Agro Product Testing – Spectro Blog

Mysterious Death – Caused by Litchi Fruit in Bihar

In India, Bihar is the largest producer of Litchi fruit. It is a popular juicy and flavourful fruit during the summer season, but has complex nature. A number of school going children died after eating Litchis in Bihar. Health experts found that Litchi seed consists of certain kinds of amino acids, which negatively affects the blood glucose levels in the body. According to a study the toxic amino acids are generally present in immature fruit that becomes fatal with an outbreak of acute encephalopathy causes convulsions and coma in the Muzaffarpur region in Bihar linked with the toxicity of hypoglycin A and MCPG. This disease mostly affected poor and malnourished children. In order to reduce the illness as well as casualties in the area, experts suggested the minimum consumption of litchi and it is further advised to take the proper meal, particularly the dinner so, that the fruit does not affect the glucose level. This happened because children used to consume litchi fruit all over the day from the nearby orchards and most of them skipped their dinner. The study revealed that after consumption of litchi fruit two-third of the sick children found toxic amino acids in their urine samples. These toxic substances impaired with the synthesis of glucose in the body which is associated with dangerously low blood glucose level and unconscious in the middle of the night or in the early morning. In this situation, effected children, then, immediately rushed to the hospital, they should be treated immediately for correcting their blood glucose level, muscle weakness, nervous system disorder.

Spectro Analytical Lab offers all the facilities and instruments for analyzing all the physical and biochemical parameters in the given food samples. It also provides training and assistance in this regard.

Keep ocean blue- Marine life is dying in numbers

Anything which is present in the marine environment that causes harm is known as pollution. There are different types of pollution in the sea like plastic wastes, oil, chemicals, agriculture and industrial wastes and sewage waste as these pollutants can interfere with the life cycle of several aquatic lives. The largest natural water body on the Earth are oceans, which provide habitat to the various animals and plants, but due to a variety of human activities, the marine life is now adversely affected by the marine pollution. Now, it is the responsibility of each and every citizen of the world in keeping the natural water bodies neat and clean so that the aquatic life can grow and flourish well.

Pollution enters into the water bodies by different ways:-

Sewage waste: Sewage polluting waste directly enters into the ocean by sewage, rivers or drainages. This toxic waste reduced the oxygen levels in the water and so decreases the chances of survival of the marine life.
Industrial toxic waste: Disposing of the toxic liquid into the ocean, as a source of industrial and agricultural waste, create ocean pollution that adversely affects the aquatic life. As the temperature of these hazardous chemicals is high, they alleviate the ocean temperature also known as thermal pollution which directly affects the marine life. These chemicals deposit in the internal tissues of the animals, leading to infertility. Aquatic plants and animals cannot exist at elevated temperatures and ultimately collapse. It also affects the process of photosynthesis by stopping of sunlight.
Through oil spills: Oil spill is the most destructive and it is a great source of pollution in the ocean. Crude oil has existed for several years in the sea water and is highly toxic to aquatic life, marine animals died due to suffocation and it is very difficult to clean. Ships are also responsible for the noise pollution, which disturbs the life cycles of aquatic lives.
Littering: It is the huge source of water pollution in the ocean, it occurs when the garbage, including plastic debris, polythene bags, man-made waste are blown through the wind. This waste cannot degrade and remains suspended in the water for years. Small animals got confused and caught the plastic waste for the food and died slowly over a period of time and these small animals later eaten up by the big animals. Animals that died in the majority due to this plastic waste include seabirds, sea turtles, fishes, sharks, crabs, seahorse, starfish, jelly fish, dolphins, crocodiles, penguins, etc. Further, the contaminated aquatic animals are then eaten up by the humans, gets accumulated in their body that leads to cancer, infertility and birth defects. Thus, ocean pollution severely affects the entire food chain.

Spectro Analytical Lab offers all the facilities and instruments for testing quality and all the safety parameters related to water. It also provides training and assistance in this regard.

Cereals – an Overview

Cereals owe their English name to the Romain goddess CERES, the given of grain, indicative of the antiquity and importance of cereals. This importance is still very much the case today; cereals of one sort or another sustain the bulk of mankind’s basic nutritional needs, both directly and indirectly as animal feed. It is primarily the grains of cereals that are useful to us, although the vegetative parts of the plant may be used as fodder or for silage production, and straw is used for animal bedding. The grain is, of course, the source of energy for the next generation of the plant, and also is the main source of energy and protein for the human species. In a food market, the value of the crop is greatest if the attributes of the grain suit the specified needs of the user. For e.g., if wheat is grown for bread making then the miller will require a ‘hard’ variety of grain that gives a good yield of coarse water absorbing strong flour.

Cereals an overview

Uses of Cereals

Cereals can be used for making alcoholic beverages, most can be boiled whole and eaten as rice and they can be ground into coarse flour (meal) and made into porridges and puddings.
Cereal foods are used as staples that are the main source of food energy. They are also for many people, the main source of protein and dietary fiber.
For ease of digestion, the bran is also removed from grains before cooking. There are two principal processes- the grain may be broken in a mill and the bran and other fractions separated, or the bran may be abraded off the grain. The debranned grain may then be eaten (boiled) whole- as in rice and, in the middle East, barley and wheat- or ground to a meal, which is used for porridges or breads.
Wheat and rye are exceptional in that they are used to make leavened bread, which depends for its unique crumb on the special protein of wheat and rye known as gluten. Leavened but flat breads are also made from other cereals.
All cereals are used for animal feed and all straws for ruminant fodder.

Spectro Analytical Lab has all the facilities regarding testing and analysis of all the cereals and its products.

Soybeans- Always a Good Source of Proteins for Vegetarians

Soybeans are also known as soya beans, scientifically it is known as Glycine max, having a good nutritional profile and contains a lot of health benefits such as good for heart health, protects from cancer, improves digestion, good for bone health and reduces the risk of diabetes, lowers the cholesterol level, decreases the risk of insomnia and sleep and also beneficial for women’s health.

Soybeans Contains-

Best Quality of Protein – It contains all the essential amino acids required by the body. It is rich in lysine amino acid, but slightly poor in sulphur containing amino acid such as methionine.
Soybean contains appreciable amounts of dietary fiber, thiamine, vitamin K, vitamin B6, riboflavin, vitamin C and niacin but deficient in vitamin B12.
It contains significant amounts of minerals like iron, manganese, copper, phosphorous, selenium, zinc and calcium. The bioavailability of calcium in soybean milk is comparable to that of cow’s milk.

Soy Products and their uses-

Full Fat Soy Flour- used in baking industry as enzyme active soya flour, baby and health foods, soups etc.

Defatted Flour- used as bleaching and dough improving agents.

Soy Protein Concentrate – used in sausages, breakfast cereals, baby and health foods. It also improves juiciness and eating quality of product.

Soy Protein Isolate – is used where very high protein level is required.

Textured Vegetable Proteins (TVP) – TVP is the name given to the food made from the proteins derived mainly from soya is an inexpensive and complete plant based protein. The term ‘textured’ refers to the process which forms the protein powders into different forms, e.g. granules, chunks, flakes, fibers. They have a chewy texture and appear similar to meat. Soya bean with high protein content very close to meat and is considered the most important source of vegetable protein.

Spectro Analytical Lab has all the instruments and facilities for testing and analyzing the nutritional parameters in all the food samples.

Reduce Pesticide Uses – A Boon for Food Chain

The main aim of agriculture is to produce crops for the consumption of human and livestock. When their population increases then it is very important to increase the crop production also but rodents and agricultural pests damaged a maximum amount of crop production that results in a severe loss to the economy. The word pesticide refers to any particular chemical substance or compound that used to kill, repel or control a pest, but it also causes many ill-effects to human health or even causes human deaths every year. It can be a fungicide, herbicide, insecticide, mulluscicide, nematicide, rodenticide, and others that are used to target certain unwanted living organism. The destruction caused by pest is the greatest problem worldwide, so, to overcome this situation the use of pesticides has increased many folds. Using pesticides is very beneficial, but it has many problems too.

Advantages– Food production can be increased many times by using pesticides, it will profits to the farmers and protects the plantation, animals and humans from diseases.

Disadvantages– Continued exposure to these chemicals for long may lead to pesticide toxicity through ingestion, inhalation and skin penetration. It may cause certain ill-effects like cancer, hormonal imbalances, infertility, blood disorders, genotoxicity, neruological and psychological disorders etc.

Pesticides can also contaminate soil, ground water, vegetation and turf. Moreover, it can also be toxic to other organisms such as birds, fishes, important insects, plants and also disturbs our food chain that is very harmful for the society.

Farmers can switch to alternatives to traditional chemical pesticides like the use of natural pesticides, use of biological methods to control pests, control of insect breeding, use of manures instead of chemical fertilizers, soil steaming, crop rotation, poly culture means growing multiple crops together.

Spectro Analytical Lab posses all the instruments and facility for testing and analyzing the residues of pesticides in different samples like water, milk and other food articles.

Health Benefits of Flaxseed

Flax seeds, a power packed super food that costs pennies a day greatly reduce the risk of several life-threatening diseases. Regular consumption of flax seeds (preferably in the ground state) in small quantity (i.e. 1-2 teaspoon) in the diet helps in lowering the blood cholesterol level efficiency. Further, it also reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, heart strokes as well as cancer. As this also contain vitamin E that protects the skin from the harmful effects of oxygen free radicals.
Uses: Gently roasted seeds can be enjoyed either with salted or sweetened recipes. It can be used as a topping in yogurt, desserts, smoothies, shakes andsnacks, etc. It can also be sprinkled over salads, desserts and ice cream preparations. Flax seeds are widely used in the confectionery items such as biscuits, bread, cakes, and muffins, etc. Whole flax seeds may be stored in cool and dry place for up to 8-12 months, while in powdered form it should be placed inside airtight container and kept inside the refrigerator to avoid rancidity.
Flax seed is a good source of pr-otein, soluble polysaccharides, phenolic acids and flavonoids, phytin, tocopherols, lignans and other nutritional components. According to USDA (2011) 100 grams of flax seeds contain 28.88 g of carbohydrates (including 1.55 g sugars and 27.3 g dietary fiber), 42.16 g oil (including 3.66 g saturated fatty acids, 7.53 g monounsaturated fatty acids and 28.73 g polyunsaturated fatty acids, 18.29 g proteins, 1.64 mg thiamine (vitamin B1), 0.16 mg riboflavin (vitamin B2), 3.08 mg niacin (vitamin B3), 0.98 mg pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), 0.47 mg vitamin B6, 0.6 mg vitamin C, 255 mg calcium, 5.73 mg iron, 392 mg magnesium, 642 mg phosphorus, 813 mg potassium, 4.34 mg zinc.

Spectro Analytical Lab posses GC-MS to carry out identification of fatty acids moreover, Spectro provides facilities for analyzing other nutritional composition in all agricultural commodities.

Let’s Switch to Ragi – The Super Food

Finger millet or African millet (Eleusine coracana), is also known as Ragi or Nachni is grown in the dry regions of Africa and Asia. It is also commonly grown in the foothills of Himalayas, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. It is a rich source of protein, calcium, iron, phosphorous, dietary fiber, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamin content. Ragi is one of the most nutritious and good source of the diet for growing kids, pregnant females, lactating mothers, patients and peoples of old age.

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What Makes it Super Food?

Helps in Losing Weight: Ragi contains an amino acid called Tryptophan, which lowers appetite and helps in keeping weight in control. Ragi gets digested at a slower rate, thus keeps one away from intaking excessive calories. It also contains dietary fibers that give a feeling of fullness and controls excessive food consumption.
Improving Bone Health: Ragi is a great source of natural calcium and its regular consumption is very much essential for the development of bones in growing children and maintenance of bone health in adults and aging people. Ragi keeps diseases such as osteoporosis at bay and thereby reducing the risk of fracture.
Control Diabetes: On regular consumption, ragi helps in controlling diabetes mellitus as it is a good source of dietary fibers with low glycemic index that slows down the digestion process and so, help in controlling the blood sugar level in the blood.
Lowers Blood Cholesterol Level: Ragi contains lecithin and methionine amino acids due to which it helps in controlling the blood cholesterol level by decreasing the plaque formation and thereby preventing the blockage of blood vessels hence, reducing the risk of strokes and other cardiovascular diseases. It also contains one more amino acid, threonine which helps in preventing the fat formation in the liver.
Women Friendly: The important aspect of this food is that it provides calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin B1 and B2 in abundance, thereby preventing from malnutrition. Pregnant and nursing mothers are advised to consume ragi regularly, as it helps to increase the production of breast milk in the body. It also enriches the mother’s milk with all the vital nutrients, essential for the normal growth of newly born baby and the mother’s health. Ragi is also rich in folic acid, which helps the brain development of the baby in the mother’s womb. Moreover, Foods having a low glycemic index and rich in dietary fiber are highly recommended for the females suffering from PCOD/PCOS (poly cystic ovarian disease/poly cystic ovarian syndrome) and it also aids in controlling overweight in the same condition.
Prevents Anaemia:Ragi is a very good source of natural Iron. Ragi consumption helps in condition of anemia. Incorporate ragi in your daily diet and cut out the supplements of iron in the form of tablets and tonics.
Aids Relaxation: Ragi contains lots of antioxidants that help in natural relaxation of the body and also beneficial for stress related ailments such as anxiety, depression, hypertension and headaches.
Good Source of Protein/ Amino Acids: Ragi is a good source of amino acids like tryptophan, threonine, valine, isoleucine, lysine and methionoine which are essential for the normal functioning of the body, muscle repair, helps in bone formation and prevents the skin from premature aging by maintaining the collagen. It is a chemical substance which supports to make it supple and lively, thereby resulting in flawless and wrinkle or fine line free skin.
Boon for Hair: Millets are a good source of proteins and is highly advisable for the persons suffering from hair loss as protein rich diet is essential for healthy hair. Stress increases the level of cortisol, in the body leading to a massive hair reduction. Magnesium present in millets controls hair loss by reducing cortisol level and thereby protects hair from premature graying. Magnesium in millets also reduces inflammation in the scalp to treat scalp conditions like eczema, psoriasis and dandruff. Millet is also beneficial for treating premature balding.
Improve Overall Health: On regular consumption, it regulates proper digestion, normal bowel movement and prevents constipation. As ragi is highly nutritious, it prevents from nutritional deficiencies, degenerative diseases and premature aging at bay. It is also highly recommended for lactating mothers in the condition of not producing sufficient milk. Its intake is not advisable in case of patients suffering from kidney stones, as it increases the quantity of oxalic acid in the body. Ragi can be taken in the form of roti, dosa, porridge, soup, malt, sprouts, upma, laddo, halwa, cakes, biscuits and many more.

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Multigrain flour can also be prepared by the combining wheat and finger millet in the ratio of 7:3 respectively,s and it is one of the simplest ways of incorporating ragi in our daily diet as no Indian meal is complete without roti. This highly nutritious roti is very helpful in controlling the blood glucose levels in diabetic patients effectively. Instead of popping a pill, let’s switch to ragi- the super cereal and believe it’s an amazing super cereal.