Background: In Jordan as in other worldwide countries, mycotoxins are considered a serious national problem in food supplies. As a result, almost all nations are setting and adopting different regulations targeting the control of mycotoxins levels in the domestic food supply, including the problem of reliable sampling and analysis methods. Objective: It is necessary to improve and give evidence of analytical abilities of laboratories within Jordan and developing countries enabling them to monitor mycotoxins effectively in food to overcome non-tariff obstacles. Methods: We analyzed 40 samples from wheat, corn, dried fig and dried coffee beans for total aflatoxin content using High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Enzyme Linked Immunesorbent Assay (ELISA) methods. Results: 40% of samples from wheat, 60% from corn, 30% from dried fig, and 50% from dried coffee beans were found positive when speaking of total aflatoxins, with average values between 1.14 and 4.12 μg/kg. Obtained results allow considering all tested food samples as fit for human consumption if compared with the labeled regulatory limit of allowed aflatoxins in the European Union. In detail, the limit of detection and the limit of quantification for methods used in this study were significantly lower than the maximum limits established by the European Union. Highlights: The procedure used in this study is suitable for detection of mycotoxins at very low concentration.

Entomotherapy, the use of insects for medicinal purposes, has been practised for centuries in many countries around the world. More than 2100 edible insect species are eaten by humans, but little is known about the possibility of using these insects as a promising alternative to traditional pharmaceuticals for treating diseases. This review offers a fundamental understanding of the therapeutic applications of insects and how they might be used in medicine. In this review, 235 insect species from 15 orders are reported to be used as medicine. Hymenoptera contains the largest medicinal insect species, followed by Coleoptera, Orthoptera, Lepidoptera, and Blattodea. Scientists have examined and validated the potential uses of insects along with their products and by-products in treating various diseases, and records show that they are primarily used to treat digestive and skin disorders. Insects are known to be rich sources of bioactive compounds, explaining their therapeutic features such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, and so on. Challenges associated with the consumption of insects (entomophagy) and their therapeutic uses include regulation barriers and consumer acceptance. Moreover, the overexploitation of medicinal insects in their natural habitat has led to a population crisis, thus necessitating the investigation and development of their mass-rearing procedure. Lastly, this review suggests potential directions for developing insects used in medicine and offers advice for scientists interested in entomotherapy. In future, entomotherapy may become a sustainable and cost-effective solution for treating various ailments and has the potential to revolutionize modern medicine.

Background: Phenolic compounds (polyphenols) are common plant secondary metabolites playing different roles in plants, and some of these vegetables and correlated fruits—figs, grapes, pomegranates, olives, date palms, etc.—contain remarkable and diversified amounts of these substances. In addition, polyphenols are reported to show positive effects for human health, because of their antioxidant behavior. Figs are an excellent source of polyphenols with highest concentrations of proanthocyanidins. Actually, figs contain higher amounts of polyphenols than red wine and tea. Objective: Antioxidant activity of several flavonoids (a group of polyphenols) in figs is higher than that of, vitamin C, glutathione, or vitamin E. Pomegranates contain very high levels of polyphenols as compared to other fruits and vegetables. It is used in folklore medicine for the treatment of various diseases, such as hepatic damage, snakebite, ulcer, etc. Method: The health-positive potential of pomegranate fruit has been mainly attributed to ellagitannins, the predominant class of phenolics in pomegoxidation. Results: The chief phenolic compound found in fresh olive is the bitter secoiridoid oleuropein.. Conclusions: Processing of table olive decreases levels of oleuropein with correlated increases in the hydrolysis of hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol. Many of the health benefits reported for olives are thought to be associated with the levels of hydroxytyrosol. Date palm represents a staple food in most of the Arabian countries and is commonly consumed in several parts of the world. Highlights: Numerous researches revealed the antibacterial, anti-hyperlipidemic, hepatoprotective, antimutagenic, and nephroprotective activity of date fruits, with reported anticancer and anti-fungal features.

Background: The presence of phenolic acids in edible products for human consumption is considered in relation to the production of odorant substances, with a variety of different aromas. Objective: Phenolic substances anthocyanidins, anthocyanins, flavanols, flavones and isoflavones, flavones, flavonols, etc. – are extremely interesting as flavor additives, anti-aging or maturing agents, and color and aroma enhancers. Method: The connection between flavoring properties on one hand and the presence of phenolic compounds on the other can be discussed in terms of food acceptance by consumers, especially with relation to the “Mediterranean Diet” lifestyle. Results: The health perspectives of these and other food products related to Mediterranean Diet should be evaluated in the geographical ambit of the Mediterranean Basin, including several particular food and vegetable preparations – herbs and medicinal plants - of the Middle East. Conclusions: The aim of this paper is to give a presentation on these specialties in relation to Jordan. Highlights: Medicinal herbs have interesting health properties against digestive problems, parasitic worms, liver diseases, diabetes, skin problems, nervous, cardiocirculatory, and respiratory diseases.

Objective. To estimate the status of serum vitamin B12 in selected samples from 84 healthy volunteers from Jordan between the ages of 19 and 25 years.M

Objectives: The study aimed to measure the viability of probiotic bacteria in different probiotic fermented dairy products marketed in Jordan during their shelf lives. Methods: Ten products which were all known commercial probiotic fermented dairy drinks were purchased from main market stores at 0 day of processing, and kept under 4oC for the assigned time intervals (1, 7, 14 day). These products included 7 stirred yogurt Activia, Activia low-fat, Actimel, Baladna, Acti-Yogho, Moffedo, and Vital, and 2 set yogurt (Activia - apricot and peach, Activia light – strawberry) and one stirred yogurt (Activia- stirred). Samples were tested for probiotic count at those intervals in an unopened refrigerated bottles. Sensory evaluation using hedonic scale was carried out on the above products in an unopened package at the same indicated intervals. Morphology of probiotic bacteria in commercial products was also confirmed microscopically.Results: The results of the viability of probiotic counts in log10 remaining above 7 log until the end of shelf life (14 d) except for four products including Moffedo, vital, Activia set yogurt light – strawberry, and Activia (stirred yogurt) which decreased to 3.4, 4.9, 5.0, and 5.0 respectively at the end storage period. The pH for all products until the end of the study were between 4.1- 4.5. The best average of all sensory characteristics using hedonic scale (8.3) was for Actimel, whereas the lowest (7.1) was for both Moffedo and Activia set yogurt- Apricot and peach.Conclusion: The counts of probiotic bacteria in fermented dairy products is not always above the therapeutic dose of 6.0 log cfu/g, which urge governmental authorities to establish a standard related to these products.