The goal of this study was to screen different extracts of medicinal plants for their phenolics profile and antioxidant activities. Antiradical properties of the plant extracts were compared using stable DPPH . Generally, ethanolic extracts had the strongest antiradical activities followed by ethyl acetate and finally hexane extracts. The ethanolic extracts of different plants were also markedly effective in inhibiting the oxidation of linoleic acid and the subsequent bleaching of -carotene in comparison with the control. The content of phenolic compounds (mg/g) in different extracts expressed in gallic acid equivalents (GAE), varied between 1.2 and 15.3. In all plant samples ethanolic extracts contained the highest levels of total phenolics and total flavonoids followed by ethyl acetate extracts and finally hexane extracts. The results are important for using those plants in different food and pharmaceutical applications.

The objective of the current study was to investigate the effect of different blended vegetable oils having different levels and profiles of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on hypercholesterolemia by analyzing the changes of lipid profile in high cholesterol diet fed rats. Rats fed blended oils showed significantly lower levels of total cholesterol (TC), total triacylglycerol (TG) and total low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol as well as higher levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in comparison with animals fed HCD and cholesterol free diet (CFD). Thus, oil blends under study may be useful formulations for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. In addition to improving the lipid profile by lowering TC, TG and LDL and increasing HDL, blending of vegetable oils can result in an economic advantage of lower prices.

Refining High Acid Olive Oil. The world production of olive oil reach 2,800,000 ton and 98% of this production is to be found in the Mediterranean Basin, where this agricultural system has been developing for thousands of years, characterized by its adaptation to the environment and its empiricism. Virgin olive oil is consumed unrefined, although a great proportion of the olive oil produced has to be refined to render it edible. Refining treatments are needed to remove or reduce the content of minor substances that may affect oil quality, such as phospholipids, FFA, pigments, peroxides, traces of metals, herbicides and volatile components. Phenolic compounds are among the substances eliminated during the different refining steps. At present, three types of olive oils are intended for refining: lampante olive oil, olive pomace oil and second centrifugation olive oil. Lampante olive oil is obtained from fruits by mechanical means, but it has undesirable organoleptic or chemical characteristics that make it unfit for consumption. The objective of the present work was to improve the quality of high-free fatty acid olive (HFFAO) oil.

There has been a growing interest in food components which may inhibit the oxidation process and are capable of counterbalancing free radical activities that cause many harmful diseases. The best way to prevent these diseases is consumption of an optimal diet containing fruits and vegetables. Goldenberry fruit should attract great interest because of their nutritional and antioxidant properties. The fruit can be very interesting candidate for the processing of new functional products. The development of adequate agrotechnical and storage practices, can make this fruit a promising profitable crop. This book provide useful information for the industrial application of goldenberry berries and fruit by-products. This will be important as an indication of the potentially nutraceutical and economical utility of goldenberry as a new source of bioactive phytochemcials and fruit oils.

Starch is an important determinant for the texture of many foodstuffs, and it is widely used in industrial applications as a thickener, stabilizer, gelling agent, and adhesive. The effects of starch are related to its gelatinization and retrogradation. The demand for increased performance of applications points out the limitations of starch. Modified starches were developed to overcome these shortcomings. The modification processes aim at changing the properties and the integrity of the starch granule, in order to modify its behavior in terms of gelatinization, and retrogradation. In the current research various types of starches (corn, rice and potato), corn amylase and corn amylopectin were phosphorylated, and their physicochemical properties were investigated. Modified starch with novel properties is anticipated to be used in many functional foods and pharmaceuticals. Biodegradable films were formulated from native and modified starch, and their solubility's and biodegradable properties were investigated. Successful application of modified starch-based films in plastic manufacturing provides a number of benefits including clean environment, and cost savings.