Evaluation of Microparticles Obtained from Beet Leaf Extracts ( Beta vulgaris L. ) Using Supercritical Assisted Atomization (SAA)

Following an application from Italsur s.r.l., submitted pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 via the Competent Authority of Italy, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on the scientific substantiation of a health claim related to a combination of red spinach, green spinach, red chicory, green chicory, green leaf chard, red leaf chard, red Swiss chard, golden Swiss chard and white Swiss chard and protection of blood lipids from oxidative damage. The food that is the subject of the health claim, a combination of the following frozen vegetables: red spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), green spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), red chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), green chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), green leaf chard (Beta vulgaris L. var. cicla), red leaf chard (Beta vulgaris L. var. cicla), red Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L. var. cicla), golden Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L. var. cicla) and white Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L. var. cicla), is sufficiently characterised. The claimed effect, protection of blood lipids from oxidative damage, may be a beneficial physiological effect. No human intervention studies from which conclusions could be drawn for the scientific substantiation of the claim were provided by the applicant. The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between consumption of a combination of red spinach, green spinach, red chicory, green chicory, green leaf chard, red leaf chard, red Swiss chard, golden Swiss chard and white Swiss chard and protection of blood lipids from oxidative damage.

Beetroot (Beta vulgaris</i> L.) is botanically classified as a herbaceous biennial belonging to the Chenopodiaceae family and has several varieties with bulb colors ranging from yellow to red. Peroxidases are widely occurring in organisms including microorganisms, plants, and animals, and have been involved in various physiological and biochemical functions. The study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of enzyme extracts from red beet leaves, root pulp, and peel. The enzyme extraction involved the homogenization of the sample and filtrate in cold acetone and then the filtrate was homogenized in 0.1M sodium acetate buffer, pH 7. The protein content was determined using the Lowry assay using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a standard protein. Then, enzymatic activity was determined by peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, and catalase assays. The patent for biological activity of enzymes was obtained from the Office of Career Development, Haramaya University. The antioxidant activities of the enzyme extract were conducted by using DPPH and hydrogen peroxide free radical scavenging activities. The result indicated that the Enzymatic activity of crude enzyme extract of red beet leaf, root pulp and peel indicated that significantly the highest total soluble protein (16.68 mg/ml), peroxidase activity (PODA, 111.50 U/ml), polyphenol oxidase activity (PPOA, 170.90 U/ml), polyphenol oxidase specific activity (PPOspa, 10.25 U/mg), catalase activity (CATA, 180.50 U/ml) and catalase specific activity (CATspa, 10.82 U/mg), were recorded for red beet leaf enzyme extract. The antioxidant activity of the enzyme extracts demonstrated that significantly higher DPPH radical scavenging activity of leaf extract (59.16) and peel extract (61.92) were recorded. The Pearson correlation coefficient of enzyme activity parameters and free radical scavenging activities presented that protein content was significantly and positively correlated with CATA, PPOA, and PPOspa. Catalase- specific activity (CATspa) was significant and positively correlated only with HPSA. Peroxidase-specific activity (PODspa) was significant and positively correlated with PODA and DPPH. Based on the plot for principal component PC2 vs. PC1 for D statistics DPPH, PODA, and PODspa have close PC1 and PC2 scores (with vector angle < 90° showing similar/correlated effects. In this study, B. vulgaris</i> has shown promising peroxidase enzyme activity. Beetroot peel contained higher antioxidant compounds thus promising a more intense utilization of the peels in food and nutraceuticals.

New natural carotenoid sources. V. Chlorophyll and carotenoid content of Beta vulgaris

Beets (Beta vulgaris L.) have antioxidant compounds, with a characteristic color which is due to the presence of betalains. Microencapsulation is a technique used to protect aromas, flavors, colors and nutritional and antioxidant components. The objective of this work was to microencapsulate beet juice (Beta vulgaris L.) by spray drying using gum arabic as wall material, to later elaborate a flour tortilla incorporating the microencapsulated antioxidants from beet juice and evaluate it sensory. The microencapsulation process was carried out using a Mini Spray Dryer. The sensory evaluation used was descriptive and was carried out on 50 panelists (men and women) with an age range of 18 to 23 years. The flour tortilla was accepted by the panelists.

Ozone effects on the physiology and marketable biomass of leafy vegetables under Mediterranean conditions: Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) and Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L. var. cycla)

Comprehensive metabolomics and phytochemical analyses identified important metabolites involved in the antioxidant activity of four Swiss chard cultivars (Beta vulgaris L. var. cicla) with different leaf colours.

ABSTRACTGrowing sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L. subsp. vulgaris [sugar beet cultivar group]) as a winter crop requires the development of a winter sugar beet with controlled bolting and sufficient winter hardiness. To evaluate the genetic variation for winter hardiness in B. vulgaris L., we determined the survival rate (SR) in a panel of 396 accessions tested in eight overwintering field trials in Germany and Belarus. The panel included the cultivar groups sugar beet, fodder beet, garden beet, and leaf beet, as well as the wild beet B. vulgaris subsp. maritima (L.) Arcang. (BVM). Across all environments the effects of accession, environment, and accession × environment interaction were highly significant. Despite the complexity of the trait, the heritability for SR was estimated as h2 = 0.81, reflecting a large genetic variation in the panel. Environmental SRs ranged from 0.7 to 86.3% with a grand mean of 28.4%. In all environments at least one accession completely died while the maximum SR ranged from 39.9 to 100%. On average, sugar beet accessions performed best while accessions with the highest SR were among BVMs and leaf beets. The largest variation for SR was found in BVMs, followed by the leaf beets, whereas sugar beets showed the smallest variation. Our results suggest that winter hardiness in sugar beet is sufficient to survive mild winters but needs to be improved for continental climates with colder winters. Whether the limited variation in sugar beet is sufficient for this has to be further investigated.

Vermicomposting is being promoted as climate-smart agriculture (CSA) technology for developing organic nutrient sources that can be adopted by smallholder farmers. The amendment of soils with cost-effective and available inorganic fertilizers like rock phosphate (RP) and phosphorus-solubilizing microorganisms should also be promoted. Our study investigated the seedling and maturity growth of Swiss chard. The crop maturity study investigated the effect of amending an Oxisol soil with three phosphorus (P) sources applied at three different rates (0, 25, and 50 mg P kg−1 soil), cow and pig manures, and P-solubilizing bacteria resulting in the following treatments: control (soil), soil + RP alone, soil + RP-enriched cow manure vermicompost (VC) with phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria (PSB), and soil + RP-enriched pig manure vermicompost (VP) with PSB. The study investigated the growth performance and accumulation of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), and lead (Pb) in the edible parts of Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. valgaris var. Cicla). The seedlings were grown using pine bark compost and the three P sources (VC, VP, and RP) at five different application rates (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%). The results revealed that the use of 50 mg P kg−1 as VP gave the highest fresh weight of 39.78 g, leaf area of 240.41 cm2, and a total P in tissues of 326.91 mg kg−1 at 8 weeks after transplanting. The 50 mg P kg−1 application as VC resulted in a higher Zn content of 8.50 mg kg−1, which was above the permissible level. These results suggest that the best treatment mixture for establishing fully matured Swiss chard was the 50 mg P kg−1 as VP. Therefore, pig manure vermicompost that has been inoculated with phosphorus-solubilizing microorganisms is a promising CSA technology that can improve organic vegetable production by smallholder farmers.

Characterization of native microbial populations on Swiss chard ( Beta vulgaris, type cicla) cultivated by organic methods

Bacillus species are ubiquitous microorganisms that enhance growth in several crops as well as provide protection against pathogens. In this study, the effects of soil inoculation with B. subtilis BD233 on growth and development of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L.) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), were investigated. Three treatments were employed: i) incubation with a lysogeny broth culture of B. subtilis BD233; ii) broth without B. subtilis BD233 (without BD233/control) and iii) tap water. Potting soil-grown seedlings of the three crops were assayed to measure growth parameters over a period of five weeks (35 days) after exposure to the treatments. Soil inoculation with B. subtilis BD233 significantly improved the growth and development of sweet pepper and lettuce seedlings relative to the other treatments but not for Swiss chard. Bacillus subtilis BD233 in lysogeny broth increased the plant height, stem elongation rate and stem diameter of sweet pepper and lettuce seedlings relative to those treated with water. Furthermore, the biomass of sweet pepper and lettuce seedlings exposed to B. subtilis BD233 was increased by 32.2 and 92.6%, relative to their respective controls. However, no statistical differences for height and biomass were found for Swiss chard in response to the treatments. The results of the study demonstrated the potential of B. subtilis BD233 to enhance the early growth of these non-indigenous vegetables in nutrient-poor African soils.

The phosphorylation of plasma membrane proteins from red beet (Beta vulgaris L.) by radioactive inorganic phosphate was studied. Only few proteins were phosphorylated, among them was one polypeptide with an apparent molecular weight of about 100,000. The phosphorylation of this protein was decreased when orthovanadate was present in the reaction mixture, or when the phosphorylated protein was treated with hydroxylamine. These facts suggest that this protein is a transport ATPase which is phosphorylated in a carboxyl group during the catalytic cycle. This protein was identified immunologically as the plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase. The phosphorylation level of this enzyme was enhanced by dimethyl sulfoxide, whereas potassium ions did not have a significant effect on this level unless ATP was present. ATP stimulated the phosphorylation by inorganic phosphate. This stimulation was more apparent in the presence of potassium ions.

Application method and rate of Trichoderma species as a biological control against Pythium aphanidermatum (Edson) Fitzp. in the production of microgreen table beets ( Beta vulgaris L.)

Background: Gestational hypertension is usually defined as high bloodpressure that develops after 20 weeks of gestation in the absence ofproteinuria. Beets and star fruit contain vitamins and minerals such as Bvitamins and calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and iron, which can safelylower blood pressure in pregnancy.Objective: Determine the effect ofbeetroot juice (Beta vulgaris L) and star fruit (Averrhoacarambola L) on reducing blood pressure in pregnant women in the second trimester with gestational hypertension.Method: This pre-experimental research was a one-group pretest-posttest design with 200 ml/day of beet and starfruit juiceintervention for two weeks. The samples taken were 15 second trimesterpregnant women with gestational hypertension.The data taken is bloodpressure before and after treatment—data analysis using paired t-test.Results: data onthe mean systolic blood pressure before treatment is 146.53mmHg and after treatment is 126.07 mmHg and the average diastolic blood pressure before treatment is 94.53 mmHg and after treatment is 91.13mmHg. There is an effect of beet and star fruit juice administration onsystolic and diastolic blood pressure in second-trimester pregnant womenwith gestational hypertension (p 0.05).Conclusion : pregnant women withgestational hypertension is to treat hypertension using beet and starfruit juice so that hypertension can be treated immediately.Keywords: Beetroot Juice, Beta vulgaris L , Star Fruit , Averrhoa carambola L, Gestational Hypertension

Strenuous physical activity can increase lipid peroxidation, which is characterized by increased levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and decreased levels of antioxidants. It can drop the athlete's performance and health. It is possible to avoid or reduce lipid peroxidation through supplementation with antioxidants. Beetroot ( Beta vulgaris L) produces different forms of natural antioxidants; however, its effectiveness still needs to be investigated. This research aimed to determine the impact of beetroot juice on the malondialdehyde concentration and antioxidant status during strenuous physical activity. The research used experimental (pre-test-post-test) using a control group. The researchers divided a total of 30 students who met the criteria into two groups (Experiment; n = 15; control; n = 15). The experimental group drank 250 mL of the juice 1 hour before training for four weeks. After the strenuous physical activity was carried out with a beep test, the researchers also checked the concentrations of MDA, TAC, and VO 2 max. The findings indicated a decrease in MDA concentration and an increase in TAC and VO 2 max to the training group that received 250 ml beet juice (p <0.05). The research concluded that beetroot juice administration during exercise could reduce malondialdehyde concentration and increase total antioxidant capacity and VO 2 max in athletes.

Effect of Some Senescence Retardants Pretreatment on Yield of Protoplasts from Spinach Beet (Beta vulgaris) Leaves