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Juniperus phoenicea is an ornamental shrub that is also used to flavor food and to supply medicines and timber. Its micropropagation is of industrial concern and can occur by axillary shoot multiplication. Microcuttings of J. phoenicia were established in vitro on Murashige and Skoog (MS) and Rugini Olive (OM) media in glass tubes (25 mm x 150 mm). Factors studied were explant length (0.5 or 1.5 cm) and orientation (horizontal or vertical), media strength (OM, ½OM, MS, ½MS) and the following growth regulators: the anti-auxin 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid (TIBA), the cytokinins 6-benzyladenine (BA) and thidiazuron (TDZ), and the growth retardant daminozide (DM). Microcuttings placed vertically on the surface of OM, ½OM and ½MS media without hormones exhibited axillary bud differentiation, but they were swollen and turned brown one month later when placed horizontally on the medium surface. The number of shoots, averaged across OM, ½OM and ½MS media, was significantly higher from longer (1.5 cm) than shorter (0.5 cm) microcuttings (4.11 versus 1.57 shoots microcutting -1 ) after 60 days of culture. TIBA or DM at 0.1 mg l -1 included in OM medium enhanced leaf differentiation, callus induction and formation of adventitious shoots over three months from 0.5 cm long microcuttings taken from in vitro shoots. The formation of adventitious shoots was sporadic and occurred at a rate of 1 shoot microcutting -1 in the presence of 0.1 mg l -1 DM. OM supplemented with 0.1 mg l -1 TIBA resulted in significantly the highest leaf differentiation (55 leaves microcutting -1 ), with a rooting rate of 40%. Contents of phenols, flavonoids and antioxidants were compared for cuttings from young seedlings, callus, in vitro shoots, and seeds. Antioxidant activity was significantly the highest for shoots grown on hormone-free OM medium and callus maintained on OM medium containing 0.1 mg l -1 2,4-D (94.7 and 94.3% inhibition of DPPH free radicals, respectively). Thus, different routes for in vitro regeneration of J. phoenicea can be of potential use for many biotechnological, pharmaceutical and food industry applications.

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Jordan imports rice from different countries without any quality preferences. Twelve varieties of cooked rice marketed in Jordan were analyzed. The content per serving of these varieties were computed for energy, protein, carbohydrates, fat, calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron and phosphorous. The protein content per serving found to range from 0.49 g for La Cigala rice to 6.2 g for Harvest rice. The fat content for all rice brands was less than 0.37 g per serving. The energy content ranged from 172.12 g/serving for Basmati rice to 212.25 g/serving for Sun White rice. Generally, all rice varieties contain significant amounts of minerals per serving. Ruzzana found to contain the highest level of calcium (38.2 mg/serving) and Amber the lowest calcium content (6.7 mg/serving). Magnesium content found to range from 5.7 mg/serving for Royal Umberella rice to 16.3 mg/serving for Ruzzana rice. Consumption of one serving of Harvest cooked rice will cover 13.5% of the daily requirement of protein for females and 11.1% for males. Manganese content of one serving of Harvest, Sun White, Abu bent and La Cigala will cover 22.2% of the daily requirements for females and 14.7% for males, while consumption of one of Basmati, Sos rice or Amber will cover only 11.1% and 8.75 of requirement for females and males respectively. Planning a healthful diet is not a simple task. Dietary Reference Intake planning and assessing the diets of individuals or groups of healthy individuals according to their stage of life and sex. Food choice is a function of many factors, including personal preferences, habits, ethnic heritage and tradition. Dietary guidelines for Americans, consider whole grain products like rice are among the food groups that form the basis of a healthy diet. Including rice as part of a healthy, balanced diet can be linked to overall healthier eating patterns. Rice eaters are more likely to eat a diet consistent with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.