Epidemiological studies have shown that people who consume diets with a high content of vegetables have a reduced risk of degenerative diseases such as specific cancers, cardiovascular disease, age-related macular degenerative disease (AMD), and cataracts. There is no convincing evidence that the protective role of vegetables against cancer and cardiovascular disease is due to carotenoids. However, there is a strong possibility that lutein and zeaxanthin present in food materials may prevent AMD and cataract formation. Increased use of cooked tomato products also has been shown to reduce prostate cancer risk as a result of increased bioavailability of cis-lycopene. One of the most important biochemical mechanisms underlying the cancer-preventive activity of carotenoids is the stimulation of intercellular gap junction communications. β-Carotene, canthaxanthin, and lutein are efficient inducers of intercellular gap junction communication, whereas α-carotene and lycopene are less active.Paper no. J9851 in JAOCS 78, 665-675 (July 2001).

An evaluation of the exhaust emissions from a compression ignition engine for fuels composed of 100 and 30% methyl esters of soy oil (SME) is described. These fuels were compared with a low-sulfur, petroleum #2 diesel fuel in a Caterpillar 3304, prechamber, 75 kW diesel engine, operated over heavy-and light-duty transient test cycles developed by the United States Bureau of Mines. More than 60 h of testing was performed on each fuel. The objective was to determine the influence of the fuels upon diesel particulate matter (DPM) and gaseous emissions. The effect of a modern diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) also was determined in an effort to minimize emissions. Neat SME produced a higher volatile fraction of the DPM, but much less carbon soot fraction, leading to overall DPM reductions of 23 to 30% for the light-and heavy-duty transients. The DOC further reduced the volatile fraction and the total DPM. The SME fuel reduced gaseous emissions of CO by 23% and hydrocarbons by over 30% without increasing NO x . The DOC further reduced CO and hydrocarbon levels. Mutagenicity of the SME exhaust was low. Results indicate that SME fuel, used with a proper DOC, may be a feasible emission reduction technology for underground mines.JAOCS 73, 381-388 (1996).

Studies have been made on the conjugated hydrogenation of peanut and safflower oils using nickel catalyst and with alcohols as hydrogen donors. Peanut oil was reduced with ethyl alcohol to a final iodine value of 64舑71 and the reaction is selective because little saturated acid is formed but some linoleic acid is retained. When the same oil is reduced with isopropyl or secondary butyl alcohols an iodine value of 蝤25 is reached while all linoleic acid has disappeared. With safflower oil and isopropyl alcohol an iodine value of 蝤46 is reached and the reaction is selective since all linoleic acid has disappeared. Thus the amount of monoene retained depends on initial unsaturation of the oil when a secondary alcohol is used as hydrogen donor.