvement of dietary density by the use of germinated cereals and legumes.

The feasibility of using germinated seeds to reduce the high viscosity of cereal- and legume-based weaning foods developed by the Institute of Nutrition at Mahidol University was investigated. the amylase-rich food (ARF) products were developed from cereals (rice, glutinous rice, and maize) and legumes (mung bean, black bean, soya bean, red kidney bean, and groundnut). the activities of α- and β-amylase were determined. the results showed that the germination processes were standardized by a four-day germination period for cereous cereal- and legume-based weaning foods.

Acidified Sodium Chlorite Solution as an Antimicrobial Treatment for Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Fillets

Minimizing microbial growth and maintaining overall quality are priorities for intervention strategies that extend the shelf life of fresh, aquatic foods. Four treatments included a control (fresh fillets), water, 50 ppm of acidified sodium chlorite (ASC), and 1,000 ppm of ASC. Fillets were stored at 1 to 2 degrees C for 0, 8, and 15 days. A significant (P < 0.05) interaction between treatment and storage time was observed for psychrotrophic counts. The increase in psychrotrophic counts with storage time was less for fillets treated with ASC, regardless of ASC concentration. Aerobic plate counts were not affected (P > 0.05) by intervention; however, a significant increase in counts was observed during storage (P < 0.05). Fillet pH, moisture, fat, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, fatty acid composition, color, cook yield, and shear force were not affected (P > 0.05) by intervention. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances decreased (P < 0.05) during storage. Percentages of individual fatty acids were constant, with the exception of C15 and C20:2; they decreased with storage to 15 days. Percent fat, L* (lightness) and b* (yellowness) values, and cook yield increased (P < 0.05) during storage. Fillet pH, moisture, a* (redness) value, and shear force did not change (P > 0.05) with storage to 15 days. Based on these data, 50 ppm of ASC performed equally as well as 1,000 ppm of ASC. The value of ASC is as a decontaminant; however, fillets in this study had low psychrotrophic counts pretreatment (2.3 log CFU/cm2) and posttreatment (2.03 log CFU/cm2), which did not demonstrate ASCs effectiveness as a decontaminant.

Sucrose Penetration and Functionality of Frozen Trout Muscle Affected by Tumbling Conditions

ABSTRACT The effect of tumbling (vacuum pressure: 0, 50, 70 kPa; speed: 7, 14 rpm; time: 30, 60 min) on sucrose penetration into trout muscle was studied when trout chunks were tumbled with 4% (w/w) powdered sucrose. In addition, the cryoprotective action of sucrose in those tumbled muscle was evaluated at -20°C for 24 wk. Sucrose content, expressed as mg/cm2 of exposed area, increased linearly from the center to the periphery of muscle chunks. Vacuum during tumbling and extended tumbling time increased sucrose content of the center portion. Through 24 wk of frozen storage, all tumbling treatments had lower thaw loss and higher gel hardness and cohesiveness than the non-tumbled treatment. Tumbling with 70 kPa vacuum at 7 rpm for 30 min was optimum for sucrose penetration and muscle functionality.