Natural ingredients are an important trend in the present day food industry since manufacturers are demanding natural food dyes originating from concentrates of plant origin. However, if the use of plant extracts as technological additives is intended, their stability should be evaluated. This paper presents research on the stability of a 50% ethanolic extract of chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) from the Republic of Moldova. The extract was subjected to various thermal regimes, i.e. -2 °C for 12 hours; 4 °C for 12 hours; 40 °C for 15 minutes, 60 °C for 15 minutes, 80 °C for 15 minutes and 100 °C for 2 minutes, after which the antioxidant activity and the colour parameters (CIELab) were evaluated. Three sets of extracts were also stored for 2 weeks at -2 °C; 4 °C; and 25-30 °C and afterwards the parameters mentioned above were measured once again. Furthermore, total content of polyphenols was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The antioxidant activity was stable at temperatures under 0 °C and temperatures as high as 100°C, as well as during storage at -2 °C, 4 °C and 25-30 °C. High temperatures however decreased the value of luminosity, and increased the redness, the yellowness and the chroma value which reached a maximum value of 55.66 after the extract was subjected to 100 °C for 2 minutes. Storage at room temperature significantly affected the luminosity of the extract by increasing its value from 42.36 to 50.22. For most treatments, the colour was stable and was not significantly modified. 

Date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) seeds have gained interest as a valuable by-product of the date fruit industry and have been identified as a rich source of functional and bioactive ingredients. In this study, date seeds from five varieties (Medjool, Deglet Nour, Barhee, Bou Sthammi and Dayrie) cultivated in Australia were analysed for their total phenolic and flavonoid contents, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), and in-vitro inhibition against α-amylase and α-glucosidase. The date seed powders (DSP) were extracted with acetone-methanol-water (2:2:1, v:v:v) to obtain free polyphenols. The bound polyphenols were extracted from the residual solids with butanolHCl (97.5:2.5; v/v) treatment at 100 °C. The greatest quantities of total phenols (4166±227 mg Gallic Acid Equivalents 100g−1 DSP), total flavonoids (52.1±9.6 mg Quercetin Equivalents 100g−1 DSP), FRAP (1589±47 µmol Iron (II) Equivalents g−1 DSP) and TEAC (45.2±1.4 µmol Trolox Equivalents g −1 DSP) were detected in seeds from Deglet Nour variety. Both free and bound polyphenol fractions showed significant (p<0.05) inhibition against rat intestinal α-glucosidase with little or no inhibition against pancreatic α-amylase. Bound polyphenols showed stronger α-glucosidase inhibition compared with free polyphenols. The IC50 for α-glucosidase were reported as mg GAE mL−1 ranged from 0.39±0.02 (Deglet Nour ) to 0.68±0.02 (Medjool) for bound polyphenols, and from 0.907±0.08 (Medjool) to 1.75±0.15 (Barhee-khalal) for free polyphenols. Bound polyphenol fraction, with strong α-glucosidase inhibition and weak α-amylase inhibition, was suggested as a significant source of functional food ingredients with anti-hyperglycaemic properties.

Tenderness has a prominent position on meat quality and is considered to be the sensory characteristic that most influences meat acceptance. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and determine correlations among three different meat shear force techniques. Commercial samples of bovine Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (BLTL), Tensor fasciae latae (BTFL), Semitendinosus (BST), Psoas major (BPM), Biceps femoris (BBF) and swine Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (PLTL) were analyzed for pH, proximate composition, cooking loss and shear force with a classical Warner-Bratzler device and a TA-XT2 Texturometer equipped with shear blades 1 and 3 mm thick. The effect of different techniques in each studied muscle was statistically analyzed and regression curves were built. Results from the 1 mm blade were quite similar to the ones obtained with the Warner-Bratzler, however the results from 3 mm blade were overestimated (p<0.05). Significant correlation (p<0.01) among shear force technique using Warner-Bratzler and the ones using the Texturometer was observed (0.47 for 1 mm blade and 0.57 for the 3 mm blade). In conclusion, we found that the 1 mm blade and the Warner-Bratzler machine are reproducible for all tested muscles, while the 3 mm blade is not reproducible for the BTFL, BST, BPM, BBF, PLTL. There is a significant correlation between the results obtained by the classical Warner-Bratzler and the TA XT2 Texturometer equipped with both blades. Therefore, TA-XT2 Texturometer equipped with the 1mm blade can perfectly replace the traditional Warner-Bratzler device.

This study sought to evaluate the bioactive components (total phenolics, vitamin C and flavonoid), antioxidant properties (FRAP, and hydroxyl, DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging abilities) and inhibition of Fe2+-induced lipid peroxidation of the peel of mango fruit stored at refrigeration temperature and room temperature. The peel of mango fruit stored at room temperature had significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher contents of total phenolic (13.61 mg GAE/g), vitamin C (12.98 mg AAE/g), total flavonoid (4.49 mg QE/g) and non-flavonoid (9.12 mg Qe/g) than the peel of freshly harvested mango fruit and the peel of mango fruit stored at refrigeration temperature. In consonance with the bioactive components, the peel of mango fruit stored at room temperature had a higher FRAP, and hydroxyl, DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging abilities than the others. The peel of mango fruit stored at room temperature showed stronger inhibition of Fe2+ induced lipid peroxidation by exhibiting the least IC50 (1.44 mg/ml in brain), (1.43 mg/ml in pancreas) and (1.88 mg/ml in kidney). Thus freshly harvested, matured, edible and just ripe mango fruit (Sheri Mango) could be stored at room temperature and be consumed with the peel.

In order to investigate the solubility of Stevioside and Rebaudioside A in different solvents (ethanol, water, ethanol:water 30:70 and ethanol:water 70:30), supersaturated solutions of pre-crystalized steviol glycosides were maintained at different temperatures (from 5 °C to 50 °C) to reach equilibrium. Under these conditions significant differences were found in the extent of solubility. Rebaudioside A was poorly soluble in ethanol and water, and Stevioside was poorly soluble in water. Solvent mixtures more effectively promoted solubilisation, and a significant effect of temperature on solubility was observed. The two steviol glycosides showed higher solubilities and this behavior was promoted by the presence of the other sweetener. The polarity indices of the solvents were determined, and helped to explain the observed behavior. Several solute-solvent and solute-solute interactions can occur, along with the incidence of a strong affinity between solvents. The obtained results are in accordance with technological applications of ethanol, water and their binary mixtures for Stevioside and Rebaudioside A separations.

Senna occidentalis seeds were roasted at varying temperatures of 190, 210 and 230 °C each for 10, 15 and 20 min. Phytochemicals of the roasted seeds were determined using standard methods. The phytochemicals analysed were tannins, saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, oxalate and phenolics. Phytochemicals are compounds hypothesized for much of the disease-protection provided by diets high in fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereals and plant-based beverages. This study has clearly shown that roasting time and temperature have significant effects on the seed parameters analyzed. There was an increase in tannin, alkaloid, saponin and phenolic contents and a decrease in the contents of flavonoids and oxalates.