Cereal Chem. 88(3):245-252The physicochemical properties, textural properties, and starch digestibility of rice cultivars grown in Mexico were evaluated. Variations existed in grain dimensions, and the rice grains were classified as medium, long, and extra long. Huimanguillo had the highest amylose content (30.4%), and A06, A92, A98, and Champoton presented the lowest amylose content (24.3-25.2%). The protein content was 7.1-11.0% and the lipid level was 0.47-1.22% among these Mexican cultivars. Champoton showed the highest temperature and enthalpy of gelatinization, and this with A98, Culiacan, and Huimanguillo had the highest enthalpy of retrogradation. Cotaxtla had the highest pasting peak, setback, and final viscosity. The texture assessment in cooked rice showed that A06 had the highest hardness, and A96 and A98 had the highest stickiness. There was little difference in the rapidly digestible starch, slowly digestible starch, and resistant starch content of tested Mexican rice cultivars. The differences in the physicochemical properties could be used to determine the end use of these Mexican rice cultivars.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the bioavailability of heme iron added to biscuit filling. It comprised two stages: first, the development of the heme iron enriched biscuit filling; second, the evaluation of the bioavailability of the mineral in fattening piglets. Two groups were selected randomly and fed: a) Low iron feed and biscuits with heme iron supplemented filling; b) Normal feed (with ferrous sulphate). Weight and blood parameters were measured every fifteen days. Averages were compared after duplicate analyses. The filling had a creamy appearance, chocolate taste and smell, appropriate spreadability, heme iron content of 2.6 mg per gram and a shelf-life of a month. The heme iron supplemented pigs registered a greater (P<0.05) weight gain (27.8% more than the control group). Mortality in the heme iron group was 10%, compared to 50% in the control group. The amount of iron measured in the different compartment was greater in the heme group (3315 mg) than in the control group (2792 mg). However, the amount of iron consumed in the latter was greater. We show that an acceptable product with high heme iron content can be formulated, suitable for use as biscuit filling. The heme iron supplement produced better weight increase and lesser mortality in fattening pigs. The bioavailability of heme iron was 23% greater (P<0.05) compared to ferrous sulphate.

A heme-iron concentrate product derived from swine hemoglobin was used to enrich the chocolate-flavored filling of biscuits and the bioavailability of this source of heme-iron was assessed in adolescent girls. The placebo control (PC) group consisted of 35 teenagers with the highest baseline hemoglobin concentrations. The supplemented groups were randomized to receive biscuits fortified with iron sulfate (IS, n = 37) or heme-iron concentrate (HIC, n = 40). Both groups were supplemented with 10.3 mg Fe/d for 7 wk. Blood chemistry and hematology analyses were performed at baseline and at the end of the study. The baseline prevalence of anemia (hemoglobin <12 g/dl) in the entire group was 3.9% and by the end of the study it had fallen to 2.3%. The hemoglobin levels in both supplemented groups increased (P < 0.05) during the study period from 13.6 and 13.5 g/dl for HIC and IS, respectively, at baseline to 14 g/dl at the end of the study. Serum ferritin concentrations decreased by the end of the study in both the PC and IS groups (P < 0.05), but not in the heme group. In conclusion, iron bioavailability from HIC-fortified biscuits was calculated to be 23.7% higher than that observed for IS, as shown by the differences observed in serum ferritin levels during the study. The iron contained in the heme-iron concentrate was well absorbed and tolerated by the adolescents included in the study.

Marigold (Tagetes erecta) flowers are primarily used in industry for their high pigment content. Flower color development implies that chloroplast-chromoplast transition is associated with carotenoid biosynthesis. We report the recovery of undifferentiated pigmented marigold cells, various callus tissues, and their analysis by transmission electron microscopy in order to observe accumulating pigment and development of subcellular structures. Callus was generated from leaf explants and after several rounds of recurrent selection. Green-, yellow-, and brown-colored callus were obtained that showed distinct carotenoid profiles. For green material, violaxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, and β-carotene were produced, while yellow callus generated mainly lutein, as did the brown callus. Chloroplastchromoplast transition was followed by measuring plastid size and shape in undifferentiated marigold cells by digital image analysis. Cellular alterations were evident in brown callus. Chloroplasts were the main structure in green callus, while yellow callus clearly showed the formation of plastoglobules, structures that are correlated with chloroplast-chromoplast transition. The high number of plastoglobules observed in yellow callus is possibly directly related to pigment synthesis and accumulation.

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