No abstract

he present work was carried out to study the vitamin D status among first grade university female students.125First grade university apparently healthy female youth who were attending Helwan University were conveniently selected. A written consent was obtained. They were subjected to: anthropometric measurements, Dietary assessment by 24 hours dietary recall, frequency food sheet, and laboratory evaluation of vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, calcium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase. The energy and nutrients' content were analyzed using the food composition table of the National Nutrition Institute.Food intake was also compared to the recommended dietary allowances by WHO/FAO.This result revealed that 53.0% of the participants were interviewed in autumn; of them 26.0% had normal serum vitamin D level, 62.0% had insufficient values and 12.0% had their results in the deficient range.40.0% of participants were interviewed in spring and their vitamin D results had nearly the same distribution. In addition to there was a significant correlation between vitamin D metabolic state and season of the year.This study concluded that there was a high prevalence of low vitamin D levels among a group of apparently healthy university undergraduate in Helwan University in Cairo, Egypt. There is an urgent need for public education about the vital role of vitamin D to minimize the complications of its deficiency.This study emphasized the need for further vitamin D assessment and interventions targeted at all people.

The golden apple (Spondias dulsis forst. syn. Spondias cytherea Sonn.) originated in the Society of Islands in the South Pacific and widely distributed in the Caribbean, Florida Keys, Hawaii, Venezuela and Central America and has successfully adapted as a natural part of the landscape and diet. Golden apple fruits at the mature-green, semi-ripe and ripe stages of maturity are utilized in the fresh and processed states and are a major export fruit and foreign exchange earner for many Caribbean islands. The fruit is an ovoid drupe with a spiny stone, climacteric in nature and exists in two forms: the large type (diameter 5-6 cm, length 9-10 cm, average weight 200 g) and the miniature or dwarf type (diameter 4-5 cm, length 5-6 cm, average weight 65 g). Golden apple fruits stored under ambient conditions require 6-9 days to undergo ripening from the mature-green stage to the golden yellow full ripe stage compared to storage under refrigerated conditions where an additional 6-10 days are needed to achieve the same objective. Mature-green fruits have a total soluble solids (TSS) content of 4.6-10.9%, total titratable acidity (TTA) of 0.45-1.07% and TSS/ TTA of 7.7-19.1. Fully ripened fruits on the other hand have 9-16.3% TSS, 0.53-1.16% TTA and 8.7-22.4 TSS: TTA. Golden apple fruits are an excellent source of antioxidants with phenolic compounds averaging 349.5 mg gallic acid per 100 g -1 fresh weight and vitamin C of 52.0 mg per 100 -1 fresh weight. Golden apple fruit of both genetic lines are very sensitive to chilling injury (CI). Waxing effectively delayed the appearance of CI symptoms such as pitting. The ripened golden apple fruits are used to make jams, preserved jellies, nectars and sparkling beverages. Unripe fruits are eaten in curries, or as green salads, pickles, chutneys, sauces and amchar. More recently, the fruit skin has been recognized as a novel source of pectin and utilized as a gelling agent in jams, confectionary and bakery fillings as well as a stabilizer in yogurts and milk drinks. is more popular is borne on trees attaining a height of 9-25 m whilst the miniature or dwarf type is from trees about 1.5-3 m (Figure 1). Fruit shape vary from oval to round or pear-shaped for both types, and fruit size range from about 5-6 cm in diameter and 9-10 cm in length with an average weight of 200 g for the large type [3]. The miniature or dwarf type is about 4-5 cm in diameter and 5-6 cm in length and averages 65 g in weight [4][5][6]. The trees of both types are rapid-growing, upright with a rigid and symmetrical shape. It is a stately ornamental with deciduous, pinnate leaves 20-60 cm in length, composed of 9-25 glossy, elliptic or obovate-oblong leaflets 6.25-10 cm long, which are finely toothed towards the apex [2]. Small, inconspicuous, whitish flowers are borne in large terminal panicles which are assorted male and female and perfect in each cluster. Long-stalked fruits are borne in clusters of a dozen or more, with thin but tough skin, often russetted. While the fruit is still firm, the flesh ...