Plant Foods for Human Nutrition最新文献

Plant-derived foods are esteemed as natural preventives due to the constraints of contemporary pharmaceuticals, intensifying scrutiny of traditional medicinal flora. This study marked the first extensive evaluation of the anti-diabetic, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory effects of Costus pictus rhizomes, expanding beyond its well-known anti-diabetic properties in leaves. Hot air-dried C. pictus rhizomes underwent ultrasound-assisted extraction to produce the rhizome extract. Anti-diabetic effects were determined through enzymatic inhibition studies targeting "α-amylase and α-glucosidase," crucial enzymes in glucose regulation, revealing potent inhibitory effects with IC₅₀ values of 266.591 and 324.938 µg/ml, respectively. The ubiquity of breast cancer and constrained therapeutic alternatives for triple negative breast cancer led to the utilization of the "MDA-MB 231 cell line" for the study. The rhizome extracts demonstrated cytotoxicity at an IC₅₀ concentration of 770 µg/ml, with a pronounced decline in the "reactive oxygen species (ROS)" and "mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP)." They also regulated the cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and positively induced apoptosis, thus making it a potent anticancer candidate. Anti-inflammatory effects were assessed using "RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line" and exhibited dose-dependent reduction with IC₅₀ of 495.074 µg/ml, declining nitric oxide (NO) levels. Antimicrobial studies provided insights into its effectiveness against pathogens. This pivotal understanding laid groundwork for advancing C. pictus rhizome extract as a potential ingredient in pharmaceuticals or functional foods, leading to favorable health outcomes.

The study aimed to develop plant-based model snacks that are high in fibre, contain probiotic bacteria and are convenient for long-term storage. The research focused on selecting a suitable form of probiotic bacteria (active biomass, microencapsulated, freeze-dried), inoculation method (in the base mass or in the filling of a snack) and appropriate storage conditions (4°Cor 20 °C). The potential synbiotic properties were evaluated. The microencapsulated bacteria had the highest survival rate at 4 °C, while the freeze-dried bacteria showed better survival rates at 20 °C. Probiotics had a higher survival rate when enclosed inside snacks with a low water activity (a_w = 0.27) peanut butter filling than in snacks without filling (a_w = 0.53). Enclosing the probiotics in a low a_w filling ensures their survival at ambient temperature for 5 months at a count higher than 6 log CFU/g. The snacks exhibited high antioxidant capacity (average 300 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/100 g), polyphenol content (average 357 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g) and high fibre content (average 10.2 g/100 g). The sensory analysis showed a high overall quality of the snacks (average 7.1/10 of the conventional units). Furthermore, after six months of storage, significant changes were observed in the antioxidant properties, polyphenol content and texture of the snacks, while their sensory quality remained unchanged. Moreover, a potential synbiotic effect was observed. The method used to assess bacterial growth indicated significantly higher values in the model snacks compared to a control sample. Therefore, this study has effectively addressed the gap in knowledge regarding the survival of probiotics in snacks of this nature.

Phyllanthus emblica L. (syn. Emblica officinalis) fruits have been traditionally exploited to enhance the immune system and provide protection against bacterial and fungal diseases. The present study aimed to evaluate the synergistic interactions between chloramphenicol and several phenolic compounds found in P. emblica fruits against bacterial strains. The combination of P. emblica fruit extracts and its phenolic compounds demonstrated synergistic antibacterial activity when used in conjunction with chloramphenicol against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The combination of MIC_GA with ½MIC_Chl exhibited a significant increase in bioactivity, with a 333.33-fold enhancement against B. subtilis. Similarly, the combination of MIC_GA with 2MIC_Chl displayed a bioactivity enhancement of 16.02 folds against S. aureus. The co-administration of ½MIC_Q and ½MIC_Chl resulted in a significant 35.71-fold increase in bioactivity against P. aeruginosa. Similarly, the combination of MIC _GA and ½MIC_Chl exhibited a remarkable 166.66-fold enhancement in bioactivity against E. coli. The combinations of 2MIC_FPE and ½MIC_{Chloramphenicol}, as well as ½MIC_GA and ½MIC_Chl demonstrated the highest bioactivity enhancement of 17.85 folds for K. pneumoniae. This study claimed that the fruit extracts of P. emblica and its phenolic compounds could be utilized to augment the effectiveness of conventional antibiotics, which have acquired resistance to bacterial infections.

Mesoamerica is the center of origin of a great number of food crops that nowadays are part of a healthy diet. Pre-Columbian civilizations utilized more than 90% of these foods as ingredient or in main dishes, as well as for remedies and religious ceremonies. Since several years ago, Mesoamerican foods have been recognized by their outstanding concentration of bioactive compounds, including, phenolic compounds, pigments, essential fatty acids, amino acids, peptides, carbohydrates and vitamins, which provide a great number of health benefits. As a result of their unique composition, these ancient crops have several positive effects, such as hypoglycemic, antioxidant, anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, anti-ageing, neuroprotective, anti-diarrheal, and anti-hypercholesterolemic capacity. Hence, this review is focused mainly in the anti-obesity and antioxidant potential of some of the most cultivated, harvested, as well as commercialized and consumed, food crops native of Mesoamerica, like, nopal and its fruit (Opuntia ficus indica spp.), chia (Salvia hispanica L.), pumpkin (Cucurbita spp.) and cacao (Theobroma cacao).

Fermented plant-based products are rapidly gaining popularity. Jerusalem artichoke is a medicinal plant that can be used to make fermented beverages. Samples were subjected to pretreatment (ultrasound at 35 kHz for 2, 4, and 6 min, freezing at -80 °C and -17 °C) while an untreated sample was used as control. It was shown that all types of pretreatments did not lead to an increase in protein, solids, polyphenols, and carbohydrates compared to the control sample. The greatest decrease in the values of these indicators occurs when pre-freezing tubers are used for Jerusalem artichoke dispersion production. It was also found that samples frozen at -80 °C had a significantly higher concentration of Ca, Si, Mg, and P whereas untreated samples frozen at -17 °C had more Al, K, Cu, Sr, and Cr. The processing method can affect the sensory descriptors of Jerusalem artichoke tuber dispersions to different extents, but the preference was for the control sample without pre-treatment. The fermentation of Jerusalem artichoke tuber dispersions demonstrated that S. thermophilus induced the most rapid fermentation (pH 4.75 in 5 h). The highest antioxidant activity after fermentation (55.39% FRSA) was shown for L. acidophilus H9, while the highest % FRSA value during the storage period was for L. bulgaricus (67.5%) on day 5 after fermentation. The highest viability among all selected microorganisms was detected for L. bulgaricus, L. acidophilus AT-41, and B. coagulans MTCC 5856 with the increase in biomass content by 2.3, 2.27, and 2.12 log₁₀CFU/ml after fermentation. According to the results of sensory evaluation using hybrid hedonic scale the best results were shown for samples fermented with L. bulgaricus.

This study aimed at comparing the carbohydrate composition of three banana varieties (cv. Nanica, Nanicão, and Prata) and investigating the effect of a single dose of cooked green banana pulp beverage (GBPd) on plasma glycemic homeostasis indexes (glucose, PYY, GIP, insulin) and hunger and satiety sensation (visual analog scale-VAS). The bananas were classified according to the color scale. The fiber, total carbohydrate, and resistant starch (RS) were determined using validated methods. Glucose homeostasis indexes and hunger/satiety sensation were determined in ten healthy women in two stages before and after intake: (1) glucose solution (250 g/L); (2) one week later, consumption of the glucose solution plus 75 g/L of GBPd. Blood samples were collected twice in stage-1 and every 15 min for 2 h in stage-2. Cv. Nanicão was selected, because it presented a higher content in RS and dietary fiber on dry base than the other cultivars. Thus, it was used to test glycemic response. After 2 h of GBPd intake, no difference was observed in hunger/satiety sensation and plasma glycemic homeostasis indexes, except for a decrease in plasma glucose concentration (-15%, p = 0.0232) compared to stage-1. These results suggest that cv. Nanicão has a higher potential as a functional ingredient and can influence the reduction in the glycemic index of a meal compared to other cultivars. However, it had not a short-term effect on hormones GIP and PYY in healthy women. Further research is needed to understand the long-term effects and mechanisms of green banana on glycemic control and satiety.

Andean crops such as quinoa, amaranth, cañihua, beans, maize, and tarwi have gained interest in recent years for being gluten-free and their high nutritional values; they have high protein content with a well-balanced essential amino acids profile, minerals, vitamins, dietary fiber, and antioxidant compounds. During the germination bioprocess, the seed metabolism is reactivated resulting in the catabolism and degradation of macronutrients and some anti-nutritional compounds. Therefore, germination is frequently used to improve nutritional quality, protein digestibility, and availability of certain minerals and vitamins; furthermore, in specific cases, biosynthesis of new bioactive compounds could occur through the activation of secondary metabolic pathways. These changes could alter the technological and sensory properties, such as the hardness, consistency and viscosity of the formulations prepared with them. In addition, the flavor profile may undergo improvement or alteration, a critical factor to consider when integrating sprouted grains into food formulations. This review summarizes recent research on the nutritional, technological, functional, and sensory changes occur during the germination of Andean grains and analyze their potential applications in various food products.

This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of hydrophilic and lipophilic extracts from juçara fruits (Euterpe edulis Martius) through measurement of nitric oxide (NOx) and cytokines (IL-12p70, TNF-α, INF-γ, MCP-1, IL-6, and IL-10). J774 macrophages were stimulated with lipopolysaccharides (1 µg/mL) and treated with various concentrations (1-100 µg/mL) of juçara fruits extracts from crude extracts, and hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and butanol fractions. Potential relationships between the phenolic composition of the extracts determined by LC-ESI-MS/MS and their anti-inflammatory capacity were also evaluated. Hexane and dichloromethane fractions inhibited NOx and IL-12p70 while increased IL-10. Hexane fractions also decreased IL-6 and IFN-γ production. Hexane and dichloromethane fractions showed a higher number of phenolic compounds (32 and 34, respectively) than the other extracts tested and were also the only ones that presented benzoic acid and pinocembrin. These results suggest juçara fruits compounds as potential anti-inflammatory agents, especially those of a more apolar nature.

Chronic diseases like cancer and diabetes are the major public health concerns of India and worldwide. Nowadays, plant-derived products are in great demand for the treatment of these diseases. Pumpkin seeds are traditionally implicated for their pharmacological properties, as exemplified by benign prostatic hyperplasia. Earlier, pumpkin seed proteins were extracted by the Osborne method, and their functional and nutritional qualities were evaluated. Here, the aim is to assess in vitro, the anticancer and antidiabetic properties of seed protein fractions. HepG2, MDA-MB-231, and MCF-7 cell lines were treated with water-soluble (WF) and alkali-soluble fractions (AF) to assess cytotoxicity, while pancreatic β-cells and insulin resistance (IR) - HepG2 cell lines were treated with WF to evaluate the antidiabetic potential. WF and AF showed cytotoxic effects towards HepG2 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, suggesting apoptosis-mediated anticancerous activity. WF potentiates glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in pancreatic β-cells, in a dose-dependent manner. In IR-HepG2 cell line studies, control, metformin, and WF-treated groups showed uptake of glucose, when compared to the diabetic group, which is well-correlated with the upregulated expressions of GLUT2 and GLUT4 transporters in these groups. These results indicate that proteins from WF and AF may have anticancerous and antidiabetic properties and thus have the potential to utilize pumpkin proteins in the management of cancer and diabetes.

Jackfruit leaf protein hydrolysates obtained from the enzymatic hydrolysis of leaf protein concentrate with gastrointestinal enzymes have shown good techno-functional properties and high antioxidant capacity. However, molecular weight, antiproliferative activity, cytotoxicity and the ability to reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) are still unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of jackfruit leaf protein hydrolysates obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis with pepsin and pancreatin at different hydrolysis times (30-240 min) on molecular weights, cytotoxicity, antiproliferation of cancer cells, and the reduction of reactive oxygen species in H₂O₂-induced HaCaT cells. The electrophoretic profile indicated that H-Pep contains peptides with molecular weights between 25 - 20 kDa. Meanwhile, H-Pan is composed of molecular weight products between 25 - 20 kDa and < 20 kDa. H-Pan and H-Pep (125-500 µg/mL) did not show significant cytotoxicity on HaCaT (human keratinocytes) and J774A.1 (murine macrophage cells). Antiproliferative activity was achieved in human cervical, ovarian, and liver cancer cells. H-Pan-240 min (1000 µg/mL) reduced the cell viability of cervical cancer cells by 23% while H-Pan-60 min significantly reduced cell viability of ovarian and liver cancer cells by 14.5 (500 µg/mL) and 17% (1000 µg/mL), respectively (P < 0.05). The protective effect against oxidative stress on H₂O₂-stressed HaCaT cells was obtained with H-Pep-60 min, which reduced 25% of ROS at 250 µg/mL (P < 0.05). The findings demonstrate the safe use of green biomass as a source of plant protein hydrolysates.