Evaluation of poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) rapid indicator film on deterioration degree of Refined,Bleached and Deodorised Malaysian Tenera palm olein oil (RBDPO) during long-term repetitive deep-fat frying

Palm olein oil is widely used as a medium for deep-frying purposes in the domestic and commercial sectors. However, repetitive usage beyond the recommended cycle leads to significant deterioration and spoilage of the oil. Therefore, this research investigated the effect of long-term repetitive deep-fat frying on the physicochemical properties of Refined, Bleached and Deodorised Malaysian Tenera Palm Olein oil (RBDPO) as well as the suitability of poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) film as a potential rapid indicator to determine the spoilage level of recycled palm olein oil. The study was carried out using three different RBDPO conditions; RBDPO without potatoes (RBDPO-1), RBDPO with potatoes (RBDPO-2), and RBDPO with Afdhal Oil (AO, an oil additive chemical) and potatoes (RBDPO-3). The deep-frying process was performed for 15 mins at 180 ± 5 °C for 15 cycles. Based on the results, the oil temperature fluctuation during the frying process was insignificant for every cycle (p > 0.05). After 15 frying cycles, all oil samples demonstrated a considerably altered and deteriorated composition, both physically and chemically. The comparison between the 1st and 15th frying cycles showed a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the decrease of moisture content and contact angle. Furthermore, the redness colour and viscosity for RBDPO-1, RBDPO-2 and RBDPO-3 increased significantly. The RBDPO-2 recorded the highest value for moisture content, contact angle, colour and viscosity after 15 frying cycles with 30.40 ± 0.2%, 26.01 ± 0.02°, 10.77 ± 0.15 Lovibond, and 133.5 ± 0.2 cP, respectively. However, the density value was insignificant (p > 0.05) between the 1st and 15th frying cycles for all types of oil. Besides, the peroxides value (PV) was steadily increased within the safety limit of Food Act (1983) (Laws of Malaysia: Act 281), with the aldehyde (CO) functional group was detected in all oil samples throughout the 15 frying cycles. Hence, the high correlation between the contact angle and all parameters except density showed that contact angle analysis using PLLA film was a suitable technique for rapid oil spoilage indicator model.     

Determination of acrolein in french fries by solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography and mass spectrometry

The frying of foods in the home can be a cause of indoor pollution due to the formation of acrolein. The emission of acrolein formed during frying in soybean, corn, canola, sunflower and palm oils was studied. A GC/MS method has been developed to determine acrolein in French fries using SPME as the sampling technique after derivatization with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH). Optimum SPME conditions included desorption at 250°C for 2min after an adsorption time of 10min at room temperature. The method presented good resolution, repeatability, detection and quantification limits, and linearity of response. French fries were prepared in five different oils with four frying steps. The results showed that changes in acrolein concentration occurred after frying potatoes in different types of oil and at different frying cycles. Potatoes fried in soybean oil contained the lowest concentration of acrolein. Shoestring potatoes contained a lower concentration of acrolein than potato chips and French fries, respectively, because of the higher surface/volume ratio.     

The effect of repetitive frying on physicochemical properties of refined,bleached and deodorized Malaysian tenera palm olein during deep-fat frying

Refined, bleached and deodorized tenera palm olein is widely used for domestic and commercial food frying. However, repeated heating and frying might lead to oil spoilage. This study focuses on the effect of deep-frying on physicochemical properties of repeatedly heated palm olein. Recycled palm olein was prepared by frying potato strips up to 5 cycles with potato-to-oil (g/ml) ratio of 3:20 prior to colour, density, viscosity, moisture content, contact angle, peroxide value and iodine value analyses. The fluctuation in the temperature of the oil was insignificant for every cycle (p > 0.05). The increase in red colour of the oil was significant (p < 0.05) after two cycles of frying from 3.6 to 5.0 Lovibond unit. After 5 frying cycles, there was no change in the density of RBDPO-2 and RBDPO-3. The viscosity of the oil after 5 frying cycles was higher as compared to after 5 heating cycles (67.7 ± 0.6 and 58.2 ± 0.9 cP respectively). Besides, the viscosity of RBDPO-3 was lower than RBDPO-2 only. The moisture content of the oil increased from 3.7 ± 0.1% to 30.4% (w/w) for RBDPO-2, whereas for RBDPO-3, the viscosity increased from 3.7 ± 0.1% to 30.4 ± 0.1% (w/w) due to the presence of the moisture from the potato. The change in the contact angle of the RBDPO-1 (control) was significant (p < 0.05) between the 1st cycle and the 5th cycle from 19.16 ± 0.45° to 12.03 ± 0.45° respectively. Besides, there was a significant change (p < 0.05) of contact angle for RBDPO-2 between the 1st cycle and the 5th cycle from 32.53 ± 0.5° to 18.06 ± 0.15° respectively. The peroxide value of the fresh oil was 2.8 ± 0.2 meq/kg and the value after the 1st cycle for all RBDPO(s) treatment increased, indicating that primary oxidation had occurred after the 1st cycle of heating and frying. A decreasing trend was observed from the 2nd until the 5th frying cycle because the instability of peroxide at a high temperature, causes rapid degradation and produced a dimer and volatile compound. Frying also decreased the unsaturated value of the oil as indicated by a decrease in the iodine value. Based on Pearson’s correlation test, there was a positive correlation between the colour, density and viscosity of the oil. The higher the peroxide value, the higher the density of the oil. There was also a positive correlation between the contact angle, moisture content and peroxide value of the oil. Whereas, a negative correlation was found between the iodine values, colour, density and viscosity of the oil. In conclusion, the potato repetitive deep-frying darkened the colour of the oil, increased its density, viscosity, contact angle, and peroxide value and decreased the degree of unsaturation of the oil as it shows a prominent sign of oxidative rancidity.     

Comparison of the oxidative stability of soybean and sunflower oils enriched with herbal plant extracts

The present study was conducted to determine and compare the oxidative stability of soybean and sunflower oils using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). These edible oils were enriched with marjoram (Origanum majorana L.), thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), and oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) extracts at three different concentrations and synthetic antioxidant (BHA). The fatty acid composition of studied oils was determined by gas chromatography mass spectrometry to evaluate the content of unsaturated fatty acids that are sensitive to oxidation process. Oil samples were heated in the DSC at different heating rates (4.0, 7.5, 10.0, 12.5, and 15.0 °C min^?1) and oxidation kinetic parameters (activation energy, pre-exponential factor, and oxidation rate constant) were calculated. The results showed that the oxidative stability of sunflower oil samples enriched with oregano extracts and soybean oil supplemented with thyme extracts was improved compared to samples without the addition of herbal plant extracts and the synthetic antioxidant.     

Prediction of the acid value,peroxide value and the percentage of some fatty acids in edible oils during long heating time by chemometrics analysis of FTIR-ATR spectra

Edible oils are used in the preparation of foods as a part of their recipe or for frying. So to ensure of food safety, checking the quality of the oils before and after usage is an important subject in food control laboratories. In this study, edible oils from four different sources (canola, corn, sunflower and frying) were heated for 36 h at 170 °C and sampling was done every 6 h. The free fatty acid, peroxide value and the content of some fatty acids (C16:0, C18:0, C18:1, C18:2, C18:3) of the oil samples were determined by standard methods. Then, the ATR-FTIR spectra of the samples were collected. The partial least squares (PLS) regression combined with genetic algorithm was performed on the spectroscopic data to obtain the appropriate predictive models for the simultaneous estimation of acid value, peroxide value and the percentage of five kinds of fatty acids. The effect of some preprocessing methods on these models was also investigated. Preprocessing of data by orthogonal signal correction (OSC) resulted in the best predictive models for all oil properties. The correlation coefficients of calibration set (>0.99) and validation set (>0.86 and in most case >0.94) of the OSC–PLS model suggested suitable predictive modeling for all studied parameters in the oil samples. This method could be suggested as a rapid, economical and environmental friendly technique for simultaneous determination of seven noted parameters in the edible oils.     

Effect on rheology and frying stability of edible oil before and after addition of fenugreek seeds

Rheological parameters of vegetable oils showed great changes during frying. The correlation between rheological behavior and viscosity measurements during frying can give a good overall estimate of frying oil quality. In the present study, rheological properties of rice bran oil (RBO) and soybean oil (SBO) during deep-frying of 13 ​min were investigated for consecutive 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th frying at an interval of one week. To enhance the frying stability of RBO and SBO, fenugreek seeds (Trigonellafoenum graecum) was added during frying. The shear stress versus shear rate data was fitted to Newtonian and Herschel-Bulkley rheological models. The flow behavior of RBO and SBO with and without fenugreek seeds in before and after frying were measured at 30 ​± ​2 ​°C. The increase in viscosity, acid values and flow behavior index (n) with frying times for both RBO and SBO can be controlled with the addition of fenugreek seed up to 3rd frying with n ​< ​1 values, where without fenugreek seeds for RBO and SBO it showed a shear thickening properties (n ​> ​1) after 2nd and 3rd frying respectively.     

Effectiveness of the Natural Antioxidant 2,4,4′-Trihydroxychalcone on the Oxidation of Sunflower Oil during Storage

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of 2,4,4′-trihydroxychalcone as a natural antioxidant on the oxidation of sunflower oil during an 88-day storage period and to compare its strength with the synthetic antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Seven groups of the sunflower oil samples were prepared: pure oil (control), oil treated with different concentrations (100, 500, and 1000 ppm) of 2,4,4′-trihydroxychalcone, and oil treated with different concentrations (100, 500, and 1000 ppm) of BHT. Specific parameters, namely, the peroxide value (PV), acid value (AV), p-anisidine value (p-AnV), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) value and total oxidation (TOTOX) value were used to assess the extent of the deterioration of the oil by estimating the primary and secondary oxidation products. The results showed that 2,4,4′-trihydroxychalcone effectively decreased the production of the primary and secondary oxidation products of sunflower oil during storage, as indicated by reductions in the PVs, AVs, p-AnVs, TBARS values and TOTOX values of the sunflower oil. When compared to BHT, 2,4,4′-trihydroxychalcone showed either a similar or stronger effect in inhibiting the primary and secondary oxidation products. These findings suggest that, 2,4,4′-trihydroxychalcone is a suitable natural alternative to synthetic antioxidants to improve the oxidative stability of sunflower oil.     

Thymus musilii Velen. as a promising source of potent bioactive compounds with its pharmacological properties: In vitro and in silico analysis

For the first time, we reported the phytochemical composition of the volatile oil from Thymus musilii Velen (T. musilii). The antioxidant and antimicrobial activities against various food-borne and clinical pathogenic microorganisms were also tested. The thyme oil was particularly rich in thymol (67.697 ± 0.938%), and thymyl acetate (12.993 ± 0.221%). The strongest antioxidant activity of the essential oil was registered with the tests: ABTS (IC₅₀ = 5.6 × 10⁻⁴ mg/mL) and β-carotene/linoleic acid (IC₅₀ = 3.2 × 10⁻³ mg/mL). This thymol-chemotype oil was active against all microorganisms tested with an inhibition growth zone ranging from 21.33 ± 1.52 mm for Proteus mirabilis (P. mirabilis) to 37.33 ± 1.15 mm for Candida vaginalis (C. vaginalis) strain. Overall, the tested oil exhibited bactericidal and fungicidal activities and only a small quantity of the tested essential oil was found to be sufficient for inhibiting the growth of the tested microorganisms. Furthermore, molecular docking results implies that, among the bioactive compounds, β-caryophyllene interacted strongly with the active site residues of TyrRS, GLMS and Gyrase enzymes and consequently support our in vitro results with the highest inhibition potential of this essential oil against tested pathogens, especially Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Our results suggested that essential oil of T. musiliii exhibited strong biological activities with a promising source of various natural compounds.     

Study of degradation kinetics of sunflower oil on H-Beta zeolite

In this study, were studied the degradation of pure sunflower oil and mixed with H-Beta zeolite. This zeolite was synthesized by the hydrothermal method, followed by calcination and ion exchanged. The characterization of the zeolite was performed by X-ray diffraction and nitrogen adsorption/desorption by the method of BET. The analysis showed that H-Beta zeolite presented a good crystallinity and the template was completely removed from the catalyst. The thermal and catalytic degradation study was carried out using the TG/DTG method in multiple heating rates of 5, 10, and 20 °C min⁻¹. The isoconversion method proposed by Vyazovkin was applied to determine the kinetic parameters for degradation of the sunflower oil. The activation energy for the degradation process of pure sunflower oil was 193 kJ mol⁻¹, while for sunflower oil mixed with 20% of H-Beta zeolite was equivalent to 88 kJ mol⁻¹. It was verified that for the degradation of 90% of the sunflower oil mixed with H-Beta, for a period of 1 h, a temperature of 356 °C was required, whereas for the pure vegetable oil, this value was of 387 °C, at the same time period, showing that the catalyst was effective for the degradation process of sunflower oil.     

Silk-Fiber Immobilized Lipase-Catalyzed Hydrolysis of Emulsified Sunflower Oil

Lipase was immobilized in silk fibers through glutaraldehyde cross-linking to a maximum loading of 59 U/g silk-fiber and the immobilized lipase was utilized for the hydrolysis of sunflower oil (Helianthus annuus). The hydrolytic activity of the lipase, which was poor in biphasic oil in water system, was increased significantly when the sunflower oil was emulsified in aqueous medium. The hydrolytic activities of the immobilized lipase were 48.73 ± 1.26 U, 36.11 ± 0.96 U, and nil when the substrate sunflower oil was used as emulsion created by a rhamnolipid biosurfactant, Triton X100, and ultrasonication, respectively. Although the efficiency of the immobilized lipase was less than 12% than the corresponding free lipase, the immobilized lipase could be reused for the biosurfactant-mediated hydrolysis of sunflower oil up to third cycle of the reaction. The yield of the fatty acids in the second, third, and fourth cycles were 49.45%, 22.91%, and 5.09%, respectively, of the yield obtained in the first cycle.     

Utilising oleogel as a frying medium for deep fried Indian traditional product (Mathri) to reduce oil uptake

The purpose of this research was to use and analyze the influence of oleogel as a frying medium for developing low fat fried Indian traditional snack (Mathri). As consumer demand for fried foods grows, so does consumer concern about their health, as they are responsible for a variety of health disorders. Carnauba wax and soybean oil were used to produce oleogel in three different concentrations (5, 10 and 15%) which were further examined and used as frying medium. The oleogel effect on the quality attributes of snack were also investigated and compared with the soybean refined oil in this study. It was observed that Mathri fried in oleogel had better moisture retention, color, texture and a lower oil uptake than the Mathri fried in soybean oil. Moisture content in CRW samples ranged from 4 to 5%, but rose to 8.98% in the case of oil samples. Breaking strength of mathri fried in oil was 3382.1 ?g, which was more than the breaking strength of mathri fried in oleogel, which were 1974.8 ?g (5% CRW) and 1092.7 ?g (10% CRW) and 3168.1 ?g (15% CRW). Oleogel fried mathri absorbed 27.7%, 22% and 19.3% less oil than conventionally fried ones. The study shows that mathri with reduced fat and calorie content can be developed to suit the demand among health-conscious consumers for low fatty foods.     

Synthesis of terbium doped calcium phosphate nanocrystalline powders by citric acid sol–gel combustion method

Terbium doped calcium phosphate (Tb-doped CaP) nanocrystalline powders were synthesized by the citric acid sol–gel combustion method. The phase composition, morphology and luminescent property of Tb-doped CaP nanocrystalline powders were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, fluorescence spectrophotometer and fluorescence microscopy. At 700 °C, Tb-doped CaP nanocrystalline powders are composed of HAP (main phase) and β-TCP (minor phase) with Tb doping content of 0.5–4%. SEM and TEM observations show that the 4% Tb-doped CaP nanocrystalline powders are about 50–150 nm spherical particles. The 4% Tb-doped CaP nanocrystalline powders exhibit the strongest emission at 548 nm (λ_excitation = 240 nm) and show strong green fluorescence under fluorescence microscopy.     

Nutritional consequences of sun-drying,freezing, and frying of Lates calcarifer on human health

Asian Sea bass (Lates calcarifer), a popular fish, is cultured and consumed in several countries for its commercial benefits and delectable taste. In this study, the biochemical parameters and fatty acids (FA) composition of Lates calcarifer in raw and fried (with mustard oil) conditions were compared for samples treated under three different ways: fresh, frozen, and sun-dried. From the final outcome, it was observed that after frying the protein content deteriorated significantly for all experimental conditions. Scrutiny of fried sample pointed to an increment in neutral lipid content (4.91%) along with trans FA that may pose a threat to health of the consumers. Contrastingly, after frying the loss of saturated FA to a great extent was countered by the increment of beneficial monounsaturated and polyunsaturated FA (MUFA and PUFA). From the nutritional view point, it was revealed that frying improved the nutritional quality indices (NQI) not only for sun-dried or frozen samples but also for fresh samples nullifying the adverse effect of trans FA because of the presence of low concentration of saturated FA along with high percentage of MUFA and PUFA. However, NQI deteriorated typically after sun-drying and freezing. Principal component analysis (PCA) bi-plot further suggested high positive correlation of fried condition to lipid profile but none of the NQI were significantly affected either on sun-drying or on freezing. From the present study, finally it can be recommended that frying is a suitable method to preserve the nutritional values of L. calcarifer.     

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) extract

The restriction to the use of synthetic antioxidants has fostered the research on natural antioxidants, taking into account that the prolonged usage of these substances can harm seriously the human being provoking degenerative diseases. In the present study, the antioxidant effect of the ethanolic rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) extract on the oxidative stability of edible vegetable oils was investigated by means of the pressurized differential scanning calorimetry (PDSC) and oven test techniques. The rosemary extract, at the concentration of 2,000 mg kg^?1, as well as the synthetic antioxidant tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) at the concentrations of 100 and 200 mg kg^?1 were added to samples of sunflower oil, corn oil, and soybean oil. The fatty acid profiles of the vegetable oils were determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry confirming the elevated contents of unsaturated fatty acids. The thermogravimetric analysis showed that the rosemary extract is stable at the frying temperature of the oils. The results of the oxidative stability demonstrated that the extract of Rosmarinus officinalis displayed a more effective protective action in the PDSC technique, when compared with the synthetic antioxidant TBHQ, indicating that it is a promising source of natural antioxidants for edible vegetable oils.     

Optimized Green Extraction of Polyphenols from Cassia javanica L. Petals for Their Application in Sunflower Oil: Anticancer and Antioxidant Properties

The total phenolic content (TPC) from Cassia javanica L. petals were extracted using ethanolic solvent extraction at concentrations ranging from 0 to 90% and an SCF-CO₂ co-solvent at various pressures. Ultrasound-assisted extraction parameters were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). Antioxidant and anticancer properties of total phenols were assessed. An SCF-CO₂ co-solvent extract was nano-encapsulated and applied to sunflower oil without the addition of an antioxidant. The results indicated that the best treatment for retaining TPC and total flavonoids content (TFC) was SCF-CO₂ co-solvent followed by the ultrasound and ethanolic extraction procedures. Additionally, the best antioxidant activity by β-carotene/linoleic acid and DPPH free radical-scavenging test systems was observed by SCF-CO₂ co-solvent then ultrasound and ethanolic extraction methods. SCF-CO₂ co-solvent recorded the highest inhibition % for PC3 (76.20%) and MCF7 (98.70%) and the lowest IC₅₀ value for PC3 (145 µ/mL) and MCF7 (96 µ/mL). It was discovered that fortifying sunflower oil with SCF-CO₂ co-solvent nanoparticles had a beneficial effect on free fatty acids and peroxide levels. The SCF-CO₂ method was finally found to be superior and could be used in large-scale processing.     

Strategies to Improve the Thermo-Oxidative Stability of Sunflower Oil by Exploiting the Antioxidant Potential of Blueberries Processing Byproducts

This research was conducted in order to establish the effectiveness of two freeze-dried extracts obtained from blueberry processing byproducts resulting from juice manufacturing compared to butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) in delaying the lipid oxidation of sunflower oil subjected to high-temperature convective heating at 180 °C up to 12 h under simulated frying conditions. The fruits were harvested from spontaneous flora of two regions of Romania, Arieseni (Alba County) and Paltinis (Sibiu County) and the blueberry byproducts extracts (BBE) were noted according to the origin place as ABBE and PBBE. The progress of lipid thermo-oxidation was investigated in terms of peroxide value (PV), p-anisidine value (p-AV), the response of TBA-malondialdehyde interactions assessed by thiobarbituric acid (TBA) method, the total oxidation (TOTOX) value and inhibition of oil oxidation (IO). The recorded data highlighted that BBE exhibit a high inhibitory response on lipid thermo-oxidation. The inhibitory effect was concentration-dependent, thus, the degree of lipid oxidation was in reverse related to the BBE dose. The exposure of the oil samples supplemented with 800 ppm BBE (ABBE, PBBE) to a high-temperature heating for 12 h led to a significant decrease of the assessed indices compared to additives-free sunflower oil sample as follows: PV (46%; 45%), p-AV (21%; 17%), TOTOX (27%; 24%), TBA value (25%; 11%). Regarding the impact of the origin on the potential of BBE to inhibit the lipid oxidative degradation, it was noted that ABBE derived from blueberries grown in a region with a milder climate with moderate precipitations and higher temperatures showed a stronger inhibitory effect on lipid thermo-oxidation than PBBE. A moderate level of 500 ppm BBE inhibited the lipid oxidation similar to 200 ppm BHT. The reported results reveal that BBE represent efficient natural antioxidants that could be successfully applied to improve the thermo-oxidative stability of sunflower oil used in various high-temperature food applications.     

Extraction of male steroids and progesterone from water by vegetable oil gels and their determination by partial filling capillary micellar electrokinetic chromatography

Microemulsion gels were synthetized from macadamia, linseed, olive, walnut, rapeseed, sesame, and coconut oils and frying oil made from sunflower, palm, and rapeseed oils. The gels were similar as polyacrylamide–based gels with exception of replacing dodecyl sulfate with vegetable oils. The gels were modified with celluloses, cotton, or lignin to make the emulsions sustainable for water purification. They were used to compare sorption properties when they were used as solid‐phase adsorbents in isolation of steroids from water. Hydrophobicity features of the gels were compared by detecting adsorption and extraction efficiency of nonpolar androstenedione, testosterone, and progesterone, which exist in wastewater and drinking water. Quantification was done with partial filling–micellar electrokinetic chromatography with 29.5 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate–3.4 mM sodium taurocholate as the micelle and 20 mM ammonium acetate (pH 9.68) as the electrolyte. UV‐detection was used. Methanol was the best eluent for extraction of steroids from gels. The highest recoveries were from frying oil and rapeseed oil gels modified with celluloses. They also possessed the best floating properties on water surface. Lignin modified gels were too hydrophilic, when in touch with water they filled up with water. They also had the lowest capacity.     

Efficacy of natural oils and conventional chemicals in the physical extraction of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid from aqueous solution

4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HBA) is a phenolcarboxylic acid and a valuable chemical with various pharmacological properties and a wide range of industrial applications. The present work is envisioned to retrieve 4-HBA from aqueous solution through physical extraction using natural oils (mustard oil, sunflower oil and soyabean oil) and chemicals (MIBK and 1-octanol) as solvent. The experimental evaluation of extraction equilibrium using aforesaid solvents is reported in the form of distribution coefficient (K_D), extraction efficiency (E_P %), partition coefficient (P) and dimerization constant (D). The results were analysed using several physicochemical aspects of the solvents utilized, such as the solvent polarity parameter, dielectric constant, and dipole moment. Further, the comparison of these extraction results was made with the results of our previous study which was with the solvents sesame oil, canola oil, benzene, toluene and p-ether. The results may be arranged in the increasing order with respect to average K_D and average E_P % for natural oils as canola oil (0.23, 18.85%) < mustard oil (0.25, 20.45%) < sunflower oil (0.27, 21.00%) < soyabean oil (0.34, 25.06%) < sesame oil (0.49, 33.24%) and for chemicals as benzene (0.08, 7.5%) < toluene (0.09, 8.25%) < p-ether (0.09, 8.32%) < MIBK (2.55, 71.41%) < 1-octanol (5.01, 83.01%).     

Profile characterization and biological activities of cold pressed Garden Cress (Lepidium sativum) seed oil

Lepidium sativum is cultivated mainly for the edible oil from its seeds, and considered as an unutilized and neglected crop despite its important properties. Its oil fraction is used to produce soap and stabilize linseed oil when it is mixed with wild mustard seed oil. Once converted into fatty acid methyl esters, it represents a good substitute for imported petroleum diesel after alkaline transesterification reaction. In the current study, Lepidium sativum seeds cultivated in Tunisia and the physicochemical properties and nutrient profile of its cold pressed seed oil were investigated. The antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activities of the above oil were also assessed. Lepidium sativum seed oil was abundant in both linolenic (35.59 ± 1.9%) and oleic (21.14 ± 0.63%) acids, and high amounts of β-sitosterol (42.57 ± 2.96 mg/100 g), campesterol (20.04 ± 1.4 mg/100 g) and Δ 5,24 stigmastadienol (11.82 ± 0.45 mg/100 g) were detected. The total tocopherol content of Lepidium sativum seed oil reached 136.83 ± 7.6 mg/100 g with a predominance of γ-tocopherol (86.23%). Its seed oil exhibited an IC₅₀ of 10.33 ± 0.05 mg/mL and a radical scavenging activity of 415.6 ± 40 Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) for the DPPH and the ABTS assays, respectively. While the thermal analysis proved a high thermal stability of Lepidium sativum seed oil, that of eight bacteria and one fungal strain showed no noticeable bacterial or antifungal effects. It was also revealed that Lepidium sativum seed oil held a remarkable anti-inflammatory activity. Hence, the obtained results evidenced remarkable chemical, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Lepidium sativum seed oil, which might potentially be promising for enhancing human health and preventing age-related diseases.     

Distribution and Degradation of 14C-Ethyl Prothiofos in a Potato Plant and the Effect of Processing

Prothiofos and some of its degradation products have been synthesized in our laboratory for investigation purposes. The residual fate of ¹⁴ C-ethyl prothiofos in different parts of potato plant was studied. The highest level of insecticide residues was detected in and on the leaves of potato plants. The residues of prothiofos insecticide were mainly located in the peels of potato tubers (peeling process removed 85% of the total residue after one month of the treatment), small amount penetrated into the pulp of potato tubers. The degradation products in the extracts of both peel and pulp of potato tubers were identified as prothiofos, prothiofos oxon, desethyl prothiofos, O-ethyl-S-propyl phosphorodithioate, O-ethyl phosphorothioate, O-ethyl-S-propyl phosphoric acid, O-ethyl phosphoric acid, despropylthio prothiofos, and prothiofos oxon sulfoxide. In addition 2,4-dichlorophenol was identified as such and in conjugated metabolites.

Potatoes are processed in three ways: frying, boiling, and baking, which is simulated in home preparation. The amount of prothiofos residues was found to decrease on boiling (70%) and further on baking (82%) and frying (100%). The results indicated that frying process is the most effective method for reducing the amount of pesticide residues. Detectable residues were found in boiled potatoes (2.64 ppm), in the boiling water (0.24 ppm), and in the frying oil (0.71 ppm). From these results we concluded that the processed potatoes are safely used for human consumption.