Bioactivity of oats as it relates to cardiovascular disease.

The food consumption of oats has increased in recent years due to a perceived association with a range of health benefits. Oats are unusual in that the bran is not as physically distinct as in other cereals. This provides a possible benefit in providing a high beta-glucan content of the grains.

Biosynthesis and biotransformations of phenol-conjugated oleosidic secoiridoids from Olea europaea L.

The genus Olea contains the economically important European olive tree (Olea europaea L.). This species is also of chemotaxonomic interest because of the presence of various phenol-conjugated oleosidic secoiridoids or oleosides.

Zero effect of multiple dosage of olive leaf supplements on urinary biomarkers of oxidative stress in healthy humans.

Objective: We determined the effect of dietary supplementation with an olive leaf capsule or liquid extract on oxidative status of young and healthy male and female subjects.

Methods: This was a single-center, randomized, single-blinded, prospective pilot comparison of the effect of dietary supplementation with olive leaf extracts. Healthy young adult male and female subjects (n = 45) were randomized into three groups and received daily doses of control, capsule, or liquid extract of olive leaf.

Nutritional methodologies and their use in inter-disciplinary antioxidant research.

There has been a significant increase in the volume of research relating to antioxidants and health. The very nature of this research is inter-disciplinary, yet the full potential of such an approach, whereby nutritionists (clinicians), chemists, pharmacists and others all bring their expertise to bear in a concerted way, is rarely achieved. This is perhaps due to a lack of understanding of the methodology and terminology of the various disciplines.

Isolation, characterization, and emulsifying properties of wattle seed (Acacia victoriae Bentham) extracts.

Extracts from either ground whole wattle seeds or uncoated cotyledons were obtained using water, alkali, or ethanol. These extracts were then analyzed for their protein molecular weight and electrophoretic profiles using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and capillary electrophoresis, respectively. Water extracts and those from the cotyledons gave higher material yield and contained significantly more proteins than other extracts.

Root-zone temperatures affect phenology of bud break, flower cluster development, shoot extension growth and gas exchange of 'Braeburn' (Malus domestica) apple trees.

We investigated the effects of root-zone temperature on bud break, flowering, shoot growth and gas exchange of potted mature apple (Malus domestica (Borkh.)) trees with undisturbed roots. Soil respiration was also determined.

Bioactivity and analysis of biophenols recovered from olive mill waste.

Biophenols have attracted increasing attention during the past few years due to their biological activities and natural abundance and are potential targets for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Olive mill waste (OMW) is rich in biophenols and typically contains 98% of the total phenols in the olive fruit, making value addition to OMW an attractive enterprise. The phenolic profile of OMW is complex, yet this complexity has not been fully exploited in the valorization of the waste.

Isolation and partial characterization of rennet-like proteases from Australian cardoon (Cynara cardunculus L.).

The yield, protein content, proteolytic activity, and substrate specificity of crude and partially purified extracts from dried and fresh Australian cardoon (Cynara cardunculus L.) flowers were determined. Crude water extracts had high yield but low protein content and proteolytic activity, whereas citric acid extracts had low yield but high protein content and proteolytic activity.

Behavior of Listeria monocytogenes in pasteurized milk during fermentation with lactic acid bacteria.

The behavior of Listeria monocytogenes in pasteurized milk during fermentation with starter and nonstarter lactic acid bacteria was investigated. Pasteurized milk was co-inoculated with approximately 10(4) CFU/ml of L. monocytogenes and 10(6) CFU/ml of Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus cremoris, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, or Streptococcus thermophilus.