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Centaurea thracica (Janka) Hayek is a plant common in southern Bulgaria. The inflorescences were collected during June and September 2021, while their seeds were obtained in September 2021. The chemical and lipid composition of the inflorescences during the vegetation process of the plant were established. A significant decrease in total proteins (from 8.7 to 7.4%), glyceride oils (2.0–1.7%), and ash (4.5–4.2%) content was observed, while the amount of carbohydrates (72.3–77.2%) and fibers (28.7–35.8%) increased. During the vegetation of the plant, the content of oleic and linoleic acids increased up to 2–3 times, while the level of palmitic acid decreased. The lipids from the seeds were rich in oleic (53.0%) and palmitic (36.2%) acids. The tocopherol content in the oils of the inflorescences during vegetation increased from 58 to 110 mg/kg, and the content in the oil from the seeds was 260 mg/kg. The phospholipid content decreased during vegetation, and differences were observed in the composition between the inflorescences and the seeds. The high content of oleic acid, linoleic acid, tocopherols, and phospholipids determine the nutritional and biological value of the oils isolated from Centaurea thracica, and contribute to their potential use in various directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation aims to elucidate the bioactive constituents present in waste seeds derived from Nicotiana tobacum L., there by contributing to a more holistic comprehension of the health-related implications associated with tobacco plants beyond conventional consumption concerns. Waste seeds from tobacco plants N. tobacum L. were grown during harvest 2021-2022 at the Tobacco and Tobacco Products Institute (part of Bulgarian Agriculture Academy). Chemical analysis of tobacco waste seeds (TWS) encompassed the examination of primary metabolites including lipids (32.1±1.0%), proteins (29.4±1.4 %), and carbohydrates (27.6±0.5 %). Furthermore, various lipid indices (Atherogenicity, Thrombogenicity, Hypocholesterolemic/ hypercholesterolemic, etc.) were computed utilizing the fatty acid composition of the oil extracted from tobacco waste seeds. The results showed that TWS could be utilized with health benefits - seeds are a good resource for n-6 fatty acids (linoleic acid - 71.94±1.05 %) with good atherogenicity and thrombogenicity qualities and natural antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the requirements of new sources of natural food components are constantly expanding worldwide. On one hand, the constituents derived from the common agriculture plants satisfy the needs of the body to function properly. On the other hand, the price of producing ordinary foods is gradually increasing. For that reason, it is necessary to find a cheaper alternative industrial crops, such as a specific variety of lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L. cultivar “Boregine”). The chemical and lipid composition of lupin seeds as well as the physicochemical characteristics of the oil were examined. The seeds are rich in proteins and carbohydrates, mainly starch, but have low oil content. Sucrose was the main soluble sugar and the major amino acids were phenylalanine, arginine, tyrosine and serine. Linoleic and oleic acids were predominate in the oil; β-sitosterol and γ-tocopherol were the main components in the sterol and tocopherol fractions, respectively. Phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine represented more than 50% of all phospholipids and oleic acid was in the highest amount in all phospholipid classes. All physicochemical characteristics of lupin seed oil were in agreement with the requirements for edible oils and its oxidative stability at 100 °C and an air flow rate of 20 L/h was extremely high (more than 100 h). Lupin seeds have high nutritional value and their oil depicts to be stable, which makes them a possible source of high quality lipids with long shelf life.

Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw. is the main species for Moss surveys (ICP Vegetation programme) in Southeastern Europe and is widely distributed in the region. In addition to their biomonitoring role, mosses are applied in some countries as a traditional medicine for the treatment of eczema, cuts, burns, eye diseases, etc. Therefore, the chemical and lipid composition of the moss H. cupressiforme is of interest to establish their possible application in different fields. The chemical composition of the moss was examined regarding total lipids, proteins, carbohydrates (i.e., fibres), ash, and moisture content. The main lipid-soluble bioactive components were determined as sterols, tocopherols, phospholipids and fatty acids. The major fatty acids were linoleic (14.9%), oleic (13.8%), palmitic (12.5%) and α-linolenic (11.3%) acids. Unsaturated fatty acids (56.4%) prevailed in the glyceride oil, in which the polyunsaturated ones constituted 32.5%. The lipid indices (atherogenicity, thrombogenicity, hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio, peroxidability, and oxidation stability index) were also theoretically calculated based on the fatty acid composition of the moss lipids to establish their health benefits and the rate of oxidation. The primary results of this study revealed H. cupressiforme to be a promising alternative source of bioactive compounds that could be implemented in supplements with health-promoting effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study is to analyze the chemical composition of the meat and fatty acid profile of carp lipids (Cyprinus carpio L.) before and after heat treatment (baking and frying). The water content (weight method), proteins (Kjeldahl procedure), fat (arbitrage method), ash (weight method) and fatty acid composition (GC) are determined for carp from aquaculture - pond - and cage reared and for free-living carp from Zhrebchevo dam lake. It has been established that the level of water in the baked and fried carp decreases as a result of the heat treatment. Increases in protein, fat and ash content in heat treated meat samples compared to fresh carp meat are reported. The fatty acid profile of baked and fried carp showed a slight decrease in the level of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. An increase in the percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids as a result of heat treatment is reported. The omega-3 fatty acid group is characterized by minor changes and relatively stable levels in baked and fried carp. The values of the biologically important ω-6: ω-3 ratio in the fresh carp meat from all tested rearing groups ranged from 1.69 to 2.63%. For baked and fried meat samples, higher values are reported, respectively 4.83-6.28% for baked and 4.28-7.60% for fried ones. As a result of the thermal treatment, the values increase in both processing methods and exceed the recommended 5:1 ratio. The fried carp meat are characterized by higher ω-6:ω-3 ratios compared to baked, indicating that carp lipids in baked carp are more balanced and biologically more complete and have a lower risk factor for human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Sweet and horse chestnut fruit contain carbohydrates, fibers, proteins, lipids, vitamins, glycosides and coumarin. The lipids are rich in biologically active substances as fatty acids, phospholipids, sterols and tocopherols. The fruit has been used as food, and for medicinal purposes to treat inflammatory and vascular problems. Results The fruits of sweet and horse chestnut contain 20 and 81 g kg−1 glyceride oil respectively. The content of phospholipids in the oils was 49 and 3 g kg−1. Sterols were found to be 8 and 12 g kg−1. In the tocopherol fraction (1920 and 627 mg kg−1) γ-tocopherol predominated in the sweet chestnut oil (927 g kg−1); γ-tocopherol (591 g kg−1) and α-tocopherol (402 g kg−1) in horse chestnut oil. Palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids predominated in the triacylglycerols. Higher quantities of palmitic and oleic acids were established in the phospholipids and sterol esters. Conclusion The fruits of horse and sweet chestnut have a close lipid composition. The oils are rich in essential fatty acids, such as linoleic and linolenic, as well as biologically active substances: phospholipids, sterols and tocopherols. This fact determines the good food value of sweet chestnut fruit and the possibilities for use of horse chestnuts in pharmacy and for technical purposes. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]