Nitrite is the most commonly applied curing agent in the meat industry, and is known to affect human health. Nitrites impart a better flavor, taste and aroma; preserve the red-pinkish color of the meat; and prevent the risk of bacterial contamination of the cured meat, especially from Clostridium botulinum . Unfortunately, recent research has demonstrated some negative effects of this technique. Certain N -nitroso compounds have been shown to stimulate gastric cancer; therefore, most of the research groups are studying the effects of nitrates and nitrites. In this review, we discuss the various food sources of nitrites and nitrates and their current legal requirements for use in meat products. We also discuss the possible changes that might come up in the regulations, the concerns associated with nitrates and nitrites in meat products, and the use of plant-based nitrite and nitrate substitutes. All these topics will be considered with respect to ensuring a high level of microbiological protection, oxidative stability and acceptable sensory quality (color, taste and smell) in meat products.

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Chitosan-based edible films were prepared by supplementing Berberis crataegina DC.'s seed oil and fruit extract into chitosan matrix. The produced films have characterized both physiochemically (SEM, DSC, FT-IR, UV–vis, contact angle and mechanical analysis) and biologically (anti-quorum sensing, antimicrobial and antioxidant). Chitosan-fruit extract film revealed higher thermal stability, antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-quorum sensing activity compared to other films. Addition of B. crataegina's seed oil and fruit extract into the chitosan film notably decreased the UV–vis transmittance but ameliorate the tensile strength values. Hydrophobicity of the chitosan-seed oil film was observed to be higher (92.64±4.17) than chitosan-control film (84.67±1.50) while chitosan-fruit extract film exhibited slightly lower hydrophobicity (73.82±7.42) than chitosan film. The overall high thermal stability, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of chitosan-fruit extract film revealed that B. crataegina's fruit extract can be used as an effective ingredient for the production of the edible film with enhanced physicochemical and biological properties.

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The medicinal plants from genus Berberis are particularly important in traditional medicine and the food basket of Iranians. Given various plants from genus Berberis and their economic, nutritional, and medicinal status in Iran, this study seeks to investigate the findings of recent studies on the phytochemical characteristics, specifications, and uses of Berberis vulgaris . In this review article, 350 articles were initially retrieved from reliable scientific databases using relevant search terms. Then, 230 articles were selected and 120 were excluded after a primary analysis. Finally, 98 articles related to the subject under study were meticulously examined and the required data were extracted and classified according to the research purposes. The findings were divided into eight separate sections: Introducing Berberidaceae family, different species of Berberis, pharmaceutical organs, B. vulgaris nutrition facts and minerals, the antioxidants and alkaloids compounds in fruit and other organs, action mechanisms of preventing and treating diseases, traditional uses of B. vulgaris , and its properties reported by recent studies. The results briefly indicate that B. vulgaris contains a large number of phytochemical materials including ascorbic acid, vitamin K, several triterpenoids, more than 10 phenolic compounds and more than 30 alkaloids. Therefore B. vulgaris may have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antibacterial, analgesic and anti-nociceptive and hepato-protective effects. Regarding the use of different organs of B. vulgaris in traditional medicine and their confirmed effects in the recent studies, it is possible to use different organs of B. vulgaris , especially fruit, to develop new drugs.

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Ethnopharmacological relevance With this study, we aimed to document traditional uses of medicinal plants in the western part of Aladaglar/Nigde. Materials and methods This study was conducted between 2003 and 2005. The research area was in the western part of the Aladaglar mountains. The settlements in Aladaglar (5 towns and 10 villages) were visited during the field work. The plants collected by the help of medicinal plant users. The plants were identified and voucher specimens prepared. These voucher specimens were kept at the Herbarium of Istanbul University Faculty of Pharmacy (ISTE). We collected the information by means of semi-structured interviews with 170 informants (90 men and 80 women). In addition, the relative importance value of the species was determined and the informant consensus factor (FIC) was calculated for the medicinal plants researched in the study. Results According to the results of the identification, among 126 plants were used by the inhabitants and 110 species belonging to 40 families were used for medicinal purposes. Most of the medicinal plants used in Aladaglar/Nigde belong to the families Lamiaceae (25 species), Asteraceae (16 species), Apiaceae (7 species), Fabaceae (6 species) and Brassicaceae (5 species). The most commonly used plant species were Hypericum perforatumThymus sipyleus var. sipyleus, Rosa canina, Urtica dioica, Malva neglecta, Thymus leucotrichus, Salix alba, Mentha longifolia, Berberis crataegina, Juniperus oxycedrus, Viscum album subsp. abietis, Allium rotundum and Taraxacum stevenii. The most common preparations were infusion and decoction. The traditional medicinal plants have been mostly used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases (86%), hemorrhoids (79%), urinary diseases (69%), diabetes (68%) and respiratory diseases (61%). Conclusion The use of traditional medicine was still widespread among the inhabitants of Aladaglar mountains/Nigde region. Due to the lack of medical facilities in the villages of Aladaglar mountains, local people prefer herbal treatment rather than medical treatment. This study identified not only the wild plants collected for medical purposes by local people of Aladaglar/Nigde, but also the uses and local names of these plants. This paper helps to preserve valuable information that may otherwise be lost to future generations.

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Extracts obtained from the roots and barks of various Berberis species are used as folk remedy worldwide for the treatment of various inflammatory ailments including lumbago, rheumatism and to reduce fever. Effects of the extracts and fractions from the roots of Berberis crataegina DC. (Berberidaceae) were studied using various in vivo models of inflammation in mice and rats and observed potent inhibitory activity against carrageenan- and serotonin-induced hind paw oedema, acetic acid-induced increased vascular permeability, castor oil-induced diarrhoea, and Freund's complete adjuvant-induced (FCA) arthritis models. Through bioassay-guided fractionation berberine was isolated as the main active ingredient. Moreover, a dose-dependent analgesic activity was determined, which assessed by using the model based on the inhibition of acetic acid-induced writhing reflexes, as well as antipyretic activity on FCA-induced increased body temperature. Acute and subchronic toxicity studies were also performed.

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