Journal articles on the topic 'Cooking, sri lankan'

Lentil ( Lens culinaris Medic.) is a pulse crop that belongs to the family Leguminosae . Lentils are rich in proteins, have 18 of the 20 amino acids including all 8 essential amino acids and provide a number of essential minerals and vitamins. Thus, lentils occupy an important place in the human diet, especially in developing countries, as a rich source of protein, vitamins and minerals. Although in many developing countries in Asia rice contributes significantly to human daily energy and nutritional requirements, its amino acid profile shows that rice lacks some essential amino acids. Therefore, given their rich composition of amino acids, lentils could act as an ideal supplement for rice-based diets. Although all red lentils are imported, they are the most widely consumed pulse among Sri Lankans. Red lentil consumption levels are significantly greater in the estate sector where the prevalence of under nutrition is high. Thus, t his review was undertaken to understand the potential role of lentils in the Sri Lankan diet and how lentils can potentially be utilized to meet the nutritional needs of Sri Lankans. The study was based on an extensive literature review and information obtained thro ugh personal interviews with key participants in the red lentil industry of Sri Lanka. It was evident that red lentils are a rich source of nutrients, especially micro-nutrients, but their bioavailability is poor due to the presence of multiple anti-nutritive factors such as protease inhibitors, phenolic compounds and phytates. Although bioavailability of nutrients can be enhanced by changing food processing techniques, fortification and bio-fortification, lentil cooking patterns in Sri Lanka pose difficulties in adopting changed food processing techniques and fortification. Thus, bio-fortification would be the most viable option for enhancing nutrient availability in lentils. Since Sri Lanka does not produce lentils, such initiatives may have to be undertaken in exportin g countries or in collaboration with international agricultural research centres. Any strategic investments in breeding new lentil varieties with high bioavailability would provide exporting countries a unique competitive edge in export markets. Such improvements would meet the nutritional needs, not only of Sri Lankans, but also of mil lions other Asian consumers who face similar nutritional challenges.

In Sri Lankan traditional cooking, coconut and spices are incorporated to enhance the taste, flavor, and aroma. However, little attention has been given to assess the effect of these ingredients on the nutritional and chemical composition of the consumed food. The objective of this study was to ascertain the effect of traditional cooking methods on the chemical composition of vegetables, cereals and cereal-based foods, legumes, and selected nonvegetarian food varieties consumed in the daily diet. The results indicate that the addition of coconut milk (CM), coconut scraps, and coconut oil (CO) had a significant impact on the fat content of the prepared foods ( p < 0.05 ). Cooking facilitated the incorporation of fat into food. According to the results, more percentage increases of fat content were observed in tempered string beans (97.51%) and cauliflower milk curry (96.6%). Data revealed that boiling helped to reduce the fat content in cereals and legumes. The cooked foods prepared using traditional recipes with CM, CO, or scraps have higher nutritional content than raw foods and have a significant nourishing potential that meets the daily energy requirements ( p < 0.05 ). It can be concluded that the chemical composition of cooked food serves as a more realistic guideline in recommending dietary interventions in disease and weight management.

In 2009, The World Summit on Food Security introduced four pillars of food security namely; availability, access, utilization, and stability. Food security could be substantially improved by increased investment and policy reforms. The ISO 22000:2005 family of international standards is one of leading food safety security management systems and it specifically addresses food safety management. The purpose of this study is to develop an extended framework of standards opposed to ISO 22000:2005 food safety standards considering one additional pillar in food security, which is food safety, with a special reference to edible oil and oil-based products. Among 745 Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) registered food preparation facilities, 75 facilities were selected as a stratified random sample. A self-administered online questionnaire was used to identify gaps in local food security practices in edible oil. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 21 and characteristics of sample were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results of the survey revealed that the Sri Lankan food preparation facilities are significantly behind in food security practices. Therefore, in addition to food safety management system, we suggest to include four pillars in food security systems into the existing food safety standard due to lack of food security practices in food preparation facilities. Considering the deviated areas in the practice, which were identified through our questionnaire, we developed a novel model of food security management system for a comprehensive assessment of food preparation facilities.

Solid fuel combustion is an important risk factor of morbidity. This study was conducted to determine the effect of indoor air pollution (IAP) due to solid fuel combustion on physical growth in 262 Sri Lankan children under five. Exposure was defined by the type of fuel used for cooking. Pollutant levels were measured in a subsample of households. “High” exposure group (households using biomass fuel/kerosene oil for cooking) comprised 60% of the study population; the prevalence of wasting was 19.7% and underweight was 20.4% in the entire population where 68% were from the high exposure group. Children from the “high” exposure group had significantly lower mean z-scores for weight-for-height (p = 0.047), height-for-age (p = 0.004) and weight-for-age (p = 0.001) as compared to the “low” exposure group (children of households using liquefied petroleum gas and/or electricity) after adjusting for confounders. Z-scores of weight-for-age, height-for-age and weight-for-height were negatively correlated with CO (p = 0.001, 0.018, 0.020, respectively) and PM2.5 concentrations (p<0.001,p = 0.024 p = 0.008, respectively). IAP due to combustion of biomass fuel leads to poor physical growth.

Green leafy vegetables (GLVs) are abundant in bioactive compounds and constitute a crucial part of a balanced diet. Sri Lankan green leafy vegetables which are edible and available for consumption have not been thoroughly investigated, whilst their consumption can deflate the risk of arising several degenerative diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The present study was aimed at evaluating the antioxidant capacities of the leafy vegetables, Gymnema lactiferum (Kurignan), Wattakaka volubilis (Aguna), and Argyreia populifolia (Girithilla), with different thermal treatments (70°C, 120°C, and 170°C) which are used in domestic cooking processes. Heat treatments significantly affect the antioxidant capacity and polyphenolic content of most vegetables analyzed, either increasing or decreasing the concentration of these compounds. In the presence of thermal treatments, Gymnema lactiferum (14.52-20.28 mg GAE/g DW) and Wattakaka volubilis (19.75-27.13 mg GAE/g DW) showed a significantly higher ( p < 0.05 ) total phenolic content. The temperature treatment did not alter the ABTS radical scavenging activity in Gymnema lactiferum. In contrast, an increment of ferric reducing antioxidant power (41.26-54.85 mg TE/g DW) and DPPH radical scavenging activity (0.11-0.26 mg TE/g DW) was observed. Wattakaka volubilis treated at 170°C appeared to have a significantly higher amount ( 104.93 ± 1.41 mg TE/g DW) of ferric reducing antioxidant power compared to its raw form. All cooking processes with their corresponding thermal treatments caused a significantly lower ( p < 0 ) amount of antioxidant capacity in Argyreia populifolia.

Summary Edible oil is a critical component of food and a significant source of energy for human beings. Most households in Sri Lanka prepare daily meals with edible oils. However, the adulteration of cooking oil is abundantly taking place in the country. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the buying behavior of coconut oil consumers and their perception of regular and virgin coconut oils. Moreover, the relationship between the socioeconomic factors of Sri Lankan coconut oil consumers and their buying behavior was also investigated. Pre-tested questionnaires were administered to a total of 100 respondents, who were selected using simple random-sampling techniques in the Homagama divisional secretariats. Data analysis was carried out by means of descriptive statistics, important-performance analysis and the chi-square test. The results obtained indicate that the majority of the consumers surveyed (54%) generally purchase regular coconut oil. Although a certain number of the consumers (10%) use virgin coconut oil, a significant percentage (30%) was found to use palm oil (vegetable oil) for meal preparation. Furthermore, a significant relationship was established between the socioeconomic factors of the respondent’s age and monthly income and their buying behavior of coconut oil. The consumers’ perception of regular and virgin coconut oils gave priority to the quality, appearance and information about the product ingredients when purchasing virgin coconut oil. Moreover, when purchasing regular coconut oil, the respondents gave priority to the price, availability and promotion of the product. A significant relationship was established between the respondents’ health issues and their coconut oil buying behavior. The consumers who had at least one family member suffering from cholesterol mainly purchased regular coconut oil and palm oil. Therefore, it is timely and important to increase the consumer awareness of the benefits of using virgin coconut oil instead of adulterated regular coconut oil or palm oil.

Starch quality is one of the most important agronomic traits in rice (Oryza sativa L). In this study, we identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the Waxy and Alk genes of eight rice varieties and their associations with starch physicochemical properties.vi.e.vamylose content (AC) and gelatinization temperature (GT). Seven Sri Lankan rice varieties, Pachchaperumal, Herathbanda, At 354, Bg 352, Balasuriya, H 6 and Bw 295-5 were detected as high amylose varieties while Nipponbare exhibited low amylose content. In silico analysis of the Waxy gene revealed that all tested Sri Lankan varieties possessed ‘G’ (Wxa allele) instead of ‘T’ in the first intron which could explain varieties with high and intermediate amylose content. All Sri Lankan varieties had ‘A’ instead of ‘C’ in exon 6 of the Waxy gene and this fact was tally with the varieties showing high amylose content. Therefore, possessing the Wxa allele in the first intron and ‘A’ in exon 6 could be used as a molecular marker for the selection of high amylose varieties as validated using several Sri Lankan varieties. All Sri Lankan varieties except, Bw 295-5 exhibited the intermediate type of GT which could not be explained using the so far reported allelic differences in the Alk gene. However, Bw 295-5 which is a low GT variety had two nucleotide polymorphisms in the last exon of the Alk gene, i.e. ‘G’ and ‘TT’ that represent low GT class. Therefore, it can be concluded that sequence variations of Waxy and Alk genes reported in this study are useful in breeding local rice varieties with preferential amylose content and GT class.Key word Alk gene, amylose content, single nucleotide polymorphism, Waxy gene.INTRODUCTIONRice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the leading food crops of the world. More than half of the world’s population relies on rice as the major daily source of calories and protein (Sartaj and Suraweera, 2005). After grain yield, quality is the most important aspect of rice breeding. Grain size and shape largely determine the market acceptability of rice, while cooking quality is influenced by the properties of starch. In rice grains starch is the major component that primarily controls rice quality. Starch consists of two forms of glucose polymers, relatively unbranched amylose and a highly branched amylopectin. Starch-synthesizing genes may contribute to variation in starch physicochemical properties because they affect the amount and structure of amylose and amylopectin in rice grain (Kharabian-Masouleh et al., 2012). Amylose content (AC), gelatinization temperature (GT) and gel consistency (GC) is the three most important determinants of eating and cooking quality. Amylose content is the ratio of amylose amount present in endosperm to total starch content. Rice varieties are grouped based on their amylose content into waxy (0-2%), very low (3-9%), low (10-19%), intermediate (20-25%), and high (> 25%) (Kongseree and Juliano, 1972). The most widely used method for amylose determination is a colorimetric assay where iodine binds with amylose to produce a blue-purple color, which is measured spectrophotometrically at a single wavelength (620nm). Low amylose content is usually associated with tender, cohesive and glossy cooked rice; while, high amylose content is associated with firm, fluffy and separate grains of cooked rice. The Waxy (Wx) gene, which encodes granule-bound starch synthase I (GBSSI), is the major gene controlling AC in rice (Nakamura, 2002). The Waxy gene is located on chromosome six and various single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of Wx were found, including a ‘G’ to ‘T’ SNP of the first intron, ‘A’ to ‘C’ SNP of the sixth exon and ‘C’ to ‘T’ SNP of the tenth exon (Larkin and Park, 2003). The ‘AGGTATA’ sequence at the 5’splice-junction coincides with the presence of the Wxa allele, while the ‘AGTTATA’ sequence coincides with the presence of the Wxb allele. Therefore, all intermediate and high amylose cultivars had ‘G’ nucleotide while low amylose cultivars had ‘T’ nucleotide at the putative leader intron 5′ splice site. The cytosine and thymidine (CT) dinucleotide repeats in the 5’- untranslated region (UTR) of the Waxy gene were reported to be a factor associated with AC. However, the relationship between these polymorphisms and amylose contents is not clear. Amylopectin chain length distribution plays a very important role to determine GT in cooked rice. The time required for cooking is determined by the gelatinization temperature of starch. It is important because it affects the texture of cooked rice and it is related to the cooking time of rice. The gelatinization temperature is estimated by the alkali digestibility test. It is measured by the alkali spreading value (ASV). The degree of spreading value of individual milled rice kernels in a weak alkali solution (1.7% KOH) is very closely correlated with gelatinized temperature. According to the ASV, rice varieties may be classified as low (55 to 69°C), intermediate (70 to 74°C) and high (> 74°C) GT classes. In a breeding program ASV is extensively used to estimate the gelatinization temperature. The synthesis of amylopectin is more complex than that of amylose. Polymorphisms in the starch synthase IIa (SSIIa) gene which is recognized as the Alk gene are responsible for the differences in GT in rice (Umemoto and Aoki, 2005; Waters et al., 2006). Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the last exon of the Alk gene are responsible for the differences in GT in rice. The biochemical analysis clearly showed that the function of the amino acids caused by these two SNPs is essential for SSIIa enzyme activity (Nakamura et al., 2005) and those are ‘G’/‘A’ SNP at 4424 bp position and ‘GC’/‘TT’ SNPs at 4533/4534 bp position with reference to Nipponbare rice genomic sequence. Based on the SNPs, Low SSIIa enzyme activity results in S-type amylopectin, which is enriched in short chains whereas high SSIIa enzyme activity produces L-type amylopectin (Umemoto et al., 2004). Therefore, the combination of ‘G’ at SNP3 and ‘GC’ at SNP4 is required to produce L-type rice starch and this has a higher GT relative to S-type starch. GC is a standard assay that is used in rice improvement programs to determine the texture of softness and firmness in high amylose rice cultivars. Intermediate and low amylose rice usually has soft gel consistency. Sequence variation in exon 10 of the Waxy gene associates with GC (Tran et al., 2011).OBJECTIVES The objectives of this study were to detect polymorphisms in major starch synthesizing genes among several rice cultivars as models and to determine the relationship between their SNP variations and starch physicochemical properties. Also, we analyzed major starch synthesizing gene sequences of several Sri Lankan rice varieties in silico aiming at utilizing this information in rice breeding programs.MATERIALS AND METHODSPlant materials: Seeds of eight Oryza sativa L. accessions were obtained from the Rice Research and Development Institute (RRDI), Bathalagoda, Sri Lanka and Gene Bank of Plant Genetic Resource Center (PGRC), Gannoruwa.Characterization of grain physical parameters: Grain length and width were determined using a vernier caliper. Ten grains from each sample were collected randomly and measured to obtain the average length and width of the milled rice. The average length and width were recorded as their length and width. Based on the length and width of the grains, the milled rice grains were classified into four classes (table 1) according to the method accepted by RRDI Bathalagoda, Sri Lanka.According to the scale L/S – Long Slender, L/M – Long Medium, I/B – Intermediate Bold and S/R –Short RoundAnalysis of amylose content: Initially, rice samples were dehusked and polished prior to milling. Ten whole – milled rice kernels of eight rice samples were ground separately by using mortar and pestle. Amylose content per 100 mg was determined by measuring the blue value of rice varieties as described by Juliano (1971). About 100mg rice sample was shifted into a 100 mL volumetric flask and 1mL of 95% ethanol was added. Then 9mL of 1N NaOH was added and the content was boiled for 20min. at boiling temperature to gelatinize the starch. After cooling the content, the volume was made up to 100mL and 5mL of starch solution was pipetted out into a 100mL volumetric flask. The blue color was developed by adding 1mL of 1N acetic acid and 2 mL of iodine solution (0.2g iodine and 2.0g potassium iodine in 10 mL aqueous solution). Then volume was made up to 100mL with distilled water and the solution was kept for 20min. after shaking. Finally, the absorbance of the solution was measured at 620nm using Spectrophotometer T80 (PG Instruments Limited) as described by Juliano (1971). The standard curve was prepared using 40mg of potato-amylose to calculate the amylose content of rice varieties through absorbance values. Forty mg of potato amylose was put into a 100 mL of volumetric flask and 1ml of 95% ethanol and 9mL of NaOH were added and content was heated for 20min at boiling temperature. After cooling the content volume of the solution was made up to 100mL using distilled water. Then 1mL, 2mL, 3mL, 4mL and 5mL of amylose solution were pipetted out into 100mL flasks. Then 0.2mL, 0.4mL, 0.6mL, 0.8mL and 1mL of 1N acetic acid were added to the flasks respectively. Finally, 2mL of iodine solution was added to each flask and volume was made up to 100mL with distilled water. Solutions were stood up for 20min. after shaking and absorbance values were measured at 620nm. Measured absorbance values were plotted at 620nm against the concentration of anhydrous amylose (mg).Analysis of gelatinization temperature: GT was indirectly measured on rice by the alkali spreading value. Husked and polished seeds per accession were used for the analysis. Selected duplicate sets of six milled grains without cracks of each sample were put into Petri dishes. About 10mL of 1.7% KOH was added and grains were spread in the petri dish to provide enough space. The constant temperature at 30°C was maintained to ensure better reproducibility. After 23hrs, the degree of disintegration was quantified by a standard protocol with a numerical scale of 1–7 (table 2) as reported by Cruz and Khush (2000). As reported by Juliano (2003), GT of rice was determined using the alkaline spreading scale, where 1.0-2.5: High (74-80 °C), 2.6-3.4: High-intermediate (70-74 °C), 3.5-5.4: Intermediate (70-74 °C) and 5.5-7.0 Low: (55-70 °C).Bioinformatics and statistical analysis: The available literature was used to identify the most likely candidate genes associated with rice starch quality and their SNPs of each gene (Hirose et al., 2006; Waters and Henry, 2007; Tran et al., 2011). In all the tested varieties except Bg 352 and At 354, the DNA sequence of each gene was retrieved from the Rice SNP Seek database (http://snp-seek.irri.org/). The gene sequences of At 354 and Bg 352 were obtained from the National Research Council 16-016 project, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka. Multiple sequence alignment was conducted for the DNA sequence using Clustal Omegavsoftware (https://www.ebi.ac.uk/Tools/msa/clustalo/). Starch physiochemical data obtained were subjected to a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Duncan’s New Multiple Range Test (DNMRT) to determine the statistical differences among varieties at the significance level of p ≤ 0.05. Statistical analysis was done using SAS version 9.1 (SAS, 2004).ESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Physical properties of rice grains: Physical properties such as length, width, size, shape and pericarp color of rice grains obtained from eight different rice varieties are given in table 3. Classification of rice grains was carried out, according to their sizes and shapes based on Juliano (1985). The size of the rice grains was determined as per grain length while grain shape was determined by means of length and width ratio of the rice kernel. In the local market, rice is classified as Samba (short grain), Nadu (intermediate grain) and Kora (long/medium) based on the size of the grain (Pathiraje et al., 2010). Lengths of rice kernels were varied from 5.58 to 6.725 mm for all varieties. The highest grain length and width were given by At 354 and Pachchaperumal respectively. The varieties, Bw 295-5 and H 6 showed a length: width ratio over 3 which is considered as slender in grain shape. Bw 295-5, H 6, At 354, Bg 352 and Nipponbare possessed white pericarp and others possessed red pericarp.Relationship between amylose content and SNPs variation of waxy loci in selected varieties: Amylose content was measured in seven Sri Lankan rice varieties and one exotic rice variety. Amylose content of the evaluated varieties varied significantly with p ≤ 0.05 with the lowest of 15.11% and highest of 28.63% which were found in Nipponbare and Bw 295-5, respectively (table 4). The majority of the evaluated varieties fell into the high AC category (between 25-28%). Only Nipponbare could be clearly categorized under the low amylose group (table 4). The amylose content of Bg 352, Pachchaperumal and Herathbanda have already been determined by early studies of Rebeira et al. (2014) and Fernando et al. (2015). Most of the data obtained in the present experiment has agreed with the results of previous studies. Major genes such as Waxy and their functional SNPs have a major influence on amylose in rice (Nakamura et al., 2005). Accordingly, single nucleotide polymorphism, ‘G’/‘T’, at the 5’ leader intron splice site of the GBSSI has explained the variation in amylose content of varieties. Accordingly, high and intermediate amylose varieties have ‘AGGTATA’ while low amylose varieties have the sequence ‘AGTTATA’, which might lead to a decrease in the splicing efficiency. Therefore, the GBSSI activity of Nipponbare might be considerably weak and resulted in starch with low amylose content. Hence, producing ‘G’/‘T’ polymorphism clearly differentiates low amylose rice varieties, as reported by Nakamura et al. (2005). In GBSSI, Larkin and Park (2003) identified an ‘A’/‘C’ polymorphism in exon 6 and a ‘C’/‘T’ polymorphism in exon 10 which resulted in non- synonymous amino acid change. Chen et al. (2008) reported that the non-synonymous ‘A’/‘C’ SNP at exon 6 had the highest possible impact on GBSSI. Accordingly, the ‘A’/‘C’ polymorphism in exon 6 causes a tyrosine/serine amino acid substitution while the ‘C’/‘T’ polymorphism in exon 10 causes a serine/proline amino acid substitution. In view of this information, there is a relationship between the polymorphism detected by in silico analysis and amylose content obtained from our experiment. Out of the eight tested rice varieties, only one variety, Nipponbare was categorized as low amylose variety (10-19%) and it exhibited ‘T’ nucleotide at the intron splice site (table 4; figure 1). Varieties such as Pachchaperumal, Balasuriya, Bw 295-5, H 6, Herathbanda, At 354 and Bg 352 which contained high amylose (> 25%), had ‘G’ and ‘A’ nucleotides at intron splice site and exon 6 respectively (table 4; figure 1). The predominant allelic pattern of intron splice site and exon 6 are different in varieties containing intermediate amylose content (20-25%) which showed ‘G’ and ‘C’ nucleotides respectively. Of these selected rice varieties, none of the intermediate type amylose variety was found.Relationship between gel consistency and SNPs variation in Waxy loci: In this study, GC data of Herathbanda, Hondarawalu, Kuruluthuda, Pachchaperumal and Bg 352 were obtained from Fernando et al. (2015). The results of Tran et al. (2011) showed that the exon 10 ‘C’/‘T’ SNP of Wx has mainly affected GC. Accordingly, rice with a ‘C’ at exon 10 had soft and viscous gels once cooked. However, a sample with a ‘T’ had short and firm gels. In this study, Herathbanda, Hondarawalu, Kuruluthuda and Pachchaperumal had ‘C’ nucleotide and Bg 352 had ‘T’ nucleotide in exon 10 (table 5; figure 2). However, ‘C’/‘T’ substitution analysis could not be used to explain the GC of tested varieties.Relationship between gelatinized temperature and SNPs variation of Alk loci in selected rice varieties: Although there were differences in the scores, the degree of disintegration of all samples was saturated at 23 hrs. Most of the selected rice varieties showed the intermediate disintegration score. Varieties, Pachchaperumal, Balasuriya, H 6, Herathbanda, At 354 and Bg 352 were categorized into intermediate GT class (70–74°C) as indicated by an alkali spreading (AS) value of 5 (table 6; figure 3). Nipponbare and Bw 295-5 showed the highest disintegration score indicating the dispersion of all grains. Hence these varieties were categorized into low GT class (55-69°C) as indicated by an AS value of 6 (table 6; figure 3). However, high GT class rice varieties (> 74°C) were not found in the tested samples. Chromosomal mutation within the Alk gene has led to a number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Umemoto et al. (2004) identified four SNPs in Alk gene. Thus, SNP3 and SNP4 may be important genetic polymorphisms that are associated with GT class. According to the SNP3 and SNP4, eight rice varieties could be classified into either high GT or low GT types. If there is ‘A’ instead of ‘G’ at 4424 bp position of Alk gene with reference to Nipponbare rice genomic sequence, it codes methionine instead of valine amino acid residue in SSIIa, whilst two adjacent SNPs at bases 4533 and 4534 code for either leucine (‘GC’) or phenylalanine (‘TT’). Rice varieties with high GT starch had a combination of valine and leucine at these residues. Rice varieties with low GT starch had a combination of either methionine and leucine or valine and phenylalanine at these same residues. Nipponbare carried the ‘A’ and ‘GC’ nucleotides, while Bw 295-5 carried the ‘G’ and ‘TT’ nucleotides. Hence these varieties were classified into low GT class. Varieties such as Pachchaperumal, Balasuriya, H 6, Herathbanda, At 354 and Bg 352 carried ‘G’ and ‘GC’ nucleotides and these varieties were classified into high GT rice varieties. However, intermediate GT status could not be determined by SNP3 and SNP4 mutation of Alk gene (table 6; figure 4).In silico analysis of the polymorphisms in GBSSI gene and Alk genes of rice varieties retrieved from Rice-SNP-database: In this study, GBSSI gene and Alk gene were compared with the sequences retrieved from the Rice-SNP-Seek database to validate the SNPs further. As previously reported by Ayres et al. (1997), all low amylose varieties had the sequence ‘AGTTATA’ in exon 1. In agreement with preliminary work done by Larkin and Park (2003), all of the intermediate amylose varieties have the allelic pattern of GCC. All of the high amylose varieties have either the GAC or GAT allele of GBSSI. Among 42 rice accessions with the Sri Lankan pedigree, four allelic patterns were found; TAC, GCC, GAC and GAT (table 7). In this allelic pattern, the first letter corresponds to the ‘G’/‘T’ polymorphism in 5’ leader intron splice-junction, the second letter corresponds to the ‘A’/‘C’ polymorphism in exon 6 and the third letter corresponds to the ‘C’/‘T’ polymorphism in exon10 of Waxy gene. Analysis of the ‘G’/‘T’ polymorphism in the Wx locus showed that 41 rice cultivars shared the same ‘AGGTATA’ sequence at the 5’ leader intron splice-junction. But only 1 rice cultivar, Puttu nellu was found with ‘T’ nucleotide in intron1/exon1 junction site, which could be categorized as a low amylose variety (table 7). As discussed above, varieties with an intermediate level of apparent amylose could be reliably distinguished from those with higher apparent amylose based on a SNP in exon 6. Hence, only three rice varieties Nalumoolai Karuppan, Pannithi and Godawel with ‘C’ nucleotide in exon 6 exhibited the possibility of containing intermediate amylose content (table 7). High activity of GBSSI produces high amylose content leading to a non-waxy, non-sticky or non-glutinous phenotype. Therefore, according to the in silico genotypic results, rest of the 38 rice varieties may produce high amylose content in the endosperm (table 7). Proving this phenomenon. Abeysekera et al. (2017) has reported that usually, most of Sri Lankan rice varieties contain high amylose content. Targeted sequence analysis of exon 8 of the Alk gene in 42 different rice cultivars were found with three SNP polymorphisms that resulted in a changed amino acid sequence and, of these three SNPs, two SNPs were reported to be correlated with possible GT differences. Accordingly, Puttu nellu and 3210 rice varieties carried the ‘G’ and ‘TT’ nucleotides in SNP3 and SNP4 respectively (table 7). Hence these varieties can be classified into low GT class and except these two; other rice varieties carried the ‘G’ and ‘GC’ nucleotides in SNP3 and SNP4 respectively. Therefore, those varieties can possibly be classified into high GT rice varieties (table 7). However, further experiments are necessary to check the phenotypic variations for grain amylose content and GT class of in silico analyzed rice varieties. CONCLUSION Present results revealed the relationship between SNPs variation at Waxy loci and the amylose content of selected rice varieties. Accordingly, Pachchaperumal, At 354, Bg 352, Herathbanda, H 6, Balasuriya and Bw 295-5 with high amylose content had ‘G’ instead of ‘T’ in the first intron exhibiting the presence of Wxa allele with reference to Nipponbare which had low amylose content. Also all tested varieties had ‘A’ in exon 6 of the Waxy gene. Thus present findings i.e. presence of Wxa allele and SNP ‘A’ in exon 6 could be used as a potential molecular marker for the selection of high amylose varieties. In addition, Bw 295-5 which is a low GT variety, had two SNPs variations in the last exon of the Alk gene i.e. ‘G’ and ‘TT’ which is likely to be used to represent low GT class. Accordingly, sequence variations identified in Waxy and Alk genes could be utilized in the future rice breeding programs for the development of varieties with preferential amylose content and GT class.ACKNOWLEDGMENTSDirector and staff of the Gene Bank, Plant Genetic Resources Center, Gannoruwa are acknowledged for giving rice accessions.CONFLICT OF INTERESTAuthors have no conflict of interest.REFERENCESAbeysekera, W., G. Premakumara, A. Bentota and D. S. Abeysiriwardena, 2017. Grain amylose content and its stability over seasons in a selected set of rice varieties grown in Sri Lanka. Journal of agricultural sciences Sri Lanka, 12(1): 43-50.Ayres, N., A. McClung, P. Larkin, H. Bligh, C. Jones and W. Park, 1997. Microsatellites and a single-nucleotide polymorphism differentiate apparentamylose classes in an extended pedigree of us rice germ plasm. Theoretical applied genetics, 94(6-7): 773-781.Chen, M.-H., C. Bergman, S. Pinson and R. Fjellstrom, 2008. 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Objectives Sri Lanka is a developing country where the majority of households still rely on firewood for cooking. Furthermore, the prevalence of anemia among reproductive-aged women is of moderate public health importance, according the classification of World Health Organization. Despite the researchers’ ongoing efforts to investigate a link between solid fuel smoke exposure and anemia, the veracity of their findings remains uncertain. As a result, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between biomass fuel smoke exposure and anemia in non-pregnant reproductive-aged women in Sri Lanka. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 382 non-pregnant reproductive-aged (15 to 49 years) women in Central Province, Sri Lanka. Data was collected using a standardized interviewer-administered questionnaire, and exposure was assessed using a breath carbon monoxide monitor. Drabkin’s cynomethhemoglobin technique was used to determine blood hemoglobin concentration. Results The overall prevalence of anemia was 36.1%. The logistic regression model revealed no effect of cooking fuel type on anemic or non-anemic status after adjusting for potential confounding factors (p > 0.05). The multivariate regression analysis also discovered that cooking fuel type had no effect on women’s blood hemoglobin concentration. Conclusions The study results suggest no impact of solid fuel smoke exposure on anemia among non-pregnant, reproductive-aged women. Larger scale prospective cohort studies are recommended. The reasons behind the high prevalence of anemia among reproductive-aged women should be further investigated, and corrective measures should be implemented urgently.

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of biomass fuel for cooking on adverse fetal growth outcomes in Sri Lanka. A cross-sectional study of mothers recruited at maternity clinics in rural communities in Sri Lanka’s Central Province was undertaken. Data pertaining to household air pollution and fetal growth parameters were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Logistic regression models, adjusted for potential confounders, were used to evaluate the impact of biomass fuel for cooking on low birth weight (LBW) and small for gestational age (SGA) parameters. Findings showed that exposure to biomass cooking fuels during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of LBW adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.74 (95% CI 1.08–6.96) and SGA (aOR: 1.87, 95% CI 1.03–3.41) compared with the use of clean energy. The risk of LBW was highest for traditional biomass stoves compared to improved biomass stoves (aOR: 3.23, 95% 1.17–8.89) and biomass use in kitchens without a chimney compared to kitchens with a chimney (aOR: 4.63, 95% 1.54–13.93). Similar trends were observed for SGA.

Air pollution is a multifaceted environmental toxin affecting the Central Nervous System (CNS) through diverse pathways. The CNS of young children is particularly susceptible to the detrimental effects of toxins, as brain development continues postnatally with the formation of interneuronal connections, glial cell proliferation and myelination of axons. Indoor air pollution (IAP) from solid fuel combustion is more harmful than outdoor air pollution. Numerous air pollutants hazardous to health are released during the burning of unprocessed biomass. The primary source of fuel in Sri Lanka for cooking is biomass, mainly wood. In this study, we evaluated the influence of IAP resulting from biomass combustion on the neurodevelopment of children. In a cohort of children under five years living in a semi-urban area of Sri Lanka, neurodevelopment was assessed using Denver II developmental screening test. Air quality levels were measured (Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5)) in a subsample. There were significantly high levels of CO and PM2.5 in the ambient air of households using biomass as the primary fuel for cooking. Children living in these households had a significantly higher number of children with ‘suspect’ developmental assessment scores in the language, social behavior and play and gross motor development domains.

AbstractSri Lanka is an island country located in the Indian Ocean, characterized by tropical weather, with an estimated population of 21.4 million in 2017, one third of them being children. Advancing and rapidly changing technology, novel industries, consumer goods and equipment have introduced new health hazards of a chemical, biological and physical nature to future generations. The infant mortality rate has declined to around 8–9 per 100,000 since 2015. Congenital malformations were the most significant cause of neonatal death. Thus, there might be unproven environmental factors which affect infant mortality rates despite robust field and hospital services. Air pollution is a major environmental health hazard to children, largely due to hazardous industries, vehicular emissions and traditional cooking stoves. The health of children living in urban households and attending schools in cities is adversely affected by air pollution. Usage of polythene and plastic for toys, utensils, bags, lunch sheets and other daily essentials leads to overusage and improper waste management and open burning. This emits dioxins, which are carcinogens, hormone disruptors, and which can be transferred to the fetus via the placenta. In rural areas, the burning of agricultural waste and certain agro-forestry activities have also led to air pollution. Indoor air pollution (IAP) remains a large threat as 66% of the population use biomass for cooking. Use of inefficient stoves and biomass, poor ventilation and absence of chimneys, contribute to IAP. Other indoor air pollutants such as tobacco smoke, volatile organic compounds, asbestos, pesticides, kerosene, mercury, mosquito coils and biological pollutants also prevail. Biological pollutants, such as dust mites, droppings and urine from pets, insects and rodents, pollen from indoor plants and outdoor air, and fungi, including moulds in poorly maintained buildings, can trigger asthma or cause allergic reactions and infections among children inhabiting these environments. In rural areas, chemicals were accountable for 30.2% of acute poisonings, with kerosene oil being the most common cause, followed by paracetamol. More than 80% of agricultural workers in the country work in the informal sector with limited personal protective equipment use, while pesticide usage is increasing. Children who engage in agriculture-related work and hazardous industries are at risk of developing health consequences at early stages. Dengue remains a major environmental health problem as the reduction of mosquito breeding sites has been a challenging task for many years. It is essential to gain more evidence of existing environmental risk factors and their associations with the health of children. Information dissemination among local and international experts on Children’s Environmental Health (CEH) issues needs to be enhanced and properly established. Training programs should be conducted for healthcare workers to update their knowledge. Pediatricians are needed for remote hospitals and primary healthcare centers. Environmental parameters and biological parameters are not routinely monitored in most of the hazardous environments.

The antioxidant activity of garcinol has been identified as the basis for various bioactivities in it, and the genus Garcinia is the main source for the garcinol. G. quaesita, which is endemic to Sri Lanka, is a representative member of genus Garcinia, and the dried fruit rind of G. quaesita is used practically in all curry preparations to impart a sour flavor. In our study, garcinol was isolated (yield: 3.67%) from the dried fruit rind of G. quaesita, for the first time. Further, how cooking conditions enable the ingestion of garcinol during the consumption of curries was also examined. The garcinol content released in different cooking conditions was positively correlated with the antioxidant activity in vitro. The results revealed that boiling virgin coconut oil extract of G. quaesita, simulating the common practice of oil frying during cooking, is the best method for obtaining the highest amount of garcinol into the curry medium.

Abstract Objectives Emerging body of evidence clearly shows a transgenerational effect of obesity. The maternal health programme in low- and middle-income countries are typically focusing on undernutrition, while the burden of overweight and obesity are mostly overlooked. The objective of this study was to evaluate the burden of malnutrition in a cohort of pregnant mothers in Sri Lanka. Methods A cross sectional analysis was conducted as a part of an ongoing cohort of all pregnant women registered in the public health system and having a period of gestation less than 12 weeks in Anuradhapura district, Sri Lanka were recruited over three months period during 2019. Clinical and anthropometric assessments were done in 240 dedicated clinics. Results Total of 3190 mothers were recruited with full anthropometric profile with mean age of 28.3 years (SD 5.6). Prevalence of overweight, obesity grade I, II and III according to Asian cut off limits were 15.3% (n = 520), 31.4%(n = 1065), 1.5% (n = 51) and 2% (n = 7) respectively. Prevalence of underweight was only 15.9%. Waist circumference &gt;80 cm was reported among 1189 (35%) mothers. A marked spatial distribution of obesity was observed with ranging from 23% to 46%. As a more important and unbiased factor in the first trimester of pregnancy, we looked at the predictors of WC &gt;80. After the adjustment for POA and age, living environment variables indicating higher level of financial status such as using electricity as main cooking fuel (OR 2.276), having a wooden floor (OR 1.688), floor tiles (OR 1.377), three-wheeler (OR 1.22) or other vehicle ownership (OR 1.287) were associated with central obesity. Higher education level of women and lower educational level of husband were also identified as predictors. Women from moor ethnic group were also at a higher risk compared to others. Conclusions Context specific strategies are required to tackle the double burden of malnutrition and the observed gross micro geographical variation in obesity needs further studies. Funding Sources Accelerating Higher Education Expansion And Development (AHEAD) Operation.

Sri Lanka is experiencing a nutritional transition along with under-nutrition, overweight, and obesity. Consumers are becoming health conscious and pasta products are fetching great attention. However, legumes and cereals are nutritionally complementary, where together provide the essential amino acid profile for vegans. In this study, wheat semolina was substituted with soya and mung flour to develop five pasta formulations (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5). F1 - soy 40%, F2 - soy 30% & mung 10%, F3 -soy 20% & mung 20%, F4 - soy 10% & mung 30%, F5 - mung 40%. All the samples have the protein content of more than 15% which complies with the local regulation. All the five samples were evaluated for the proximate composition, cooking time and sensory qualities. Pulse incorporated pasta show increased cooking time compared to control. According to the sensory evaluation data, there is a significant difference among the five samples for color, texture, taste and overall acceptability but there is no significant difference among the sample for mouth feel of the product. Based on physicochemical & proximate composition, cooking time and sensory qualities, pasta containing soy flour (40%) resulted in better quality having more nutritional elements and highest overall acceptability.

Sri Lanka is experiencing a nutritional transition along with under-nutrition, overweight, and obesity. Consumers are becoming health conscious and pasta products are fetching great attention. However, legumes and cereals are nutritionally complementary, where together provide the essential amino acid profile for vegans. In this study, wheat semolina was substituted with soya and mung flour to develop five pasta formulations (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5). F1 - soy 40%, F2 - soy 30% & mung 10%, F3 -soy 20% & mung 20%, F4 - soy 10% & mung 30%, F5 - mung 40%. All the samples have the protein content of more than 15% which complies with the local regulation. All the five samples were evaluated for the proximate composition, cooking time and sensory qualities. Pulse incorporated pasta show increased cooking time compared to control. According to the sensory evaluation data, there is a significant difference among the five samples for color, texture, taste and overall acceptability but there is no significant difference among the sample for mouth feel of the product. Based on physicochemical & proximate composition, cooking time and sensory qualities, pasta containing soy flour (40%) resulted in better quality having more nutritional elements and highest overall acceptability.

Abstract. Water management plays a vital role in the agricultural economy and living conditions of people in Sri Lanka. Though government and non-government organizations have been readily contributing to water management, it is still inefficient, especially in terms of water allocation, consumption and conservation. To identify factors which could be used to implement integrated water resources management (IWRM), a socio-hydrological study was performed in five areas within the dry zone in Sri Lanka. The study covers a comprehensive analysis of how the household income, demography and education level correlating to water usage, purification and disposal methods. The average household income ranges from LKR 2500 to 15 000 per month. The results show that the average daily usage for drinking, cooking, washing, toiletries and bathing are 3, 5, 10, 7, and 85 L per person, respectively. Majority of the families use dug wells and pipe-borne water as the primary source. Correlation coefficients suggest that higher household income or level of education leads to increased water consumption (R = 0.91, 0.94). There is no linear relationship between the level of education with the good practices of water purification and disposal. Though these results indicate preliminary assessments based on the dry zone practices, efficient water management could be enhanced by strong socio-hydrological implications through educating people on conservation, usage, disposal practices and health concerns.

Background: Biomass fuel smoke is a leading cause of indoor air pollution. It is a known risk factor for respiratory diseases. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and associated factors among women exposed to biomass fuel smoke in Sri Lanka.Methods: Women (n=600) were assessed using questionnaires to determine base line data, cooking fuel use, respiratory symptoms (MRC respiratory symptoms questionnaire) and diagnosed respiratory diseases. Kitchen characteristics were determined by direct observation. Sample frequencies were calculated. Logistic regression analysis was done to determine the associations. Results: Majority (64.1%) were biomass fuel users. Their mean age was 47 years ±14 SD. Majority 99.2% were never smokers. Prevalence of cough, phlegm, cough and phlegm, wheeze, breathlessness and diagnosed asthma was 14%, 16%, 9.9%, 22%, 22.3%, and 6.3% respectively. Use of biomass fuel was related to any respiratory symptom (OR=1.9; p<0.05), cough (OR=1.9; p<0.05), phlegm (OR=2.0; p<0.05), cough and phlegm (OR=2.7; p<0.05), wheezing (OR=2.0; p<0.05) and breathlessness (OR=2.0; p<0.05). Use of biomass fuel in an outdoor kitchen was associated with cough (OR=2.8, p<0.05), phlegm (OR=4.6, p<0.05), cough and phlegm (OR=3.1, p<0.05) and breathlessness (OR=2.1, p<0.05). Use of biomass fuel in a kitchen with neither chimney nor windows was associated with phlegm (OR=2.9, p<0.05) and cough and phlegm (OR=3.0, p<0.05).Conclusions: Use of biomass fuel for cooking in an outdoor kitchen and in a kitchen with neither chimney nor windows were positively associated with respiratory symptoms in non-pregnant women exposed to biomass fuel smoke in Sri Lanka.

The aim of this article is to empirically shed light on the impacts of trade openness (TO) on facilitation of renewable energy transition (RET) across Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Against this backdrop, this article incorporated annual time series data stemming from 2000 to 2017 and employed the two-stage least squares (2SLS) panel data estimation methodology. In addition, the panel Granger causality test was also applied to distinguish the possible long-run causal associations between the variables considered in the regression models. In the light of the estimated results, it is found that an improvement in TO triggers renewable energy consumption, improves the primary energy-use efficiency and elevates the access to clean cooking fuel technology within the selected South Asian economies. However, the results also led to the concerning conclusion regarding the ineffectiveness of the trade liberalization policies in curbing the relative consumption of non-renewable energy resources, thereby marginalizing the prospects of overall RET within these economies. JEL: O13, P2, Q42, D12, F35

Radopholus similis is responsible for huge production losses of banana in Uganda, where a large proportion of the population are reliant on cooking banana as their main staple crop. Assessment of the pathogenic and genetic variability of seven populations of R. similis originating from banana plantations in Uganda demonstrated that their virulence on Musa cultivars differed, displaying pathotype-like variation. Using RAPD and AFLP techniques the populations could be grouped into two putative genomic groups, which corresponded with R. similis relative pathogenicity. Most, but not all, populations were able to reproduce and damage roots on the two widely confirmed sources of resistance, Yangambi km5 and Pisang Jari Buaya. Studies using RAPD techniques furthermore revealed putative markers for nematode virulence. Variation in virulence of R. similis populations was also demonstrated at the regional (Africa) level. Phylogenetic analysis most closely associated the Uganda populations with populations from Sri Lanka, indicating their likely source of origin. However, genetic variability between Uganda populations also indicate that R. similis was probably introduced into Uganda on separate occasions from different sources, which may help to explain the causes of variability in banana decline in Uganda. The results of this study have clear implications for the development and deployment of sustainable nematode management practices based on the use of resistance, which could help underpin ongoing management initiatives.

Diabetes mellitus is becoming a metabolic disease that is defined by the level of hyperglycemia. Nowadays, it has a serious threat to public healthiness in throughout the world. Constituents and extracts isolated from diverse natural resources, mainly plants, have constantly been a rich store for controlling and treating diabetes problems. Numerous researches are ongoing to identify the suitable traditional medical drugs, medicinal herbs, and resources for managing this condition. Murraya koenigii Spreng (family Rutaceae) is commonly known as a ‘curry leaf tree’ locally. It is widely scattered in India and Sri Lanka, and leaves are commonly used for cooking. And also mainly used for various health conditions such as diabetes, anemia, diarrhea, and others. The present review aimed to critically review the anti-hyperglycemic effect of the M. koenigii based on the review, in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies. Based on this review, the M. koenigii possess flavonoids, phenols, saponins, alkaloids, tannins, and cardiac glycosides. It has shown a potential anti-hyperglycemic effect on induced diabetic rats. This review reported the potential of M. koenigii and its extract to be a high-value dietary product in terms of its anti-hyperglycemic effects and industrial profits. Therefore, the present review supports the researchers and readers/users to realize the importance of using M. koenigii in managing diabetes mellitus. Further, this review provides a valuable document for future scientific-related clinical trials in diabetic patients.

This article considers the significance of food competitions, not just in helping ex-contestants to achieve careers in various food media sites, but also the consequences of this, together with televised food programs generally, in making Australian television more fully represent a multicultural nation, most specifically its Asian-Australian citizens. In 1964, Charmaine Solomon came second in a Woman's Day recipe competition. This, combined with her earlier training as a journalist in Ceylon/Sri Lanka, led the magazine's food editor, Margaret Fulton, to offer her a job. This began her long career as the leading Australian writer on Asian food. More recently, television and shows like MasterChef Australia have replaced magazine competitions in providing a breakthrough into a mediated career in the food industry. Again it was as second place-getter in the very first series of MasterChef that Poh Ling Yeow achieved her break and found her place. Television requires and bestows celebrity, and Poh provides a valuable counterpoint to Solomon here. Several other Asian-Australian contestants have similarly flourished after exposure on the program, like second series winner Adam Liaw. It has become evident that cooking competitions have become one of the principal sites in prime-time Australian television for Asian faces to be seen as a matter of course. While scholars of, and commentators on, Australian multiculturalism are rightly scathing about popular statements claiming a better Australian food culture as an index of the success of post-war migration policies, it appears that Australian television and other media continue to find this conjunction fruitful.

Abstract Recent national surveys have estimated that Sri Lankans are consuming much higher salt than the recommended 5 g/day. However, population-level knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding dietary salts have not been assessed. This study was conducted with the objective of assessing the knowledge, attitude and practices related to salt consumption among adolescents aged 15-18 years and adults in Sri Lanka. We conducted a countrywide cross-sectional descriptive household survey among a nationally representative sample of 1016 adult and 505 adolescents aged 15-18 years selected from 10 of 25 districts, using a multi-stage cluster sampling method. We used an electronic, interviewer-administered multicomponent questionnaire for data collection. Of all respondents (n = 1521), only 40% were aware of the recommended limit of 5g/day or less. Importantly, 90% of adults and 86% of adolescents knew the adverse health effects of high salt intake. Discretionary salt was a major contributor to intake, with half the survey population (50%) adding salt when cooking rice, the staple food. Although the household monthly purchase of salt indicated the per-person consumption is double the recommended amount, 48% of adults and 46% of adolescents believed that they consume the correct amount of salt. A majority (72% of adults; 69% of adolescents) were of the view that it would be easy to reduce their salt intake. Most preferred (adults - 72%, adolescents - 69%) media source for health-related information was television. The majority of Sri Lankan adults and adolescents are not aware of the recommended limits for salt intake. The average salt consumption is double the recommended amount. Although the belief that 'the respondents consume the correct amount of salt' was common, it was encouraging to note that a majority had positive attitudes towards reducing their salt consumption'. Raising public awareness to reduce daily salt intake should use preferred media sources. Key messages Sri Lankan adolescents and adults are not well aware of the recommended limits for salt consumption and consumed high amounts of dietary salt, mainly discretionary salt. Majority of the participant had positive attitudes, believing that they can easily reduce salt consumption, indicating opportunities for behavioral changes.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is an underground rhizome that is an essential ingredient in day-to-day life. India is the major turmeric production and exportation country in the world. However, since December 2019, Sri Lanka has banned the importation of turmeric from other countries like India. Curing is a significant step during the processing of turmeric, which can be described as cooking fresh turmeric rhizomes before going to the drying step. Curing helps to avoid the raw odor, to reduce the drying time, to distribute the pigment product uniformly, and facilitate uniform drying. This study was conducted to identify the best protocol for turmeric processing and compare the quality of local turmeric samples prepared by using different processing steps such as, uncured and dried as slices, water boiled and dried as slices, steamed and dried as slices with imported turmeric from India. All the samples were separately analyzed for phytochemical properties (moisture content, volatile oil content, curcumin content, oleoresin content, etc.). Curcumin is an important attribute when considering the quality of turmeric. Curcumin content is varied with the curing step. The lowest curcumin content was shown by the uncured and sliced sample (2.86 ± 0.13 %). Steamed and dried as slices sample showed the highest curcumin content (4.51 ± 0.02 %). Curing and Slicing also decreased the drying time. However, water boiled and sliced sample (T-2) showed a high yield (wet to dry ratio 5.41:1), volatile oil content 4.40 ± 0.00 %, and oleoresin content 14.81 ± 2.36 %. According to the results, among the locally produced turmeric, steamed and dried as slices sample (T-3) showed good quality especially for curcumin content.

Consumers prefer cookies with a variety of flavors and nutritional values. Industries are competing to introduce quality cookies being blended in proportion with wheat or rice flour. Canistel is one of the underutilized fruits available in Sri Lanka. It has potential nutritional value and various health benefits due to the presence of functional compounds in it. Its local abundance prompted the researchers to focus on how it could be incorporated into food products. Therefore, this study was focused on developing flour from canistel fruit and evaluating the possibility of utilizing it as a food ingredient particularly in bakery industry. The canistel chips were dried, powdered, sieved into a fine particle of flour. The prepared flour was added with rice flour as canistel flour: rice flour 75:25, 65:35, 50:50, 35:65, and 25:75, and used as composite flour mixture for the preparation of cookie. The physical, nutritional, and sensory quality properties were evaluated. The data were statistically analyzed with SPSS. The nutritional parameters such as moisture, ash, protein, fat, carbohydrates, and energy were found to be varying between 6.71 to 11.73 %, 1.13 to 2.17 %, 12.97 to 13.76 %, 16.49 to 19.56 %, 52.78 to 62.70 % and 326.66 to 402.63 Kcal/100g, respectively. The physical properties such as density, weight, volume and spread ratio of cookies, showed significant differences (p<0.05) between different treatments. The cookies made with 65:35 percent rice: canistel flour blend received the highest scores for taste, crispiness, and color. Accordingly, the physical, nutritional, and sensory properties of treatment No: T4 with the blend of 65: 35% rice: canistel flour was selected as the best. Therefore, this underutilized fruit could be exploited for the development of new snack varieties with a blend of rice flour that could contribute to the food security of the Sri Lankan people.

Abstract Background Worldwide, around 3 billion people rely on solid fuel for their daily energy needs. Household air pollution secondary to solid fuel burning is a major risk factor for respiratory mobility among vulnerable populations. This study aimed to investigate the respiratory symptoms associated with solid fuel usage, the level of kitchen fuel smoke exposure and its association with respiratory symptoms among reproductive-aged women in Sri Lanka, where most households exclusively use firewood as the primary cooking fuel. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 403 reproductive-aged women (15 to 49 years) in the Central Province, Sri Lanka. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data, and an exposure assessment was done using a breath carbon monoxide monitor. Results After adjusting for potential confounding factors by the logistic regression models, the odds ratios (OR) of the liquid petroleum gas-only users for at least one respiratory symptom relevant to cough (OR: 0.39; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.20–0.78), wheezing (OR: 0.47; 95% [CI]: 0.26–0.87), and dyspnea (OR: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.24–0.84) were significantly lower compared to firewood-only users. The mean of expired air carbon monoxide and estimated carboxyhemoglobin levels of liquid petroleum gas-only users (2.84 ± 2.85 ppm; 1.08 ± 0.46%) were significantly lower than those of firewood-only users (5.27 ± 4.64 ppm; 1.47 ± 0.74%). Conclusions The use of firewood increased the risk of respiratory symptoms among reproductive-aged women in Sri Lanka. Health education focused on positive behavioral changes and effective and efficient clean energy policies are recommended to mitigate the risk associated with solid fuel smoke exposure.

Aim: To quantify the Trypsin Inhibitory Activity (TIA) and Alpha - Amylase Inhibitory Activity (AIA) in legume varieties with effect of cooking. Study Design: Seeds of twelve legume varieties grown in Complete Randomized Block Design (CRBD) in experimental field conditions were used and data analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA at 95% confidence interval using MINITAB statistical software. Place and Duration of Study: Grain Legumes and Oil Crops Research and Development Centre (GLOCRDC), Angunakolapalessa and Industrial Technology Institute (ITI), Colombo, Sri Lanka between June 2019 and Dec 2019. Methods: Ethanolic (80%) extracts of raw and cooked grain legumes were used. In determining TIA, N-α-benzoyl-DL-arginine-p-nitroanilide hydrochloride (BAPA) is used as a synthetic substrate for trypsin enzyme and the rate of hydrolysis was measured by intensity of colour released by p-nitroaniline. AIA was carried out determining the maltose content which was released by hydrolysis of starch in the presence of amylase enzyme using reduction of 3, 5-dinitrosalicylic acid. Results: TIA in raw legumes ranged from 0.65±0.02 mg/g (ANK- Brown) to 1.52±0.01 mg/g (ANKCP1) while in cooked legumes ranged from -0.11±0.1 mg/g (ANK-Black) to 0.61±0.02 mg/g (MI 5). In pressure cooking (120oC, 10 min) considerable reduction in TIA of 53.74% (MI6) to 100% (ANK-Black, Bombay) was observed. A significant difference (p<0.05) in TIA among the varieties as well as among cooked form of varieties were observed (one- way ANOVA). Further a significant difference (p<0.05) in TIA was observed between cooked and raw form in each legume variety (Paired T-Test). AIA of cooked samples was ranged from - 11.61% (MI 6) - 23.05% (MISB1) and there was no significant difference (p<0.05) in AIA among the most of the legume varieties. Conclusion: A significant reduction of TIA among the legumes varieties was observed in the pressure cooking process while a significant activity of alpha- amylase was not seen in cooked legumes.

The utilization of biomass for cooking and heating is old, occurring from the early stages of human evolution because of its wide and easy availability. In Asia, a majority of the population is dependent on solid biomass for cooking and heating applications. Biomass cookstove produces emissions like carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5) which are dependent on the classifications and characteristics of fuel used in stoves. These emissions trigger many health risks because of the utilization of traditional cookstoves (TCS) which have less thermal efficiency. The literature contains a considerable amount of information on biomass cookstoves; however, it is dispersed particularly in Asian countries. In this principle, this paper gives an overview of available literature on biomass cookstoves for cooking and heating in Asian countries which are involving Bangladesh, China, India, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Laos. This paper covers a detailed discussion on various aspects of biomass cookstoves: history, classification, fuel characteristics, health risks, design criteria, the scenario in selected Asian countries, thermal efficiency and emission comparison, and barriers to dissemination of improved biomass cookstoves (ICS). Learning from the review and comparison made conclude that the ICS has better thermal efficiency, and lesser emissions, as well as health risks but, have some potential barriers to dissemination.

The people of Sri Lanka are severely impacted by the country's economic crisis. The study was conducted to determine how people's way of life had changed in Colombo due the crisis. Primary data collected through a Google form-based survey and observation. As per the study 94.1 % of participants stated that the economic crisis has altered their way of life. Because of the economic crisis, 39.2 % of respondents have reduced their food purchases. Concerning gas supply, 78.4 % of respondents stated that the situation has caused them to change their cooking methods. People also reported changing their eating habits and consuming fewer veggies and meats. Furthermore, people are mentally dissatisfied with their existing status in terms of achieving their goals and dreams. This circumstance has an impact on the lives of the youth and the country's future. Similarly, there are some positive sides due to the economic crisis. People have involved in their own cultivation. This causes a natural rise in self-production. This stage would also boost domestic output, allowing the country to stand on its own. Increasing the number of local products and inventions benefits the country's prestige. This helped the nation's health, education, environment, economy, and people's livelihoods as well.

Objective: To investigate the effects of heating on phytonutrients of cooked Vigna unigulculata. Methods: The consequences of heating on V. unigulculata were investigated by phytochemical analysis (qualitatively and quantitatively), alongside analysis of proximate contents. Five phytochemicals were quantified and nutrient contents determined. Results: Results revealed that phytochemicals in raw sample were significantly (p<0.05) higher than cooked sample. Alkaloids, saponins and flavonoids in raw black-eyed bean (RBEB) were significantly (p<0.05) higher than cooked black-eyed bean (CBEB). Meanwhile, apart from crude fat content, others (carbohydrate content, ash content, protein and fiber content) of CBEB V. unigulculata were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than RBEB V. unigulculata. Conclusions: Cooking by heating influenced a reduction of phytochemicals but an increase in proximate content in V. unigulculata. Peer Review History: Received 11 May 2021; Revised 18 June; Accepted 29 June, Available online 15 July 2021 Academic Editor: Dr. Asia Selman Abdullah, Al-Razi university, Department of Pharmacy, Yemen, asia_abdullah65@yahoo.com UJPR follows the most transparent and toughest ‘Advanced OPEN peer review’ system. The identity of the authors and, reviewers will be known to each other. This transparent process will help to eradicate any possible malicious/purposeful interference by any person (publishing staff, reviewer, editor, author, etc) during peer review. As a result of this unique system, all reviewers will get their due recognition and respect, once their names are published in the papers. We expect that, by publishing peer review reports with published papers, will be helpful to many authors for drafting their article according to the specifications. Auhors will remove any error of their article and they will improve their article(s) according to the previous reports displayed with published article(s). The main purpose of it is ‘to improve the quality of a candidate manuscript’. Our reviewers check the ‘strength and weakness of a manuscript honestly’. There will increase in the perfection, and transparency. Received file: Reviewer's Comments: Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 5.0/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.5/10 Reviewer(s) detail: Dr. Dennis Amaechi, MrsFoluBabade Mini Estate , Flat 5 by Old Soldiers Quarter, Sabongari/Bwari, Abuja- Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. amaechitoexcel@yahoo.com Dr. Nagalingam Varnakulenthiren, Siddha Medicine, Unit of Siddha Medicine, Trincomalee Campus, EUSL, Sri Lanka, drvarnan@gmail.com Julie Ann S. Ng, Blk 18 Lot 6 Grandville 3 Subdivision Mansilingan, Bacolod City, Philippines. julieann_ng@yahoo.com Similar Articles: A REVIEW: EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE TO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND HCN LEVEL IN CASSAVA (MANIHOT ESCULENTA CRANTZ) LEAVES HEATING EFFECT ON PHYTOCHEMICAL AND PROXIMATE CONTENTS OF COOKED AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF PHASEOLUS VULGARIS (KIDNEY BEANS)

By the 12th century, coffee was extensively cultivated in Yemen, and qawha and cahveh, hot beverages made from roast and ground coffee beans, became popular in the Islamic world over the next 300 years. Commercial production of coffee outside Yemen started in Sri Lanka in the 1660s, Java in the 1700s, and Latin America in 1715, and this production has associations with histories of colonial expansion and slavery. Introduced to Europe in the 17th century, coffee was described by Robert Burton in the section of his 1628 Anatomy of Melancholy devoted to medicines as “an intoxicant, a euphoric, a social and physical stimulant, and a digestive aid” (quoted in Weinberg and Bealer xii). Today, more than 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed each year. Coffee is also an ingredient in a series of iconic dishes such as tiramisu and, with chocolate, makes up the classic mocha mix. Coffee production is widespread in tropical and sub-tropical countries and it is the second largest traded world commodity; second only to oil and petroleum. The World Bank estimates that more than 500 million people throughout the world depend on coffee for their livelihoods, and 25 million of these are coffee farmers. Unfortunately, these farmers typically live and work in substandard conditions and receive only a small percentage of the final price that their coffee is sold for. The majority of coffee farmers are women and they face additional challenges, frequently suffering from abuse, neglect, and poverty, and unable to gain economic, social, or political power in either their family’s coffee businesses or their communities. Some farm coffee under enslaved or indentured conditions, although Fair Trade regimes are offering some lessening of inequalities. At the opposite end of the scale, a small, but growing, number of high-end producers market gourmet sustainable coffee from small-scale, environmentally-aware farming operations. For many in the West today, however, coffee is not about the facts of its production; coffee is all about consumption, and is now interwoven into our contemporary cultural and social habits. Caffeine, found in the leaves, seeds, and fruit of the coffee tree, is an addictive psychoactive substance, but has overcome resistance and disapproval around the world and is now unregulated and freely available, without licence. Our gastronomic sophistication is reflected in which coffee, brewing method, and location of consumption is chosen; our fast-paced lifestyles in the range of coffee-to-go options we have; and our capitalist orientation in the business opportunities this popularity has offered to small entrepreneurs and multinational franchise chains alike. Cafés and the meeting, mingling, discussions, and relaxing that occur there while drinking coffee, are a contemporary topic of reflection and scholarship, as are the similarities and differences between the contemporary café and its earlier incarnations, including, of course, the Enlightenment coffee house. As may be expected from a commodity which has such a place in our lives, coffee is represented in many ways in the media—including in advertising, movies, novels, poetry, songs and, of course, in culinary writing, including cookbooks, magazines, and newspapers. There are specialist journals and popular serials dedicated to expounding and exploring the fine grain detail of its production and consumption, and food historians have written multiple biographies of coffee’s place in our world. So ubiquitous, indeed, is coffee, that as a named colour, it popularly features in fashion, interior design, home wares, and other products. This issue of M/C Journal invited contributors to consider coffee from any relevant angle that makes a contribution to our understanding of coffee and its place in culture and/or the media, and the result is a valuable array of illuminating articles from a diverse range of perspectives. It is for this reason that we chose an image of coffee cherries for the front cover of this issue. Co-editor Jill Adams has worked in the coffee industry for over ten years and has a superb collection of coffee images that ranges from farmers in Papua New Guinea to artfully shot compositions of antique coffee brewing equipment. In making our choice, however, we felt that Spencer Franks’s image of ripe coffee cherries at the Skybury Coffee Plantation in Far North Queensland, Australia, encapsulates the “fruitful” nature of the response to our call for articles for this issue. While most are familiar, moreover, with the dark, glossy appearance and other sensual qualities of roasted coffee beans, fewer have any occasion to contemplate just how lovely the coffee tree is as a plant. Each author has utilised the idea of “coffee” as a powerful springboard into a fascinating range of areas, showing just how inseparable coffee is from so many parts of our daily lives—even scholarly enquiry. In our first feature article, Susie Khamis profiles and interrogates the Nespresso brand, and how it points to the growing individualisation of coffee consumption, whereby the social aspect of cafés gives way to a more self-centred consumer experience. This feature valuably contrasts the way Starbucks has marketed itself as a social hub with the Nespresso boutique experience—which as Khamis explains—is not a café, but rather a club, a trademarked, branded space, predicated on highly knowledgeable and, therefore, privileged patrons. Coffee drinking is also associated with both sobriety and hangover cures, with cigarettes, late nights, and music. Our second feature, by Jon Stewart, looks at how coffee has become interwoven into our lives and imaginations through the music that we listen to—from jazz to blues to musical theatre numbers. It examines the influence of coffee as subject for performers and songwriters in three areas: coffee and courtship rituals, the stimulating effects of caffeine, and the politics of coffee consumption, claiming that coffee carries a cultural and musicological significance comparable to that of other drugs and ubiquitous consumer goods that are often more readily associated with popular music. Diana Noyce looks at the short-lived temperance movement in Australia, the opulent architecture of the coffee palaces built in that era, what was actually drunk in them, and their fates as the temperance movement passed into history. Emma Felton lyrically investigates how “going for a coffee” is less about coffee and more about how we connect with others in a mobile world, when flexible work hours are increasingly the norm and more people are living alone than any other period in history. Felton also introducess a theme that other writers also engage with: that the café also plays a role in the development of civil discourse and civility, and plays an important role in the development of cosmopolitan civil societies. Ireland-based Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire surveys Dublin—that tea drinking city—and both the history of coffee houses and the enduring coffee culture it possesses; a coffee culture that seems well assured through a remarkable win for Ireland in the 2008 World Barista Championships. China has also always been strongly associated with tea drinking but Adel Wang introduces readers to the emerging, and unique, café and coffee culture of that country, as well as some of the proprietors who are bringing about this cultural change. Australia, also once a significant consumer of tea, shifted to a preference for coffee over a twenty year period that began with the arrival of American Servicemen in Australia during World War II. Jill Adams looks at the rise of coffee during that time, and the efforts made by the tea industry to halt its market growth. These strong links between tea and coffee are reflected in Duncan Barnes, Danielle Fusco, and Lelia Green’s thought-provoking study of how coffee is marketed in Bangladesh, another tea drinking country. Ray Oldenberg’s influential concept of the “third place” is referred to by many authors in this collection, but Anthony McCosker and Rowan Wilken focus on this idea. By using a study of how Polish composer, Krzysztof Penderecki, worked in his local café from 9 in the morning to noon each day, this article explores the interrelationship of café space, communication, creativity, and materialism. Donna Lee Brien brings us back to the domestic space with her article on how the popular media of cookery books and magazines portray how coffee was used in Australian cooking at mid-century, in the process, tracing how tiramisu triumphed over the trifle. By exploring the currently fashionable practice of “direct trade” between roasters and coffee growers Sophie Sunderland offers a fresh perspective on coffee production by powerfully arguing that feeling (“affect”) is central to the way in which coffee is produced, represented and consumed in Western mass culture. Sunderland thus brings the issue full circle and back to Khamis’s discussion, for there is much feeling mobilised in the marketing of Nespresso. We would like to thank all the contributors and our generous and erudite peer reviewers for their work in the process of putting together this issue. We would also like to specially thank Spencer Franks for permission to use his image of coffee cherries as our cover image. We would lastly like to thank you the general editors of M/C Journal for selecting this theme for the journal this year.References Oldenburg, Ray, ed. Celebrating the Third Place: Inspiring Stories about the “Great Good Places” At the Heart of Our Communities. New York: Marlowe & Company 2001.Weinberg, Bennett Alan, and Bonnie K Bealer. The World of Caffeine. New York and London: Routledge, 2001.