Bottom rounds were shipped to the Rosenthal Meat Science and Technology Center, ground and enhanced with one of the following predetermined treatments: control; 0.4% sodium phosphates and 0.3% salt; 0.25% sorghum bran; 2.0% sorghum bran; 0.25% sorghum bran, 0.4% sodium phosphates and 0.3% salt; and 2.0% sorghum bran, 0.4% sodium phosphates, and 0.3% salt. The ground beef was formed into 226 g ground beef patties, packaged in an 80% O2 and 20% CO2 gaseous environment, and stored under retail display at 4 degrees for 0, 3, 6, or 9d. Measurements to determine rate and extent of oxidation, rate of discoloration, and sensory characteristics were taken to evaluate the effectiveness of sorghum bran. Patties containing the highest amount of sorghum bran had the lowest TBARS values over 9 days of storage, lower a* values, greater amounts of discoloration, darker lean color, and less cook loss (P<0.05) than control patties. Patties enhanced with the highest level of sorghum bran had lower beefy/brothy and bloody flavor aromatics, higher sorghum flavor, more bitter and burnt aftertaste, and more sandy/gritty textures (P<0.05) when compared to control patties. Patties containing the low amount of sorghum had lower TBARS values (P<0.05), but similar amounts of cook loss as the control patties. Patties containing a low sorghum level, 0.4% sodium phosphates (SP) and 0.3% salt (S) had lower (P<0.05) amounts of cook loss when compared to control patties. Patties containing low amounts of sorghum were similar to control patties in terms of redness while the addition of low sorghum, SP, and S decreased (P<0.05) the degree of redness. Patties containing low amounts of sorghum bran had similar amounts of discoloration compared to control (CONT) patties. Also, these had less bloody flavor aromatics (P<0.05), but were similar in sorghum flavor aromatics and bitter taste when compared to control patties. The addition of sorghum bran at low levels can retard oxidative rancidity in ground beef patties without causing detrimental color changes and negatively affecting sensory attributes, while patties enhanced with 2% sorghum bran have extensive discoloration and undesirable sensory attributes.

The marama bean is an underutilised legume growing wild in the arid and semi arid regions of Southern Africa. Sorghum is an important cereal crop in arid regions of the world. The seed coats of marama beans and bran of sorghum contain antioxidant phenolic compounds with potential health benefits. Aqueous extracts for possible use as antioxidant functional food ingredient were prepared from seed coats of marama beans and bran of condensed tannin sorghum by extracting with water (water extract) or with water acidified to pH 2 (acidified water extract). Aqueous extraction was used in order to obtain an extract free from organic solvents, safe for human consumption, and containing compounds representative of those that are available under aqueous conditions of the gastrointestinal tract. The extracts were analysed for total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, condensed tannin content and protein precipitation capacity using spectrophotometric methods and for individual phenolic compounds using HPLC-MS. Proanthocyanidins were characterised using thiolysis degradation in conjunction with HPLC-MS. The antioxidant activities of the extracts were measured using ABTS, DPPH and ORAC assays. Extracts were also evaluated for protective effect against free radical induced human erythrocytes haemolysis, oxidative DNA damage and human LDL oxidation. Extracts from marama bean seed coats had significantly higher total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, condensed tannin content, protein precipitation capacity and phenolic compound concentration than equivalent extracts from condensed tannin sorghum bran. Three phenolic acids and three flavonols esterified to gallic acid were identified in the extracts from marama bean seed coats. Extracts from condensed tannin sorghum bran had six major phenolic acids, two phenolic aldehydes and three flavanones. Proanthocyanidins in extracts from marama bean seed coats were predominantly highly galloylated prodelphinidins while those in extracts from condensed tannin sorghum bran were procyanidins. Extracts from marama bean seed coats had higher antioxidant activity and protective effects against free radical induced erythrocyte haemolysis and LDL oxidation compared to equivalent extracts from condensed sorghum bran. Extracts from condensed tannin sorghum bran showed some protective effect against oxidative DNA damage. However, extracts from marama bean seed coats gave inconclusive results probably due to prodelphinidins binding to DNA. Extraction of marama bean seed coats under acidic condition resulted in reduction in phenolic compound content, antioxidant activity and protective effect against erythrocyte haemolysis, possibly due to co-precipitation of phenolic compounds with interpolymer complex precipitate formed between highly galloylated condensed tannins and cell wall polysaccharides at pH 2. In contrast, extraction of condensed tannin sorghum bran under the acidic condition resulted in an extract with significantly higher phenolic content and protective effect against erythrocyte haemolysis than the water extract possibly due to enhanced extraction of free and esterified phenolics and release of bound phenolic compounds. Water extracts and acidified water extracts (from marama been seed coats or sorghum bran) did not show significant differences in their protective effect against oxidative DNA damage and LDL oxidation. Extraction under acidic condition may be the preferred method for sorghum bran because it increases recovery of phenolic compounds, but not for marama bean seed coats because it causes reduction in phenolic compound content. The findings of this study show that the extracts have a potential to reduce oxidative stress which is implicated in many chronic diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and cardiovascular disease. The extracts can be used in the development of functional foods with potential health benefits. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Food Science / unrestricted

Oxidation of lipids influences the color and sensory qualities of meat products. Meat with a high fat content, such as ground meat, is susceptible to lipid oxidation that leads to the development of negative flavor and color changes. Antioxidants, such as butylated hydroxanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytolune (BHT) and extracts of rosemary, are used in meat products to control the effects of lipid oxidation. Awika (2000, 2003) found that sorghum bran phytochemicals have high antioxidant properties. Our objective is to evaluate the pH, color, sensory and antioxidant effect of 10, 20 and 30% ground beef patties containing rosemary, BHA/BHT, and three levels of sorghum bran during 5 d of aerobic storage at 4°C. Beef trimmings containing either 50% or 90% lean were formulated into three meat blocks containing either 10, 20 or 30% lipid. Within a fat content, ground beef was equally divided into one of six treatments: 1) control-no added ingredients; 2) BHA and BHT at .01% of the meat weight; 3) rosemary at 0.2% of the meat weight; 4) high level of sorghum at 1.0% of the meat weight; 5) medium level of sorghum at 0.5% of the meat weight; and, 6) a low level of sorghum at 0.25% of the meat weight. The ground beef was aerobically packaged and stored for 0, 1, 3, or 5 days at 4°C. pH, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), sensory color, Minolta color space values and descriptive sensory evaluations were determined. Antioxidant addition reduced TBARS values and increased hardness (P<0.020) and springiness (P=0.002) over time compared to controls. The addition of the high sorghum bran level resulted in lower raw color scores (2.0 vs. 2.9) (P<0.0001) and slightly increased bitter basic taste (2.47 vs. 2.65) (P=0.0069) when compared to control patties. The high sorghum level slightly increased pH (6.33 vs. 6.41) (P<0.0001) and resulted in darker (P<0.0001) and less yellow colored (P<0.0001) patties. With storage, patties had higher pH (P<0.0001) and color space values decreased (P<0.0001). Sensory properties of the patties differed across fat levels (P<0.05); however, interactions between fat level and antioxidant treatment were not significant (P>0.05). Moreover, the addition of sorghum bran at low levels can retard oxidative rancidity in ground beef patties without causing detrimental color changes and negatively affecting sensory attributes.

Obesity, glucose intolerance or insulin resistance and elevated blood pressure are now prevalent in the U.S. Increased intake of dietary fiber, omega- 3 fatty acids, and antioxidants may help prevent or manage these diseases. Tortillas are now part of the American diet, and are excellent carriers of higher amounts of fiber and other nutraceutical ingredients. This study was conducted to determine the effects of incorporating nutraceutical ingredients (flaxseed, sorghum bran, oat flour, buckwheat flour) on whole white wheat tortilla quality. Tortillas were prepared using a hot-press, gas-fired oven and were evaluated for physical properties, texture and shelf-stability. Objective and subjective tests demonstrated that whole white wheat and multigrain tortilla doughs were harder, rougher and less extensible than refined flour tortilla dough. Multigrain flour tortillas were thinner, larger and more translucent than the refined flour treatment. Incorporation of whole multigrain flours affected color of the product, giving darker tortillas. Tortilla flexibility decreased over time. After 16 days of storage rollability scores of tortillas decreased drastically. The most pronounced decrease in tortilla flexibility was observed for 5% sorghum bran, 10% buckwheat, and for the treatment prepared with of 5% flax, 5% sorghum, 5% oat, 5% buckwheat. The flexibility loss was higher for whole white wheat and multigrain tortillas than for the refined one which was confirmed with objective and subjective tests. To extend shelf stability of whole multigrain tortillas various amounts of commercial hydrocolloid and ?-amylase were added to the formulation. Tortillas with 75 ppm, 100 ppm of ?-amylase, 1% and 1.5% of gum retained their flexibility during 16 days of storage. Consumer acceptability of the whole multigrain tortillas (5% flaxseed, 5% sorghum bran, 5% oat, 5% buckwheat) was compared with commercial multigrain tortillas and whole white wheat flour tortillas using an untrained sensory panel. The multigrain tortillas were liked by the panel as much as the other samples. Prepared multigrain tortillas had improved nutritional value. Each multigrain treatment contained at least 3 g of dietary fiber, 0.29 g of ?- linolenic fatty acid, lignans and antioxidants. It makes possible to claim them as a ?good source of dietary fiber? and ?an excellent source of ?-linolenic fatty acid?. The formulations tested, together with future refinements, provide more options to consumers seeking healthier alternatives to refined wheat flour tortillas.