الفهرس 
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Abstract
8. The coronavirus-disease (COVID-19) was announced as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. Challenges arise concerning how to optimally support the immune system in the general population, especially under self-confinement. An optimal immune response depends on an adequate diet and nutrition in order to keep infection at bay.
So, the present study was designated to know the effect of some natural sources of foods on enhancing the immune system in experimental rats.
This study was conducted in three parts as follows
The first part: The plant sources used for the study (spinach, chickpeas and lentils) were selected and prepared. The approximate chemical composition, some metallic elements, and active compounds were estimated.
The most important results obtained were
• Chemical composition of spinach, chickpeas and lentils
The moisture content, protein, fat, ash, fiber, carbohydrate and energy content of spinach powder as dry weight was 6.22, 12.84, 4.79, 23.43, 11.72, 40.99 g/100 g and 258.44 kcal/100 g, respectively.
The germination process increased the protein and fiber values, while the fat, ash, carbohydrate and energy content decreased in the seeds of both chickpeas and lentils.
• Mineral elements
The percentage of iron, zinc and copper in spinach was 44.70, 3.54 and 2.53 mg/100g, and the percentage of selenium was 1.5 μg/100g, respectively.
The process of soaking and cooking chickpeas and lentils led to an increase in the proportions of iron, zinc, copper and selenium, compared to sprouted and cooked chickpeas and lentils.
• Total phenols, flavonoids and antioxidant activity
Spinach powder recorded a higher value in phenolic compounds compared to chickpeas and lentils, while soaked and cooked lentils recorded a higher value in flavonoids and ABTS compared to sprouted and cooked lentils. While the germination of chickpeas resulted in an increase in phenols, flavonoids and antioxidant activity compared to soaked and cooked chickpeas. The second part: a biological experiment was conducted on experimental rats to estimate some physiological characteristics such as the increase in body weight - the weight of some internal organs. As well as measuring some biochemical indicators such as blood image (red blood cells, white blood cells, hemoglobin, and platelets), glucose level, liver function, kidney function, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density cholesterol, low-density cholesterol, and low-density cholesterol very. This is in addition to measuring immunoglobulin’s (IgA - IgG).
Biological analyzes
The effect of spinach, chickpeas and lentils powder and their mixtures on increasing the body weight and the weight of some organs in male and female rats:
1- For males:
The results showed the highest percentage of increase in body weight was recorded for rats that were fed 10% of germinated and cooked chickpea powder, while the lowest value was recorded for rats that were fed 10% germinated and cooked lentil.
While the results indicated that, rats in all groups had decreases significant in the mean values of liver expect group 2
As for the weight of the kidney, the group that was fed 10% of the soaked and cooked lentil powder recorded a significant increase at a significant level of 0.05% when compared to the control group.
Also, with regard to heart weight, the results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between all groups when compared to the control group except for group (8).
2- For females:
The results of estimating the increase in body weight indicated that there were no significant differences between all groups compared to the control group expect group (6).
In comparison with the control group, the results indicated that there was no significant difference in liver weight between all groups except group (10).
Also, with regard to the weight of the kidneys and the heart, the results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between all groups compared to the control group.
• Effect of feeding male and female rats with spinach, chickpea and lentil powder and their mixtures on the blood picture
1- For males:
The results recorded that the highest value of WBC was in the group fed 5% of spinach powder with 5% of cooked and sprouted chickpeas. While the lowest value was recorded in the control group.
For LYM and GRA, the results showed that there were no significant differences between all groups. As for MON, the highest value was recorded for the group fed 10% of sprouted and cooked lentil powder, while the lowest value was recorded for the group fed 10% of soaked and cooked chickpea powder.
As for RBC and HCT, the results showed a significant increase at a significant level of 0.05% among all experimental groups except for groups (7 and 10) when compared to the control group.
HGB recorded the highest value for the group fed 10% of soaked and cooked chickpea powder. The results showed that there was a significant increase at the level of 0.05% among all groups except groups (7, 8 and 10) when compared to the control group.
As for PLT, the results showed a significant decrease among all groups except for two groups (2 and 7) when compared to the control group.
The results recorded the highest value for PCT in the group fed 10% of sprouted and cooked chickpea powder, while the lowest value was recorded in the group fed 5% of spinach powder with 5% of soaked and cooked lentils.
2- For females:
The highest value for WBC was recorded in the group fed 5% of spinach powder with 5% of sprouted and cooked lentils, while the lowest value was recorded in the group fed 5% of spinach powder with 5% of soaked and cooked chickpeas.
For MON and GRA, the results showed that there were no significant differences between all groups except group (8) when compared to the control group. As for LYM, the highest value was recorded for the group fed 5% of spinach powder with 5% of sprouted and cooked lentils, while the lowest value was recorded for the group fed 5% of spinach powder with 5% of sprouted and cooked chickpeas.
As for RBC, the highest value was recorded for the group fed 5% of spinach powder with 5% of soaked and cooked lentils, while the lowest value was recorded for the group fed 5% of spinach powder with 5% of sprouted and cooked chickpeas, compared to the control group.
For HGB, the highest value was recorded for the group that fed 10% of soaked and cooked chickpea powder, and it was found from the results that there were no significant differences between all groups compared to the control group.
For HCT, PLT, and PCT, the results showed that there were no significant differences between all groups compared to the control group.
In general, the increase in the components of the blood image was higher in the case of males than in females.
• Effect of feeding male and female rats with spinach, chickpea and lentil powder and their mixture on blood glucose
The results showed that there was a significant decrease between males and females in the glucose level in groups (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10) compared to the control group.
The highest value was recorded for male rats in the group fed 10% of soaked and cooked chickpea powder, while the lowest value was recorded for the group fed 5% spinach powder with 5% of sprouted and cooked lentils when compared to the control group. While the highest value were recorded for females in the group fed 10% of soaked and cooked chickpea powder, while the lowest value was recorded in the group fed 5% of spinach powder with 5% of soaked and cooked chickpeas, compared to the control group.
• Effect of feeding male and female rats with spinach, chickpea and lentil powder and their mixtures on blood lipid profiles
For male rats: the results showed a significant decrease among all groups in each of the values of T.G, VLDL, LDL and CRI, while for T.C a significant decrease was observed among all groups except group (3), and as for HDL, the highest value was recorded for the group (4), while the lowest value was recorded for control group.
For females: It was noted from the results that there was a significant decrease among all groups except group (2) in the values of T.C, T.G and VLDL, and it was found from the results that there was a significant decrease among all groups in relation to LDL values except for groups (2, 3, 4 and 5), while the results of HDL values showed no significant difference between all groups except for the groups (2 and 9) compared to the control group.
• Effect of feeding male and female rats with spinach, chickpea and lentil powder and their mixture on liver function
The results showed that there was a significant decrease among all groups in the values of both ALT and AST, compared to the control group.
The decrease was greater in the case of female rats when compared to males.
• Effect of feeding male and female rats with spinach, chickpea and lentil powder and their mixture on kidney function
When estimating urea levels, the results showed a significant decrease between male and female rats in groups (5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10), and as for creatinine, the results showed a significant decrease in male experimental rats in all groups. While in females there was a significant decrease in all groups expect group (2 and 3), when compared to the control group.
The results of the uric acid values also showed that the male rats fed on the experimental diets were higher than the females, compared to the control.
• Effect of feeding male and female rats with spinach, chickpea and lentil powder and their mixture on immunoglobulin’s (IgA - IgG)
For IgG, the results showed that there was a significant increase between males and females in all groups compared to the control group.
As for IgA, the results showed that there was a significant increase in male experimental rats in all groups except for group (8), while in females there was a significant increase in all groups when compared to the control group.
Part Three: Applied and Technological Assessment: Production of burger samples using a variety of mixtures from plant sources under study
The most important results obtained were:
• The chemical composition of the burger samples
The results showed that the burger made from soybeans contains high levels of protein and ash compared to other burger samples, while the burger made from soaked and cooked lentils contains high levels of protein and fiber compared to the burger made from soaked and cooked chickpeas. Burger made by spinach with soaked chickpeas or cooked sprouts had higher fat, carbohydrate and energy content compared to the burger made from a mixture of spinach with soaked lentils or cooked sprouts.
• Mineral elements content in burger samples
It was observed that the burger made from soybeans had higher proportions of iron and selenium compared to other burger samples, while the burger made from soaked and cooked lentils contained high levels of zinc, selenium and copper compared to the burger made from soaked and cooked chickpeas, while the burger made from a mixture of spinach with cooked sprouted chickpeas had higher levels of iron and copper than the burger made from a mixture of spinach and cooked sprouted lentils.
• The activity of phenols, flavonoids and the activity of antioxidants in burger samples
The results showed that there was a significant increase in the burger made from cooked sprouted chickpeas in total phenols, flavonoids and antioxidant activity compared to the burger made from soaked and cooked chickpeas, while the burger made from sprouted and cooked lentils had high levels of flavonoids and antioxidant activity compared to the burger made from lentils soaked and cooked.
The results also showed that the burger made from a mixture of spinach with sprouted and cooked lentils contained a significant increase in phenols and flavonoids and antioxidant activity compared to the burger made from a mixture of spinach with sprouted and cooked chickpeas.
• Physical properties of burger samples
The results showed that there was a significant increase among all samples of processed burgers except for groups (5, 6, 7 and 9) in the percentage of the loss percentage, and the results also indicated that the percentage values of the cooking yield showed a significant decrease among all the processed samples except for groups (6). , 7 and 9), while the percentage of moisture retention was significantly increased among all burger samples except groups (2, 3, 4 and 5) compared to the control sample.
• Water activity of burger samples
The results showed that the burger made from soybeans (control) contained a high percentage of water activity compared to other burger samples, as the lowest value was recorded for the burger sample made from soaked and cooked chickpeas.
• Analysis of the texture of the burger samples
The results showed that the burger made from soybeans contains a high percentage of the degree of hardness, springiness and chewiness, and the results also showed that the burger made from a mixture of spinach with soaked and cooked lentils contains a high percentage of the degree of cohesion compared to other burger samples.
• Sensory characteristics of burger samples
The statistical analysis of the data showed that there were no significant differences between the control sample and the rest of the burger samples in terms of appearance, smell, color, and the degree of tenderness. As for taste, the highest value was recorded for the burger sample made from soybeans, while the lowest value was recorded for the burger sample made from a mixture of spinach with cooked sprouted chickpeas.
In general, it was concluded that all samples of the processed burger were acceptable in terms of all sensory characteristics of the committee members.