This study aimed to evaluate the biochemical and nutritional profiles of three cauliflower cultivars—Valentena, Carotena, and Snow White—focusing on chlorophyll, carotenoids, anthocyanins, vitamin C, flavonoids, phenolics, and antioxidant activity. Uniform curds were harvested at 60 days post-sowing from Baratia, Dumuria, Khulna, and analyzed at Khulna Agricultural University. Valentena exhibited the highest chlorophyll content (40.06±0.39 µg/100g FW chlorophyll a, 28.98±3.35 µg/100g FW chlorophyll b), superior lycopene (8.71±0.38 µg/100g FW) levels. Carotena showed the highest total carotenoid content (60.52±1.76 µg/100g FW) and β-carotene (26.99±0.44 µg/100g FW), while Snow White had the lowest values across most parameters. Valentena also led in anthocyanins (101.56±3.9 mg/L FW) and total flavonoids (79.56±10.36 mg/100g FW), with Carotena having the highest vitamin C content (60.05±2.93 µg/g FW). DPPH assays indicated that Valentena showed the most effective antioxidant (IC50 = 43.65±3.56 mg/mL FW), followed by Carotena and Snow White. Hierarchical clustering and pricipal component analysis (PCA) revealed distinct biochemical profiles: Valentena and Carotena shared similarities in carotenoids and antioxidant activity, whereas Snow White differed significantly. Linear discriminant analysis identified lycopene, chlorophyll b, and β-carotene as major differentiators, highlighting the diverse nutritional and antioxidant properties of these cauliflower varieties. The findings highlight the potential of Carotena and Valentena for health-conscious consumers seeking nutrient-rich, antioxidant benefits in functional meals.

While shellfish species are widely consumed due to their nutritional advantages, they are also among the top eight food items for food-borne allergies. Five distinct thermal processing techniques were applied to the crustacean to investigate the tropomyosin level variations caused by heat processing. Fresh shrimp and prawns were utilized as controls for the determination of allergen-encoding genes. Prior to molecular analysis, the proximate composition and acidity of raw and processed samples were also performed. The yield and purity of DNA were also determined. Melting curve and gel electrophoresis tests verified the existence of allergen-coding genes. Thermal processing procedures affected the proximate composition, particularly the total protein and fat concentrations, according to the findings. Following the heat treatment, the pH levels decreased, particularly in the grilled samples. There were also significant differences in the quantity and quality of the extracted DNA. Regardless of crustacean species, the tropomyosin-encoding gene was detected in both fried and grilled samples. These findings demonstrated that RT-PCR identification and validation of the crustacean allergy gene by gel electrophoresis might be a reliable approach for the thermally treated shrimp and prawn samples. This study shows that investigating the allergen coding gene might provide a viable way for detecting food-borne allergens in other thermally processed food items, which are becoming more concerned about food safety.

En un invernadero del Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical, CIAT, Cali (Colombia) se evaluó la aplicación de cinco inóculos de hongos micorrícico arbusculares, HMA: Kuklospora colombiana, Gigaspora margarita, Glomus manihotis y la mezcla de estos con y sin esterilización, en sustrato sin desinfectar (SD) y desinfectado (D) sobre variables de rendimiento (biomasa aérea y radical, longitud radical), colonización por HMA y concentración foliar de nutrientes en la gramínea Melinis minutiflora Beauv., con el objetivo de seleccionar los inóculos más eficientes. Se utilizaron como unidades experimentales materos de 13.5 x 16.0 x 14.0 cm. El sustrato empleado fue suelo procedente de un Inceptisol con baja disponibilidad de nutrientes, tamizado y mezclado con arena. Los inóculos de Gi. margarita y Gl. manihotis presentaron los mejores resultados en la acumulación de biomasa aérea y radical, longitud radical, porcentaje de colonización micorrícica y concentración de elementos. Kuklospora colombiana presentó efectos inhibitorios sobre las variables evaluadas. La condición del sustrato SD favoreció la acumulación de biomasa aérea y radical y la concentración de fósforo (P) en la biomasa aérea, además, estimuló la longitud radical de M. minutiflora. La concentración de N, K, Ca y Mg en la biomasa aérea fue mayor en el sustrato D. Los resultados muestran que Mellinis minutiflora con inoculación HMA es promisoria para la recuperación de suelos degradados. | The effect of five inocula of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on the grass Melinis minutiflora Beauv. was investigated under greenhouse conditions at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Cali, Colombia, with the aim of selecting the most efficient AMF inocula. Non-disinfected (ND) and disinfected (D) substrates were studied. Inocula were: Kuklospora colombiana, Gigaspora margarita, Glomus manihotis and a mixture of those three species of AMF with and without sterilization. Yield parameters were aerial and radical biomass, root length, mycorrhizal colonization and N, P, K, Ca, and Mg concentrations in the aerial biomass. Pots measuring 13.5 x 8.0 x 14.0 cm were used as experimental units. Inceptisol soil, with low nutrient availability, previously sieved and mixed with sand was used as substrate. Gi. margarita and Gl. manihotis inocula showed the best results in the accumulation of aerial and root biomass, root length, mycorrhizal colonization and concentration of elements in the aerial biomass, while Ku. colombiana presented inhibitory effects on the variables evaluated. ND substrate condition increased accumulation of aerial and radical biomass and P concentration in the aerial biomass, also stimulated root length of M. minutiflora. Aerial biomass had higher concentrations of N, K, Ca, and Mg in D substrate. Mellinis minutiflora is a promising grass species for rehabilitation of degraded soils in combination with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation.

Anthocyanins, a major natural food colorant rich in mango powder, need considerable protection during processing and storage for better retention due to colour instability. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the stability of the anthocyanin’s extracts obtained from cabinet dried mango powder under different factors which could disrupted the anthocyanin pigments during processing. The factors are processing temperature and time (30°C, 60°C and 80°C for 10, 20 and 30 minutes each, respectively), storage conditions (room temperature, refrigerator temperature and freezing temperature), pH (2, 3, 4, 7 and 10), oxygen, influence of light, different extraction solvent (methanol, absolute ethanol, acidified ethanol (1%), and 50% KMS -Ethanol), sugar level (20%, 40%, and 60%). The intensity of the extracted colour was measured at wavelength 520 nm using UV-VIS spectrophotometer. The results can elucidate the increasing heating temperature and time, sugar content, and exposure to light is able to spoil the anthocyanin molecule. There was a proportional effect of pH and oxygen. The anthocyanin stability was found better in pH=10, acidified ethanol (1%) as extracting solvents, absence of light as processing condition and refrigeration temperature as storage temperature. Hence, these findings could be useful in the food industry to choose a proper processing condition for development of mango powders-based products for satisfying the consumer perception by retaining anthocyanin pigment.

Cattleya mendelii es una orquídea endémica de Colombia de gran valor ornamental que se encuentra en peligro de extinción a causa de la recolección masiva y a la destrucción de sus hábitats naturales por la acción antrópica. El cultivo in vitro es una alternativa para la conservación de esta especie o su comercialización. En esta investigación se evaluaron la germinación asimbiótica y el desarrollo de plántulas de las semillas de orquídeas de la especie C. mendelii, en diferentes medios de cultivos in vitro. Inicialmente se recolectaron cápsulas maduras; posteriormente, se determinó la viabilidad de las semillas con la prueba de Tetrazolio. En forma paralela, las semillas se desinfectaron y sembraron con el método de jeringuilla para evaluar el efecto de cinco medios de cultivo en el desarrollo de C. mendelii después de dieciséis semanas de cultivo. Se encontró que la viabilidad de las semillas fue del 93%. El mejor porcentaje de germinación se halló en el medio de cultivo Murashige-Skoog más agua de coco (MS + AC) con diferencias significativas (P < 0.05, Tukey) con respecto a los demás medios de cultivo. En este estudio se demostró que los medios de cultivos MS suplementados con agua de coco y jugo de piña fueron más eficientes en la germinación asimbiótica y en el desarrollo de plántulas en la orquídea C. mendelii con respecto a los otros medios de cultivo, lo cual los convierte en una opción en la reducción de los costos generados por la utilización de las fitohormonas. | Cattleya mendelii is an endemic orchid species from Colombia, which has a great ornamental value which is in danger of extinction due to massive collection and their natural habitat's destruction by human activities. In vitro culture is an alternative to preserve this species and/or carry out its marketing. In this study the asymbiotic germination and seedling development of seeds of C. mendelii, in several in vitro culture media were evaluated. Mature capsules were collected. Seed viability with tetrazolium test was done; seeds were disinfected at the same time and planted by the syringe method to evaluate the effect of five growth culture media on the development of C. mendelii after 16 weeks of cultivation. It was found that seed viability was 93%, the highest percentage of germination was found in the culture medium Murashige-Skoog plus coconut water (MS+AC) with significant differences compared to other culture media (P < 0.05, Tukey). This study showed that MS medium supplemented with coconut water and pineapple juice, were more efficient in asymbiotic germination and seedling development of C. mendelii orchids compared with other culture media. It could be an option to reduce the costs generated by using phytohormones.