2a:T472,

Increasing interest in the health benefits of various culinary berries has led to investigation of their antibacterial activity. Commercial raspberry, blackcurrant, cranberry, and blackberry cordials (100% fruit) as well as fresh berries were assessed for their ability to inhibit the growth of various bacteria and the yeast Candida albicans. Three of the six raspberry cordials and the blackcurrant cordial inhibited all 12 bacteria and C. albicans at dilutions of 1:5. Bacteria showed varying susceptibilities to the remaining cordials. All cordials inhibited the growth of Mycobacterium phlei. Of the fresh berries, mulberries and boysenberries did not inhibit any bacteria, and the remaining berries inhibited the growth of varying numbers of bacteria. There was no correlation between gram-positive or gram-negative bacterial status and susceptibility to the berries. It is suggested that the antibacterial activity of these berries may be of benefit as a means of water purification for suspect water supplies or to enhance shelf life when incorporated into food products.

2b:T404,

The antioxidant activities of sumach (Rhus coriaria L.) extracts and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) at various concentrations were tested in natural peanut oil stored at 65°C for 35 days. The concentrations (weight/volume) of extracts added into oil were 1.0%, 3.0%, and 5.0%, and those of BHA were 0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5%. Antioxidant effect was determined by the measurement of peroxide value. After 7 days of storage, BHA and extracts of sumach were active in varying degrees against autoxidation of peanut oil, compared with the control test (P < .01). The sumach extracts generally inhibited the formation of hydroperoxide, as did BHA. After 28 days of storage, antioxidant effects of extracts were significantly decreased when compared with BHA. The decrease in the antioxidant activity of extracts might have resulted from the decrease of polyphenolic constituents. The results showed that high concentrations can enhance the potency of the antioxidant effect of sumach extract.

2c:T438,This peer-reviewed journal focuses exclusively on the medicinal value and biomedical effects of food materials. International in scope, the journal advances the knowledge of the development of new foods and dietary supplements targeted at promoting health-span and the prevention and treatment of disease. Primary areas of interest include: effects of foods, bioactive food constituents and supplements on metabolic outcomes and disease risk, prevention and/or treatment; impact of food bioactives on aging, health-span, and lifespan; modulation of nutrigenomic, metabolomic and other -omic-based indicators of disease outcome modification; and safety & toxicology of food bioactives and dietary supplements. The journal welcomes bioactive and supplement studies in validated model systems and/or clinical outcomes. Studies describing the identification, purification, or characterization of novel bioactives must be accompanied by a demonstration of a significant biological outcome in a relevant system (in vitro or in vivo is acceptable) to be considered for publication.