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PubMed2001

Recent developments in high-performance capillary electrophoresis of cereal proteins.

Cereal proteins play important nutritional and functional roles in human foods and are also important components of animal feeds. As such, cereals are a major economic factor around the world. Because of their importance, cereal proteins have been widely studied. A new emerging technique for studying cereal proteins is high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE). This review focuses mainly on new methods and applications of HPCE to cereal proteins that have been reported in the last three years.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Breeding for nutritional characteristics in cereals.

Extensive genetic variation within large species such as the major cereals can be confidently expected for any new trait of interest. This has now been extensively demonstrated for the nutrient content of cereal grains that is of interest under deficient conditions both to human nutritionists and to cereal agronomists. As cereals are eaten in large quantity by practically everyone, they are the ideal vehicles for changing the balance of nutrient intake of the whole human population. Doing so appears to be necessary as the World Health Organization has identified deficient micronutrient intake in well over half of all people globally, notably women and children. Of major concern are iron, zinc, selenium iodine, calcium and vitamin A-related carotenoids. Our results show that for any staple so far studied, the intake of iron, calcium and zinc from cereals can be doubled, and the content/intake of essential carotenoids can be increased by much greater factors. To prove to rigid scientific standards that greater intake results in greater absorption and measurable health benefits is quite difficult, but it is currently being pursued in various ways. This proof of bioavailability is all that impedes implementation in breeding programs.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2001

Effects of oat and wheat cereals on endothelial responses.

BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to determine the effects of month-long whole grain oat and wheat cereal supplementation on endothelial function following a fatty meal as measured by brachial artery reactivity studies. METHODS: Fifty healthy adult subjects underwent brachial artery reactivity studies before and after a high-fat meal along with alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), oats, or a comparable bowl of wheat cereal and were again tested after the high-fat meal following month-long supplementation with oat or wheat cereal in a random crossover with interim washout. RESULTS: In the acute phase, the fatty meal attenuated the hyperemic brachial artery flow response when administered concurrently with wheat cereal (-13.4%; P = 0.02), whereas hyperemic flow was maintained by concurrent administration of either oatmeal or alpha-tocopherol. Following month-long supplementation, postprandial peak flow (wheat +3.88 +/- 5.62%; oat -10.78 +/- 7.15%), and peak diameter (wheat -1.40 +/- 0.96%; oat -0.86 +/- 0.88%) did not differ from preprandial values. Oat and wheat treatments did not differ when directly compared. CONCLUSIONS: Month-long, daily supplementation with either whole-grain oat or wheat cereal may prevent postprandial impairment of vascular reactivity in response to a high-fat meal.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

The use of fluorochromes in the cytogenetics of the small-grained cereals (Triticeae).

This paper describes some of the major advances that have been made in the cytogenetics of the small-grained cereals (Triticeae) using fluorochromes to detect nucleic acids in situ. The method, widely known as fluorescence in situ hybridization, has made a contribution in several areas including (i) chromosome mapping programmes, and (ii) cereal breeding programmes. Flow cytometry of cereal chromosomes has now been developed for the generation of chromosome enriched libraries; these libraries will ultimately be of use in both the cereal mapping and breeding programmes. Fluorescence in situ hybridization has also made a major contribution to the understanding of cereal genome structure by elucidating the distribution of different classes of DNA sequence. By using suitable nucleic acid probes whole chromosomes can now be identified in interphase nuclei. The labelling patterns have revealed a structured arrangement of chromosomes at interphase. Not only are chromosomes organized but the ribosomal RNA genes also show structured patterns of condensation and expression. Progress in each of these areas has been rapid in recent years and this progress is described.

Chromosome Mapping↗
PubMed2002

Distribution of 5-methylcytosine residues in 5S rRNA genes in Arabidopsis thaliana and Secale cereale.

Bisulfite genomic sequencing was used to localise 5-methylcytosine residues (mC) in 5S rRNA genes of Arabidopsis thaliana and Secale cereale. The maps of mC distribution were compared with the previously published map of the corresponding region in Nicotiana tabacum. In all three species, the level of methylation of 5S rRNA genes was generally higher than the average for the entire genome. The ratio of 5S rDNA methylation to average overall methylation was 44%/30-33% for N. tabacum, 27%/4-6% for A. thaliana and 24%/20-22% for S. cereale. With the exception of one clone from S. cereale, no methylation-free 5S rDNA was detected. The level of methylation at different sequence motifs in 5S rDNA was calculated for N. tabacum/A. thaliana/ S. cereale, and this analysis yielded the following values (expressed as a percentage of total C): mCG 90%/78%/85%, mCWG 89%/41%/53%, mCmCG 72%/32%/16%, mCCG 4%/2%/0%, mCHH 15%/6%/1%, where W=A or T, and H=A or C or T. Non-symmetrical methylation was almost negligible in the large genome of S. cereale but relatively frequent in N. tabacum and A. thaliana, suggesting that the strict correlation between genome size and cytosine methylation might be violated for this type of methylation. Among non-symmetrical motifs the mCWA triplets were significantly over-represented in Arabidopsis, while in tobacco this preference was not as pronounced. The differences in methylation levels in different sequence contexts might be of phylogenetic significance, but further species in related and different taxa need to be studied before firm conclusions can be drawn.

5-Methylcytosine↗
PubMed2005

How can we use genomics to improve cereals with rice as a reference genome?

Rice serves as a model crop for cereal genomics. The availability of complete genome sequences, together with various genomic resources available for both rice and Arabidopsis, have revolutionized our understanding of the genetic make-up of crop plants. Both macrocolinearity revealed by comparative mapping and microcolinearity revealed by sequence comparisons among the grasses indicate that sequencing and functional analysis of the rice genome will have a significant impact on other cereals in terms of both genomic studies and crop improvement. The availability of mutants, introgression libraries, and advanced transformation techniques make functional genomics in rice and other cereals more manageable than ever before. A wide array of genetic markers, including anchor markers for comparative mapping, SSRs and SNPs are widely used in genetic mapping, germplasm evaluation and marker assisted selection. An integrated database that combines genome information for rice and other cereals is key to the effective utilization of all genomics resources for cereal improvement. To maximize the potential of genomics for plant breeding, experiments must be further miniaturized and costs must be reduced. Many techniques, including targeted gene disruption or allele substitution, insertional mutagenesis, RNA interference and homologous recombination, need to be refined before they can be widely used in functional genomic analysis and plant breeding.

Chromosome Mapping↗
PubMed2005

Cereal fiber and whole-grain intake are associated with reduced progression of coronary-artery atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women with coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Higher intake of fiber, especially cereal fiber, has been associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular events and mortality. However, there are limited data on the effect of fiber intake on measures of progression of coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim was to examine the association between intakes of total fiber and fiber from different dietary sources and progression of coronary-artery atherosclerosis among women with established CAD. METHODS: A prospective cohort study involved postmenopausal women (n = 229) participating in the Estrogen Replacement and Atherosclerosis trial. Usual fiber intake was estimated at baseline using a food frequency questionnaire. Quantitative coronary angiography was performed at baseline and after 3.2 +/- 0.6 (mean +/- SD) years to assess changes in mean minimum coronary artery diameter and mean percent stenosis. RESULTS: Compared to lower intakes, > 3 g/4184 kJ (1000 kcal) of cereal fiber or > 6 servings of whole grains per week were associated with smaller decline in minimum coronary artery diameter (cereal fiber: -0.09 +/- 0.02 vs -0.04 +/- 0.02 mm, P = .03; whole grains: -0.10 +/- 0.02 vs -0.06 +/- 0.02 mm, P = .04) after adjustments for age, cardiovascular risk factors, and dietary intakes of saturated and polyunsaturated fat, cholesterol, and alcohol. Progression in percent stenosis tended to be less in women with higher intake of cereal fiber (P = .10) or whole-grain foods (P = .09), after similar adjustments. Intakes of total, fruit, and vegetable fiber, and number of servings of refined grain, fruits, or vegetable were not associated with progression. CONCLUSIONS: Higher intakes of cereal fiber and whole-grain products are associated with less progression of coronary atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women with established CAD.

Aged↗
PubMed2007

A low glycaemic index breakfast cereal preferentially prevents children's cognitive performance from declining throughout the morning.

This study investigated whether the glycaemic index (GI) of breakfast cereal differentially affects children's attention and memory. Using a balanced cross-over design, on two consecutive mornings 64 children aged 6-11 years were given a high GI cereal and a low GI cereal in a counterbalanced order. They performed a series of computerised tests of attention and memory, once prior to breakfast and three times following breakfast at hourly intervals. The results indicate that children's performance declines throughout the morning and that this decline can be significantly reduced following the intake of a low GI cereal as compared with a high GI cereal on measures of accuracy of attention (M=-6.742 and -13.510, respectively, p<0.05) and secondary memory (M=-30.675 and -47.183, respectively, p<0.05).

Attention↗
PubMed2005

Cholesterol lowering effects of nuts compared with a Canola oil enriched cereal of similar fat composition.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Small quantities of nuts protect against subsequent cardiovascular risk. There is speculation that the cholesterol lowering effect associated with nut consumption arises primarily from the fatty acid composition of nuts but may be caused by some other component. To evaluate this possibility we compared the effect of various nuts, against a Canola oil based cereal with a comparable fatty acid profile, on lipids, lipoproteins and fatty acids to determine whether the fatty acid profile of nuts explains their cholesterol lowering effects. METHODS AND RESULTS: Twenty-eight men and women with mean (s.d.) levels of total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol of 6.0 (1.1) mmol/L, and 4.1 (1.0) mmol/L, respectively and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 26.9 (3.2) kg/m2 took part in a randomised cross over trial. For two periods of six weeks, separated by a four-week washout, participants were asked to consume a low saturated fat diet, which included either 30 g/d nuts (nut diet) or one serving of a cereal containing Canola oil (cereal diet). There were no significant differences in the lipids, lipoproteins, plasma fatty acids or other variables between the two diets at the end of the study. Total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were lower on both experimental diets than at baseline, 0.51 mmol/L and 0.40 mmol/L (p<0.001, p<0.01), respectively on the nut diet and 0.42 mmol/L and 0.37 mmol/L (p<0.001, p<0.01), respectively on the cereal diet. CONCLUSION: A 30 g serving of nuts, or a serving of a Canola oil enriched cereal with a similar fatty acid composition reduced total and LDL cholesterol to a similar extent when consumed as part of a lipid lowering diet. Results suggest that foods with a similar fatty acid composition to nuts can produce comparable decreases in lipoprotein mediated cardiovascular risk.

Cholesterol↗
PubMed2006

Improvement of leukocyte functions in prematurely aging mice after five weeks of diet supplementation with polyphenol-rich cereals.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the beneficial effects of diet supplementation with two types of cereals naturally rich in polyphenolic compounds on several functions of peritoneal leukocytes from prematurely aging mice (PAM). METHODS: Two-hundred sixty healthy mice, 8 wk of age, were recruited and their behavioral responses were tested in a simple T-maze to identify PAM. Then the mice were fed a diet supplemented with 20% (wt/wt) of two different cereal fractions, named B (wheat germ) and C (buckwheat flour), rich in polyphenols (gallic acid, catechin, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, p-coumaric acid, sinapic acid, ferulic acid, quercetin, and rutin), or a standard diet (controls) for 5 wk. Several parameters of innate (adherence to tissues, chemotaxis, phagocytosis, microbicidal capacity, and natural killer activity) and acquired immune (lymphoproliferation and interleukin-2 release) responses were measured. RESULTS: The PAM control group showed worse immune functions (P < 0.001 to 0.05) compared with the non-PAM control group. The PAM group that received cereal B showed increases in phagocytosis (P < 0.01), microbicidal activity (P < 0.001 to 0.01), natural killer activity (P < 0.001) and lymphoproliferation in response to lipopolysaccharide (P < 0.01) and interleukin-2 release (P < 0.001), and the PAM group that received cereal C showed a similar pattern, with increases in macrophage chemotaxis (P < 0.01), phagocytosis (P < 0.01), microbicidal activity (P < 0.001 to 0.01), natural killer activity (P < 0.01), lymphoproliferative response to concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide (P < 0.001), and interleukin-2 release (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Dietary supplementation with polyphenol-rich cereals appears to have a protective effect on immune cell functions in mice with premature senescence. Thus, regular intake of these compounds could delay normal aging and improve quality of life.

Aging↗
PubMed1999

Breakfast cereal and caffeinated coffee: effects on working memory, attention, mood, and cardiovascular function.

This study examined the effects of breakfast cereal and caffeinated coffee on working memory, attention, mood, and cardiovascular function. One hundred and forty-four volunteers (72 male, 72 female, mean age 21 years) were assigned to one of the groups formed by combining breakfast (cereal versus no breakfast) and caffeine (caffeinated versus decaffeinated coffee) conditions. The volunteers completed a baseline session between 0800 and 0845 h. The breakfast/caffeine administration took place between 0845 and 0915 h. They then completed another test session (starting at 0945) and had a coffee break at 1045, followed by a final session starting at 1145. The results showed that those who consumed breakfast cereal had a more positive mood at the start of the test sessions, performed better on a spatial memory task, and felt calmer at the end of the test session than those in the no breakfast condition. Ingestion of caffeine had no effect on initial mood or working memory, but it did improve encoding of new information and counteracted the fatigue that developed over the test session. Caffeine increased blood pressure and pulse rate, whereas breakfast cereal consumption only had an effect on pulse. Overall, these results confirm previous findings on the effects of breakfast and caffeine, and demonstrate distinct profiles for two common examples of early-morning food and drink, breakfast cereal and caffeinated coffee.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Transfer of iodine from soil to cereal grains in agricultural areas of Austria.

The concentrations of iodine in cereal grains cultivated at 38 locations in Austria from cereal-producing sites in agricultural areas and soil-to-grain transfer factors (TF) were determined. The concentrations of iodine in cereal grains, which were analyzed by radiochemical neutron activation analysis ranged from 0.002 to 0.03 microg g(-1), the arithmetic mean and the median were 0.0061 microg g(-1) and 0.0046 microg g(-1), respectively. The TF values for cereal grains were calculated to be 0.0005-0.02 and the median was 0.0016. The TF values correlated positively with the iodine concentrations in cereal grains. However, the TF values correlated negatively with the iodine concentrations in soils as well as with the amount of clay contents of soils. The TF values were almost independent on pH values (5.4-7.6) of soils.

Activation Analysis↗
PubMed1998

Lead and cadmium contents in cereals and pulses in north-eastern China.

It is known that, unlike Japanese, Koreans or southern Chinese who depend on rice as a major source of energy for daily life, people in north-eastern China rely not only on rice, but on wheat and other cereals and to a lesser extent also on pulses. Cereal and pulse samples were collected from open markets in north-eastern China, and analyzed by inductively-coupled plasma spectrometry (ICP-MS) for two potentially hazardous heavy metals--lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd). The average Pb level in cereals (31.3 ng Pb/g as a geometric mean) and that of pulses (25.7 ng Pb/g) were similar to each other with no significant difference. Among the cereals, Pb contents were higher in foxtail millet (54.3 ng/g) and lower in maize (35.4 ng Pb/g; grain and flour in combination), wheat flour (28.8 ng Pb/g) and rice flour (22.7 ng Pb/g). Lead levels in two important types of pulses, kidney bean and soybean (24.6 and 30.8 ng Pb/g, respectively), were comparable to the levels in rice and wheat. In contrast, Cd levels were substantially higher in pulses (55.7 ng Cd/g) than in cereals (9.2 ng Cd/g), and among the pulses, Cd in soybean (55.7 ng Cd/g) was significantly higher than that in kidney bean (23.8 ng Cd/g). The possible public health implication of the Pb and Cd levels, especially the high Pb level in foxtail millet (54.3 ng Pb/g) and the high Cd level in soybean (73.5 ng Cd/g), is discussed.

Cadmium↗
PubMed2000

Determination of total dietary fiber of intact cereal food products by near-infrared reflectance.

Near-infrared reflectance spectra of cereal food products were acquired with a commercial dual-diode-array (Si, InGaAs) spectrometer customized to allow rapid acquisition of scans of intact breakfast cereals, snack foods, whole grains, and milled products. Substantial gains in the performance of multivariate calibration models generated from these data were obtained by a computational strategy that systematically analyzed the performance of various spectral windows. The calibration model based on 137 cereal food products determined the total dietary fiber (TDF) content of a test set of 45 intact diverse cereal food products with root-mean-squared error of cross-validation of between 1.8 and 2.0% TDF, relative to the laborious enzymatic-gravimetric reference method. The calibration performance is adequate to estimate TDF over the range of values found in diverse types of cereal food products (0.7-50.1%). The method requires no sample preparation and is relatively unaffected by specimen moisture content.

Calibration↗
PubMed2001

Oxidation of polyphenols in phytate-reduced high-tannin cereals: effect on different phenolic groups and on in vitro accessible iron.

After reduction of phytate with phytase, water slurries of two high-tannin cereal flours were incubated with polyphenol oxidase (mushroom tyrosinase), and the effects on different phenolic groups and on in vitro accessible iron were studied. Enzyme incubation was also performed after cooking, soaking, and germination of the cereals. Phytase incubation significantly decreased the phytate content, and incubation with polyphenol oxidase had a reducing effect on the total phenol content, as well as on the amount of catechol and resorcinol groups. The in vitro accessible iron increased when the cereals were incubated with phytase and polyphenol oxidase, and the highest accessibility of iron was obtained when the germinated samples were incubated. The results from this study imply that oxidation of polyphenols in high-tannin cereals, after reduction of phytate, may be used to increase the bioavailability of iron in foods prepared from these cereals.

Edible Grain↗
PubMed2004

Lignins and ferulate-coniferyl alcohol cross-coupling products in cereal grains.

Plant cell walls containing suberin or lignin in the human diet are conjectured to protect against colon cancer. To confirm the existence of authentic lignin in cereal grain dietary fibers, the DFRC (derivatization followed by reductive cleavage) method was applied to different cereal grain dietary fibers. By cleavage of diagnostic arylglycerol-beta-aryl (beta-O-4) ether linkages and identification of the liberated monolignols, it was ascertained that lignins are truly present in cereal grains. From the ratios of the liberated monolignols coniferyl alcohol and sinapyl alcohol, it is suggested that lignin compositions vary among cereals. Furthermore, dimeric cross-coupling products, comprising ferulate and coniferyl alcohol, were identified in most cereal fibers investigated. These ferulate 4-O-beta- and 8-beta-coniferyl alcohol cross-coupled structures indicate radical cross-coupling of polysaccharides to lignin precursors via ferulate.

Coumaric Acids↗
PubMed2004

Evaluation of antioxidant capacity of cereal brans.

Several oat brans (crunchy oat bran, oat bran alone, and oat breakfast cereal) and wheat brans (wheat bran alone, wheat bran powder, wheat bran with malt flavor, bran breakfast cereal, tablet of bran, and tablet of bran with cellulose) used as dietary fiber supplements by consumers were evaluated as alternative antioxidant sources (i) in the normal human consumer, preventing disease and promoting health, and (ii) in food processing, preserving oxidative alterations. Products containing wheat bran exhibited higher peroxyl radical scavenging effectiveness than those with oat bran. Wheat bran powder was the best hydroxyl radical (OH*) scavenger. In terms of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scavenging, wheat bran alone was the most effective, while crunchy oat bran, oat bran alone, and oat breakfast cereal did not scavenge H2O2. The shelf life of fats (obtained by the Rancimat method for butter) increased most in the presence of crunchy oat bran. When the antioxidant activity during 28 days of storage was measured by the linoleic acid assay, all of the oat and wheat bran samples analyzed showed very good antioxidant activities. The Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay was used to provide a ranking order of antioxidant activity. The wheat bran results for TEAC (6 min), in decreasing order, were wheat bran powder > wheat bran with malt flavor > or = wheat bran alone > or = bran breakfast cereal > tablet of bran > tablet of bran with cellulose. The products made with oat bran showed lower TEAC values. In general, avenanthramide showed a higher antioxidant level than each of the following typical cereal components: ferulic acid, gentisic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, protocatechuic acid, syringic acid, vanillic acid, vanillin, and phytic acid.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed2000

Ultrafast capillary electrophoretic analysis of cereal storage proteins and its applications to protein characterization and cultivar differentiation.

Free zone capillary electrophoresis conditions have been improved to allow rapid (2-8 min) separations of grain proteins from several cereals (wheat, oats, rice, barley, and rye) with high resolution and reproducibility. This new method utilized the isoelectric compound iminodiacetic acid (IDA) in conjunction with 20% acetonitrile and 0.05% hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. Cultivars of all cereals tested could be differentiated in 3 min, including wheat, using either prolamin or glutelin protein patterns. Resolution was similar to or higher than that of separations in other acidic buffers. Migration time repeatability was excellent with run-to-run variability <1% RSD, day-to-day <1.4% RSD, and capillary-to-capillary <3.3% RSD. Because larger inner diameter capillaries (50 microm) could be used with this buffer, sensitivity was improved and capillary rinse times could be reduced when compared to smaller capillaries (25 microm i.d.). This also served to reduce total separation time so that the majority of cereal storage protein from several types of cereals could be analyzed with total analysis times of 2-8 min with extremely high resolution and repeatability. This method would allow unattended, high-throughput ( approximately 180-400 samples/24 h) analysis of cereal proteins without the generation of much organic solvent waste as well as automated data analysis and storage.

Edible Grain↗