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The content of potentially antioxidant, anticarcinogenic and antiallergic flavonoid aglycons, quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin, apigenin and luteolin of 45 fruits were determined by RP-HPLC with UV detection. Fresh and dried fruits were purchased in the local markets in Budapest at a period of their most frequent consumption. Total flavonoid content of fruits varied between 0–1000 mg kg –1, the average concentration was about 30 mg kg –1 fresh weight. Quercetin could be detected in most fruits, namely in apples, pear, plums, sweet and sour cherry and berries between 10–53 mg kg –1. Luteolin at a concentration of 20 mg kg –1 was found in melons, apples, kiwi and lemon. Myricetin was in detectable amount in redcurrant, and at very high concentration in some berry fruits (mulberry 453 mg kg –1, raspberry 540 mg kg –1, blackberry 636 mg kg –1, strawberry 994 mg kg –1), and in walnut (4565 mg kg –1). Kaempferol and apigenin were not found in the fruits investigated. None of the five flavonoids was found in some variety of grapes, in peach, pear, banana, orange, grapefruit and tangerine, in nuts such as almond, pistachio, nuts, and in dried fruits such as raisin, date, fig and prunes. These data provide a basis for the evaluation of the average daily intake of Hungarian population and for an epidemiological evaluation of health-promoting effects of flavonoids. __
Reliable determination of microbial or transgenic Cry toxins is an essential issue in food and feed analyses, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) are the method of choice for quantifying these toxins currently in food and environmental analysis. Internal Quality Control (IQC) is an indispensable method to assess accuracy, precision, and reproducibility of analytical measurements. To assess the utility of the ELISA method, IQC was performed on EnviroLogix Cry1Ab/Cry1Ac QualiPlate ELISA with manufacturer supplied analytical standards. Applicability of negative and positive controls (C− and C+) was examined by Shewhart Control Charts for bias and Control Chart of the Range of Duplicates for precision. Linear regression (up to 5 ng ml−1 Cry1Ab concentration) of the commercial ELISA kit was compared to sigmoid calibration (up to 60 ng ml−1 Cry1Ab concentration). For immunoassay optimization process, possible matrix effects in different liquid and solid vertebrate tissues were examined by determination of the limit of detection values in these matrices.
The expression levels of two marker proteins (phosphinotrichin acetyltransferase, PAT and wheat germ agglutinin, WGA) in the transgenic wheat lines and their resistance to digestion in small intestine of rats were studied in comparison with their non-transgenic counterpart obtained from green house and field experiments of two subsequent years. The marker proteins were quantified by ELISA. It was found that the expression of PAT and WGA markedly increased when the wheat was grown in the field compared to that in the greenhouse. There were no significant differences between the WGA contents of the parent and transgenic wheat lines, but a broad range of expression of PAT and WGA was observed in the transgenic lines. PAT did not survive in the small intestine of the rats, while WGA was resistant to digestion in different ratios and was bound to the intestinal epithelium.
Abstract
Enzymatic hydrolysates of mechanically deboned meat (MDM) for a long time have been used as flavouring and functional food ingredients in the food industry and also as the bases of formula foods for special dietary uses.
The aim of the present study was to produce MDM hypo-antigenic products with improved digestibility and high biological value to be used as a milk protein alternative. turkey MDM was treated with digestive enzymes (trypsin and/or α-chymotrypsin, or pancreatin), followed by freeze drying. The optimised reaction conditions of hydrolysis were at 6% (w/v) of meat protein in 0.1% NaHCO3 buffer, pH 7.5; pancreatin enzyme with 50 TAME units/g meat protein substrate, 37 °C and 60 min). Hydrolysates (MDMH) were assessed for degree of hydrolyses (DH, %) by using trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid method and MW distribution by SDS-PAGE. Modification of immune reactive binding sites in MDMHs was monitored by immunoblot with cow’s milk, chicken egg or meat allergic human patients’ sera. Biological value indices (True Digestibility (TD), Net Protein Utilisation (NPU), Biological Value (BV)) were determined using rat feeding trials. Among the MDMH products, the pancreatic hydrolysate proved to be the most favourable in terms of biological value and digestibility as well as hypoallergenic property.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are obligatory biotrophic symbionts living in the roots of most terrestrial plants. AM fungi (AMF) have a positive effect on plant growth and plant nutrition, especially under stress conditions. The aim of the present study was to observe the relationship between the mycorrhizal dependency and nutrient uptake of host plants and the rate of AMF colonization in a pot experiment. The degree of host growth responses to AMF colonization is expressed as mycorrhizal dependency (MD). The pot trial was set up with a sterilized calcareous chernozem soil from Nagyhörcsök (Hungary) in a growth chamber under controlled climatic conditions. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) plants were inoculated with Glomus claroideum (BEG23) , Glomus fasciculatum (BEG53), Glomus geosporum (BEG11), Glomus mosseae (BEG12) strains and a Glomus mosseae AMF culture produced by authors. The dry biomass production, the micro- and macronutrient concentrations of the shoots and the parameters of the mycorrhizal infection were determined. Each AM fungi species or isolate caused different and distinct changes in host plant growth and nutrient uptake. The biomass production of tomato increased significantly in the presence of AM symbiosis. The mean values of MD, calculated from shoot dry matter, varied between 36% and 55%. Mycorrhizal inoculation improved the P, N and K uptake of tomato. The highest values for root colonization, frequency of infection or arbuscular richness were found in the root of tomato inoculated with the two Glomus mosseae strains. The highest MD and nutrient contents appeared in the shoot of tomato treated withour Glomus mosseae strain, which may indicate a stronger affinity (compatibility) between the symbiotic partners. The results confirmed that the selected AMF strains are applicable in sustainable horticulture.
Nitrate accumulation in plants is a natural phenomenon resulting from uptake of nitrate ion in excess of its reduction and subsequent assimilation. The water soluble nitrate content of various carrot and red beet varieties was measured as a function of irrigation and mineral supplement in three years. In the first year, the nitrate content increased in both roots (significant differences were found for three carrot and at three red beet cultivars) following the irrigation. The activity of nitrate-reductase in the leaves was also significantly higher after irrigation in three red beet varieties in 1998. The mineral supplement in most of the carrot varieties increased the nitrate content. In the third year, the impact of water supply showed various tendencies in nitrate accumulation in both vegetables. On the basis of results for three years, the conclusion was that the seasonal and varietal differences were also remarkable.
Abstract
This study aims to predict drought periods affecting the Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region and the application of this in crop protection. The Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region is the only closed wine region in Hungary with a specific mesoclimate and a corresponding wine grape variety composition, in which climate change strongly threatens cultivation. The probability that a randomly selected day in the vegetation period will fall into a drought period in the future was estimated using the daily precipitation amount and daily maximum temperature data from the Hungarian Meteorological Service for the period 2002–2020. The Markov model, a relatively new mathematical method for the statistical investigation of weather phenomena, was used for this. Markov chains can, therefore, be a valuable tool for organizing integrated pest management. This can be used to plan irrigation, control fungal pathogens infecting the vines, and plan the success of a given vintage.
Of the twenty table beet ( Beta vulgaris L. ssp. esculenta convar. crassa provar. conditiva ALEF.) cultivars investigated for several nutritionally important components (betaine, betanin, phenol, glucose, fructose, sucrose) formerly (Hájos et al., 2004), cultivar Ditroit having average quality parameters was chosen for in vitro animal experiments. The hyperlipidemic rat model is suitable to study the physiological effect of table beet on the metabolic alterations and the redox homeostasis in the liver. In fatty liver, as a consequence of hyperlipidemy, the redox homeostasis is strongly injured. General biologically active compounds of table beet have indirect lipid lowering effect and antioxidant properties. Therefore, the effect of lyophilised table beet powder was studied on altered lipid metabolism and redox parameters in hyperlipidemic rats. Hyperlipidemy was induced by a fat-rich diet, and both in the control group and in the hyperlipidemic group, animals were treated with the lyophilised table beet powder (2 g bwkg −1 ) added into rat chow for 10 days parallel with the feeding. Significant antioxidant activity of table beet was recorded in the hyperlipidemic liver. This phenomenon was expected because of the significant amount of betanin and the high total polyphenol content of the beet. Significant beneficial changes were also observed in the serum cholesterol level, alkaline phosphatase and alanine-aminotransferase activities, although a non-expected elevation was observed in the serum bilirubin level in hyperlipidemy. Non-specific H-donor activity was not changed, but protein related free SH-group concentration was decreased in the plasma. Serum triglyceride level was better after table beet treatment in normolipidemy, only. Change of redox-homeostasis was more favourable in the liver during the treatment. Diene conjugate content and the level of induced free radicals decreased during the table beet treatment in case of fatty liver. These changes were due to the bioactive components of the commercially available table beet. Consequently, table beet due to its specific qualities beneficially influences several metabolic pathways, therefore it can be considered as a functional food.
In our research we studied the occurrence of the main apple allergen coding gene-families (Mal d 1, Mal d 2, Mal d 3, Mal d 4) in 16 different and most preferably consumed apple varieties. After the DNA isolation by Wizard method the simple PCR reaction was used to examine the apple allergen-coding genes. To identify the presence of the four allergenic protein-coding genes two primer pairs were chosen. The presence of these allergens in most apple varieties could be confirmed. According to our results two varieties — Jonathan and Granny Smith — were found to contain the lowest amount of the coding genes of the allergenic apple proteins studied by us. Besides this, polymorph pattern was obtained by the use of Mal d 1 primer, which may lead to determine apple varieties with small amount of Mal d 1 allergens.The confirmation study of the presence of potential apple allergens by RNA and protein techniques is our plan in the near future.
The main objective of the DOSoReMI.hu (Digital, Optimized, Soil Related Maps and Information in Hungary) project is to significantly extend the potential, how demands on spatial soil related information could be satisfied in Hungary. Although a great amount of soil information is available due to former mappings and surveys, there are more and more frequently emerging discrepancies between the available and the expected data. The gaps are planned to be filled with optimized digital soil mapping (DSM) products heavily based on legacy soil data, which still represent a valuable treasure of soil information at the present time. The paper presents three approaches for the application of Hungarian legacy soil data in object oriented digital soil mapping.
