Plant Foods for Human Nutrition最新文献

Grape pomace (GP), a wine industry byproduct rich in dietary fiber and polyphenols, was aimed to enhance the nutritional, phytochemical, and sensory qualities of oat milk. Oat milk, a sustainable dairy alternative rich in β-glucan and minerals, but its low phenolic and antioxidant content limits its functional potentiality. This work incorporated GP extract into oat milk to improve its bioactive profile, stability, and consumer appeal, meeting the demand for plant-based functional beverages. The study assessed the effects of GP fortification on phenolic composition, antioxidant activity, and acceptability. Oat milk exhibited stable emulsion properties at pH 6.77 ± 0.12 and titratable acidity 0.43 ± 0.21%. GP supplementation significantly increased bioactive potential: total phenolic content rose from 35.08 ± 2.30 to 101.43 ± 25 mg GAE/g DW, total flavonoids from 69.56 ± 1.5 to 180.11 ± 18 mg QE/g DW, and antioxidant activity to 48 ± 8 mM Trolox/g DW. Anthocyanin content also increased, highlighting GP's role in enhancing phenolic delivery. Sensory evaluation showed that 0.2% GP-fortified oat milk achieved the highest acceptability in flavor, color, aroma, mouthfeel, and overall preference. Higher GP levels (0.3-0.5%) intensified flavor and color but reduced consumer acceptance. Overall, GP fortification, particularly at 0.2%, improves oat milk's nutritional and functional properties as a value-added ingredient for functional beverages within a circular economy.

Maize and sorghum represent economic, social, and nutritional significance worldwide. This work evaluated the physicochemical properties, carbohydrate, and lipids profile, as well as nutraceutical properties of sorghum and maize varieties used for obtaining popped grains. Proximate composition, carbohydrate profiles, fatty acids, and phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity were evaluated. Sorghum and maize shared traits, but white sorghum had higher amylose (27%) while Palomero maize 2 had the lowest (18%). Sucrose accounted for 87% of the low molecular weight carbohydrates (LMWC), followed by raffinose (up to 10%) and fructose (up to 7%). As for monomeric carbohydrates, maize contained more xylose and arabinose, while sorghum had a higher glucose content. The fatty acid profile was similar among varieties, but maize show high contents of total, unsaturated, and saturated fatty acids. Conversely, red sorghum exhibited significantly higher levels of palmitoleic and cis-vaccenic acids compared to the other varieties. Red sorghum showed the highest content of phenolic compounds, including free and bound phenols, condensed and hydrolyzed tannins, flavonoids (bound), and antioxidant capacity (ABTS and DPPH). While Palomero maize 2 exhibited a higher proportion of free flavonoids. These findings provide valuable information for selecting and using these varieties in different agricultural and industrial sectors.

This research evaluated how both the maize alkaline cooking processes (traditional and extrusion-based nixtamalization) and tortilla baking step affect the chemical composition, physicochemical parameters, antioxidant activity, and phytochemical compounds in tortillas made from QPM. While the chemical composition of QPM was largely unaffected by the alkaline processing methods, extrusion-based nixtamalization exhibited a higher retention of total phenolic compounds (94% retention compared to 72% in the traditional nixtamalization process), and antioxidant activity (87-98% retention compared to 56-66% in the traditional nixtamalization process by ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP methods). Furthermore, alkaline extrusion led to higher melanoidin formation, compounds associated with antioxidant properties. Nevertheless, the tortilla baking step slightly reduced lipid content, it did not significantly alter (chemical composition, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity) the other key nutritional and functional properties. Although the subsequent baking step slightly reduced the melanoidin content initially formed during both nixtamalization processes, the overall melanoidin content in the final extruded tortilla remained higher than in the traditional nixtamalized one. This was supported by the observed color darkening (reduction in Hunter L value and increase in ΔE), which is indicative of Maillard reaction products, including melanoidins. These findings support the potential of extrusion processing as a more sustainable and health-promoting method for producing QPM-based tortillas.

Cassava is a vital global crop, but its industrial potential is limited by inherent challenges such as high viscosity, poor cold-water solubility, and the presence of toxic hydrocyanic acid (HCN). Extrusion processing is a powerful technology that overcomes these limitations through intense thermomechanical treatment. This review synthesizes current research on how extrusion modifies cassava starch, from its multi-level structure (granular, crystalline, and molecular) to its key functional properties, including gelatinization, in vitro digestibility, and rheology. The mechanisms of cyanogenic glycoside degradation are also critically examined. Key findings demonstrate that extrusion disrupts granular integrity, reduces crystallinity, and causes molecular depolymerization, which in turn leads to significant functional improvements. These include enhanced water solubility, greater paste stability with reduced retrogradation, and lower apparent viscosity. Nutritionally, extrusion offers a distinct advantage by increasing the resistant starch (RS) fraction compared to conventionally cooked starch and by effectively degrading HCN, thereby enhancing food safety. These modified properties have enabled the successful use of extruded cassava in a wide range of applications, including expanded snacks, gluten-free cereals, and instant foods. This review provides a valuable guide for optimizing extrusion processes, supporting the development of safe, high-value cassava-based foods and promoting greater sustainability within the industry.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a valuable source of bioactive compounds with therapeutic potential, including peptides, saponins, and polyphenols. In recent years, in silico tools have emerged as key strategies for predicting, characterizing, and optimizing the interactions of these compounds with relevant biological targets in pathologies such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and viral diseases. The objective of this work was to analyze recent studies on quinoa bioactive compounds and their interactions with biological targets using in silico approaches, as well as to discuss the technical challenges, limitations, and future perspectives of these computational tools. In silico techniques such as molecular docking, molecular dynamics, and structural modeling using artificial intelligence have been used in the study of quinoa bioactive compounds, as well as bioinformatics tools for screening and toxicity assessment. Highlighted cases include the identification of peptides with inhibitory activity against enzymes, such as ACE and DPP-IV, AMPK-modulating saponins, and flavonoids capable of binding to key receptors in glycemic metabolism. The role of simulated gastrointestinal digestion in the release of bioactive fragments was also discussed. Overall, current evidence shows that in silico studies represent an effective platform for accelerating the discovery of functional compounds derived from quinoa, and could be used to study other Andean crops.

The increasing burden of age-related degenerative diseases highlights the need for novel preventive strategies. Plant-derived active peptides have garnered attention due to their high bioactivity, low molecular weight, ease of absorption, minimal toxicity, and low immunogenicity. The high protein content of quinoa makes it an extremely valuable raw material for generating protein-derived bioactive peptides. In this study, based on the active peptides (QBPP) found from quinoa bran in previous research, peptide extracts with a molecular weight less than 3kD (QBPP-L) were further isolated and purified, which exhibited significant anti-aging activity both in vivo and in vitro. QBPP-L significantly downregulated the expression of aging-related markers (SA-β-Gal, p53, p21, and p16) in NIH-3T3 cells through inhibition of the p53 signaling pathway. Furthermore, it ameliorated oxidative stress (SOD, MDA, CAT) and enhanced neuroprotective effects in aged mouse models. In summary, the study highlights the anti-aging activity of QBPP-L in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that QBPP-L from quinoa bran is a promising natural bioactive ingredient with anti-aging properties, supporting its potential development for functional foods aimed at healthy aging.

Amaranthus species are often underutilized plants that are rich in phenolic acids, flavonoids, betalains, saponins, and unsaturated fatty acids, which offer various health benefits. This review explores their nutritional and pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, heart-protective, antimicrobial, liver-protective, and antimalarial effects. Studies show that the bioactive compounds in Amaranthus help reduce oxidative stress, promote cell death in damaged cells, regulate fat metabolism, and reduce inflammation, making them useful for managing chronic diseases. Effectiveness varies depending on the Amaranthus species, plant part, extraction method, and dose. However, limitations like low bioavailability and a lack of clinical studies remain. New approaches such as nano-encapsulation, lipid co‑formulation, and food matrix fortification show promise in improving their absorption and stability of different compounds. This review underscores the therapeutic potential of Amaranthus spp. while calling for careful dosing and human trials. Future research can help develop functional foods, supplements, and cosmetics that harness these benefits, turning traditional knowledge into proven health solutions.

Hypertension, a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, remains a leading global health concern and has prompted growing interest in angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides from plant seeds as promising nutraceutical ingredients. To our knowledge, this is the first study to identify antihypertensive peptides from Perilla frutescens seed protein, with thermolysin hydrolysate demonstrated the favorable ACE-inhibitory (ACEI) activity (IC₅₀ = 141 µg/mL). Two parallel bioassay-guided fractionations (SCX and RP-HPLC) were used to screen the fractions with the best ACEI activity, from which two novel tetrapeptides, TLVY (TY4) and LLVY (LY4), were identically found. Both peptides exhibited notable ACEI activities with IC₅₀ values of 31 µM and 44 µM, respectively. Enzyme kinetics showed that TY4 and LY4 antagonized ACE via a competitive inhibition mechanism, while molecular docking revealed specific interactions with canonical catalytic residues of ACE through hydrogen bonding. The structural characteristics and bioactivity profiles of TY4 and LY4 support their potential as naturally derived antihypertensive agents. This study highlights the discovery of novel tetrapeptides from Perilla frutescens seeds with ACE inhibitory activity, providing a foundation for the development of functional foods targeting hypertension.

Oxalis tuberosa Mol., commonly known as oca, is an underutilized Andean tuber with documented potential for starch modification, biofilm production, and functional food development, due to its favorable nutritional, functional, and technological profile. Hence, this review systematically analyzed the physicochemical properties, bioactive compounds, industrial applications, and challenges associated with the oca's commercial valorization. Eighty peer-reviewed scientific articles indexed in Scopus and Web of Science addressing the nutritional composition, polyphenol and anthocyanin concentrations, prebiotic potential, and applications in baking, extrusion, biodegradable films, and bioplastics were examined. Our findings revealed opportunities in optimizing bioactive compound extraction, chemical starch modification, and functional food development. However, large-scale industrialization was found to be hindered by compositional variability (resistant starch content of 2-10% wet basis), limited commercial cultivation (less than 1% of total tuber production), and antinutritional factors, particularly oxalates (0.8-2.2 g 100 g^-1 wet basis). Additionally, several emerging processing technologies such as microencapsulation and pulsed electric fields were found to have potential to enhance the stability and bioavailability of bioactive compounds derived from oca. Nevertheless, the results highlighted the need for further investigations in order to establish the technological and economic feasibility on an industrial scale. Successfully integrating oca into sustainable agri-food systems relies on coordinated strategies to increase production, overcoming technological barriers, and expand consumer acceptance, positioning oca as a competitive, high-value functional ingredient in global markets.