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The present work describes fatty acid profile, proximate composition and nutritional quality of selected nuts (Almond, Pistachio, Walnut, Pine nut and Peanut). Differences (p < 0.05) were noticed in the crude protein (17.85-31.17%), total lipids (49.81-66.96%), carbohydrate (1.46- 14.14%), moisture (2.50-4.50%) and ash (1.50-3.60%) contents of the nuts. The palmitic acid and stearic acid were the main saturated fatty acids (SFA), oleic acid was the predominant monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), while the linoleic and linolenic acid were the major polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The percentage of linoleic acid exceeded that of linolenic acid in all analyzed nut samples. A major finding of LC-PUFA (Long Chain PUFA) among walnut was found higher (72.14 g/100g), due to higher linoleic and linolenic acid (57.26 and 14.88 g/100g). In addition the calculated essential PUFA/SFA ratio was ranged as 3.10-11.49. However ratio of n-6/n-3 FA ranged 3.83-11.05, lower n-6/n-3 for walnut is beneficial for nutrition purpose by providing more n-3 essential FAs in comparison of other analyzed nuts. The results showed that all selected nuts have good nutritional quality and could be used in fighting malnutrition and can serve as valuable source of oil for industrial purposes.

Prosopis cineraria and prosopis glandulosa torryana wildly growing trees in Thar Desert Pakistan exude gum in appreciable quantities. The climatic conditions of desert catalyze gum exudation from trees and may affect their quality characteristics. No research work has been carried out to characterize these valuable gums and evaluate their potential for commercial exploitation. In the present study 135 samples (16kg) of P.glandulosa gum and 87 samples (9kg) of P.cineraria gum were collected and studied for their physicochemical properties. P. cineraria gum was sorted in three classes as amber, light yellow having dull luster and transparent golden yellow shades. P.glandulosa gum samples were sorted as dark brown and light brown samples. Among the physicochemical characteristics studied, moisture content of all classes of gums varied between 8-14%, ash 3-9%, protein 10 -21%, insoluble matter 0.8 - 1.9%, and the tannin content of transparent golden yellow samples of p.cineraria gum as 0.3-0.6%. The tannin content p. glandulosa was found to be fairly high making it unsuitable substitute of gum for food applications. All the samples were found to be dextrorotary and showed lower pH values. The intrinsic viscosity of gum samples ranged between 10.6- 13.6 ml/g and the values were used to calculate viscosity average molecular weight of gum samples. All the samples were found to be rich in amino acid content having Hydroxyproline between 300-380, tyrosine 270- 326, aspartic acid 170-210, and serine 170-195 residues per 10000 residues. Cationic composition of ash of gum samples revealed calcium magnesium sodium and potassium as major cations whereas no presence of toxic metals lead cadmium and mercury was detected. Comparative assessment of data indicated that P.cineraria gum was of better quality as compared to that of P. glandulosa and that the application of classification procedure has marked effect on gum quality and potential to make p. cineraria gum as suitable substitute of gum arabic.

The effect of different cooking methods (Raw, steaming, microwave cooking, baking, grilling, pan frying and deep frying) on proximate composition and fatty acid profile of Labeo calbasu fish species from Pakistan were analyzed to determine the nutritional qualities in terms of the long chain n-3 PUFA particularly EPA and DHA. In all cooking methods moisture content decrease and protein content increased as compare to raw sample. The moisture content of fish sample seemed to be inversely related to the total extractable lipid content. In steamed, microwave, baked, grilled and pan fried methods MUFA were the abundant fatty acids followed by SFA and PUFA. Deep fried fish sample had the opposite trend having highest PUFA as contrast to MUFA and SFA. Long chain n-3 PUFA were found higher in contrast to n-6 PUFA in all other cooking methods excluding deep frying. The results indicates that steamed and grilled cooking are the best cooking method for healthy eating as they contain more n-3 PUFA (EPA and DHA). Losses of n-3 content in pan fried and deep fried fish were higher than those of fish cooked by other methods.

The objective of this work was to study changes in the fatty acid (FA) profile of ruminants' milk (buffalo, cow, goat and ewe) throughout the year, raised under the conventional feeding system of Sindh, Pakistan. Milk samples were collected during the four periods of the year; in winter (Dec–Feb), spring (Mar–Apr), summer (May–Sep) and autumn season (Oct–Nov). Animals were fed on seasonal forages except in winter and late spring when shortage of green forage occurs and ruminants were fed crops byproduct and residues (wheat straw, cotton seed cake, rice husk) along with available green fodder. Overall the concentration of short chain FAs ( trans (16–35%) and conjugated linoleic acid contents (24–48%) in comparison to winter milk among ruminant species studied. Results of present study suggest that availability of fresh grass in summer season promotes the synthesis of fatty acids beneficial for human health, including unsaturated and conjugated fatty acids in ruminants' milk, possibly due to altered biohydrogenation pathway and other unidentified characteristics.