Coffea arabica (Rubiaceae) is a basic drink for all Gulf societies, especially Saudi Arabia, it is the main part of the Saudi tradition. This investigation was carried out to track the chemical composition, caffeine content by UV–visible spectrophotometer, acrylamide content by using a gas chromatograph, free radical scavenging capacity by DPPH methods as well as determined the browning index and separated the volatiles compounds using GC–MS for the most common three degree of roasted Arabic coffee; light (180 ± 10 °C; 6.0 ± 1.0 min), medium (180 ± 10 °C; 8.0 ± 1.0 min), and dark (180 ± 10 °C; 10.0 ± 1.0 min). Data revealed that light roasted coffee has the highest significant (p < 0.05) value of moisture content (4.80%), crude protein (13.05%), and lowest value of ether extract (10.39%) and crude fiber (24.24%). The caffeine content was found to be 1.13% in light coffee, which increased to 1.17% in medium coffee, then decreased to 1.08% in dark coffee. The quantity of acrylamide detected in light roasted coffee (0.41 mg/100 g) was the greatest, whereas medium roasted coffee comparatively produced low amounts (0.31 mg/100 g). The light roasted coffee gave the highest antioxidant activity (88.72 mg TE/g), while the dark roasted coffee gave the least activity (78.76 mg TE/g). Browning index increases with roasting time. Hydrocarbons, alcohols, and esters were the most represented in roasted coffee headspace. Silanes and sec-butyl nitrite compounds were absent in the medium roasted headspace. Except for amines, all 11 classes of volatile compounds were present in the headspace of dark roasted coffee.

Aniseeds (Pimpinella anisum) have gained increasing attention for their nutritional and health benefits. Aniseed extracts are known to contain a range of compounds, including flavonoids, terpenes, and essential oils. These compounds have antimicrobial properties, meaning they can help inhibit the growth of nasty bacteria and other microbes. The purpose of this study was to determine if aniseed extracts have potential antioxidant, phytochemical, and antimicrobial properties against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. A disc diffusion test was conducted in vitro to test the aniseed methanolic extract’s antibacterial activity. The MIC, MBC, and inhibition zone diameters measure the minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration, and size of the zone developed when the extract is placed on a bacterial culture, respectively. HPLC and GC/MS are analytical techniques used for identifying the phenolics and chemical constituents in the extract. DPPH, ABTS, and iron-reducing power assays were performed to evaluate the total antioxidant capacity of the extract. Using HPLC, oxygenated monoterpenes represented the majority of the aniseed content, mainly estragole, cis-anethole, and trans-anethole at 4422.39, 3150.11, and 2312.11 (g/g), respectively. All of the examined bacteria are very sensitive to aniseed’s antibacterial effects. It is thought that aniseed’s antibacterial activity could be attributed to the presence of phenolic compounds which include catechins, methyl gallates, caffeic acid, and syringic acids. According to the GC analysis, several flavonoids were detected, including catechin, isochiapin, and trans-ferulic acid, as well as quercitin rhamnose, kaempferol-O-rutinoside, gibberellic acid, and hexadecadienoic acid. Upon quantification of the most abundant estragole, we found that estragole recovery was sufficient for proving its antimicrobial activity against MDR bacteria. Utilizing three methods, the extract demonstrated strong antioxidant activity. Aniseed extract clearly inhibited MDR bacterial isolates, indicating its potential use as an anti-virulence strategy. It is assumed that polyphenolic acids and flavonoids are responsible for this activity. Trans-anethole and estragole were aniseed chemotypes. Aniseed extracts showed higher antioxidant activity than vitamin C. Future investigations into the compatibility and synergism of aniseed phenolic compounds with commercial antibacterial treatments may also show them to be promising options.

Coronavirus disease is a global pandemic that has led to radical changes in lifestyle habits, including dietary habits. Therefore, the objective of the present review is to evaluate the effect of quarantine on dietary habits when enforcing a lockdown. Some databases were used, including Web of Science, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and PubMed. Ten studies conducted between March and May 2020 were included. There is an increase in the number of meals and snacks during home confinement as well as unhealthy food such as fast food, sweets and chocolate, sugaradded drinks, and processed meat, while fruit and vegetable consumption was reduced. Very few studies reported that participants had increased fruit and vegetable intake. In conclusion, collateral effects of this pandemic include an environment that is not favorable to healthy dietary habits, which could have a lasting impact on health. The long-term health effects are unknown and worth investigating.

Efficacy of gluten- and casein-free diets on autism spectrum disorders in children

In the current study, the hepatoprotective activity of vanillic acid, silymarin, and vanillic acid-loaded silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against CCl₄-induced hepatotoxicity was tested in male rats for four weeks. Thirty male rats were divided into five groups (n = 6). The 1st group was a negative control, the 2nd group was a positive control, the 3rd group was treated with 100 mg/kg b.w. of vanillic acid, the 4th group was treated with 100 mg/kg b.w. of vanillic acid–AgNPs, and the 5th group was treated with 50 mg/kg b.w. of silymarin. The CCl₄-induced hepatic toxicity in the 2nd group was revealed by the liver function and all other biochemical tests. Liver enzymes, bilirubin, lipid peroxidation, lactate dehydrogenase, and interleukin-6 were elevated, whereas, total protein, antioxidant enzymes, and irisin were decreased compared to the negative control. The hepatic tissues were also injured as a result of the CCl₄-induced hepatotoxicity. Treating the hepatotoxic rats with vanillic acid moderately protected the rats of the 3rd group, whereas treatment with vanillic AgNPs and silymarin in G4 and G5, respectively, greatly protected the rats against the CCl₄ hepatotoxicity, approaching the normal biochemical levels and liver tissue appearance. The biochemical tests were confirmed by the histological investigations of liver tissue.