Plant Foods for Human Nutrition最新文献

Effect of fruit and cereal grain-based beverage studies on the lipid profile are limited. Pomegranate fruit and quinoa grains are known for their abundance of polyphenols with several health beneficial effects. The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of oral administration of beverage containing pomegranate juice and quinoa seed extract in obese rats. Different beverage combinations of pomegranate juice and quinoa extracts were formulated and screened by sensory evaluation. The selected beverage product containing 80% pomegranate juice and 20% quinoa extract maintained at 15° Bx was evaluated for its effect on the serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) among the experimental rats. Administration of 5 and 10 mL of beverage product reduced the cholesterol and triglycerides levels ranging between 18.65 and 19.54 and 16.51 to 17.02%, respectively. Similarly, VLDL and LDL were reduced in the obese rats fed with beverage product ranging between 12.93 and 14.69 and 13.66 to 14.64%, respectively. There was increment of 18-20% in the HDL content by administration of the beverage product in obese rats. The impact of the formulated beverage was found to have significant effect on the lipid profile, which can be utilized as a functional food beverage.

Due to increasing consumer awareness, there is a growing demand for healthy foods by replacing synthetic colorants with natural alternatives. Amaranthus is a sustainable rich source of one such natural colorant, namely, betalains. Conventional extraction methods have various challenges, such as high solvent requirements and low extraction yield. To overcome these problems, the present study aims at developing a green extraction method for betalains from Amaranth by ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) employing natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES). Of the three Amaranth species screened, the leafy Amaranth is found to have the highest betalains content (24.79 ± 2.88 mg/100 g FW). Among the five NADES screened, lactic acid: fructose was identified as the most efficient solvent with a betalains yield of 79.68 ± 4.81 mg/100 g FW. The Box-Behnken Design (BBD) was employed to identify the best combinations of extraction process parameters. This approach enabled optimization through a reduced number of experiments. Subsequently, a machine learning model was employed to predict yield for all possible process parameter combinations. On identifying the most effective combination process parameters that resulted in the highest possible yield (306.72 mg/100 g FW), the same is experimentally validated (297.28 ± 10.76 mg/100 g FW). UAE employing NADES has resulted in a 3.7-fold increase in the yield of betalains over extraction with NADES alone and a 12-fold increase over conventional extraction. HPLC analysis confirmed that the structure remained intact even after processing. Based on the results, UAE employing NADES was demonstrated to be an attractive extraction methodology for downstream processing of betalains in particular and biomolecules, in general.

The effects of traditional processing techniques-cooking, autoclaving, and roasting-on the physicochemical properties, anti-nutritional factors (ANF), and amino acid composition of red kidney beans (RKB) were investigated. Significant alterations in proximate composition were observed: cooking generally increased protein levels, while roasting decreased fiber content. Autoclaving produced diverse effects. Evaluation of functional properties revealed changes in water activity, density, and color. Cooking increased water activity and lightness, whereas roasting and autoclaving led to darker colors and reduced water activity. Cooking effectively enhanced protein content and reduced ANF, while texture profile analysis (TPA) showed variations in hardness, adhesiveness, and resilience. Autoclaving resulted in softer beans, and cooking influenced adhesiveness and springiness. ANF analysis showed reductions post-processing, especially with cooking and autoclaving. Amino acid composition varied across processing methods, with notable effects from cooking and roasting. Microstructural changes observed via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) suggested improved nutrient bioavailability. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy indicated alterations in the chemical composition of proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates, attributed to the different processing methods. This comprehensive study highlights the complex interactions between cooking techniques and the physicochemical properties of legumes, providing valuable insights for optimizing their nutritional value. Traditional method of cooking RKB enhances the nutritional value.

Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is widely used in the production of beer and distilled beverages, generating a nutrient-rich by-product known as brewer's spent grain (BSG). This study investigates the potential of brewer's spent grain flour (BSGF) as a functional ingredient to enhance the nutritional profile of bakery products, specifically chocolate cakes, while contributing to waste reduction in the food industry. The effects of partially substituting wheat flour with BSGF at 40% and 60% levels were assessed. BSGF was found to be rich in protein (15.5 ± 0.14 g/100 g), zinc (7.92 ± 0.44 mg/100 g), and dietary fiber (52.12 g/100 g). Cakes with 60% BSGF substitution showed increased fiber content (69.8 g/100 g) and zinc content (27.04 g/100 g). Organoleptic evaluation indicated that the tenderness of all three cakes did not show statistical differences. However, among the cakes with BSGF, the 40% substitution level was better accepted by consumers, particularly in terms of flavor. These findings suggest that incorporating BSGF into bakery products can improve nutritional value while offering a sustainable approach to food production by valorizing industry by-products.

Adipocyte senescence is one of the major common features correlated with aging, which can also lead to obesity, and aggravated oxidative stress contributes to cell senescence. Sesamol, a lignan from plants found in sesame, has been proven to alleviate obesity. However, the effects and mechanisms of sesamol on adipose tissue senescence remain unclear. In the current research, we used an aged model of obesity by feeding old mice high-fat diet (HFD), and a senescent cell model by treating 3T3-L1 mature adipocytes with repeated exposure to hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Both HFD induced aged obesity mice and H₂O₂ treated cells presented features associated with senescence. Additionally, obesity in aged mice accelerated the expression of adipose tissue senescence-associated markers. Notably, the presence of sesamol showed marked activation of Nrf2 and inhibition of p-p38MAPK, along with the suppression of oxidative stress (ROS, MDA, SOD), inflammatory factors (IL-6, TNFα) and cell cycle inhibitors (p53, p21, p16). A pretreatment of ML385, an inhibitor of Nrf2, reversed the effects induced by sesamol treatment. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that obesity contributed to deteriorated adipose tissue senescence during aging. Furthermore, sesamol, acted as an activator of Nrf2 and exerted negative impacts on the activation of p38MAPK, which were associated with amelioration of adipose senescence, thereby indicating it could be a potential nutritional intervention for preventing and treating aging-related disorders.

Alcohol-induced health damage has become an increasing global public health concern. Anthocyanins exhibit essential biological activities, including antioxidation, anti-inflammation, and lipid reduction. This study investigates the rapid intervention effects and mechanisms of anthocyanin-rich blueberry extract in mitigating acute alcohol exposure in mice, aiming to uncover its novel nutritional roles. Eight-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were fasted for 6 h and randomly assigned to three groups (CON, EOH, and EOH-BE, n = 8) for the experimental study. The results demonstrated that 1 h after alcohol exposure, BE significantly enhanced the behavioral performance of mice, lowered blood ethanol levels and liver function markers, and alleviated hepatic pathological alterations. GSEA results of KEGG pathways indicated that BE primarily affected pathways associated with nutrient digestion and absorption, energy substance metabolism, unsaturated fatty acids biosynthesis, and gastric cancer, facilitating rapid intervention in acute alcohol exposure in mice. These findings confirm that anthocyanin-rich blueberry extract effectively mitigates the health risks linked to acute alcohol exposure, providing new insights into early intervention and management strategies for alcohol-induced disorders.

Gluten proteins in cereal grains are often considered unsafe for health. Indeed, the dissemination of misinformation through various sources has led to a widespread misconception that the consumption of gluten by healthy individuals results in adverse health consequences and contributes to obesity. In recent years, many health-conscious consumers have started reducing or avoiding gluten consumption without a medical recommendation. Consequently, the adoption of gluten-free diets has expanded significantly. This study compared 39 gluten-free products and their gluten-containing counterparts for energy, sugar, dietary fiber content, and price. We found that, on average, gluten-free products available to United States consumers contained significantly less protein and more sugar and calories. Furthermore, on average, gluten-free products are more expensive than gluten-containing products. Our finding may serve as a guide for dietitians, nutritionists, and legislators in introducing a gluten-free prescription list for individuals with celiac disease, wheat allergy, and non-celiac wheat sensitivity.

Raisin can be used a substitution of artificially sweetened snacks/ingredients, in order to counteract the increasing consumption of sugar-added foods, which is associated to adverse health effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the phenolic content, reducing capacity and antiglycation activities of traditional, sun-dried raisin samples obtained from six Tunisian varieties. Total phenolics were determined by the Folin Ciocalteu assay, proanthocyanidins by depolymerisation with n-butanol/HCl, monomeric and dimeric flavanols, flavonols and anthocyanins by HPLC with diode array and fluorimetric detectors. The reducing capacity was assessed by ferric ion reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP) and anti-glycation activity by the bovine serum albumin/fructose (BSA/FRU) and BSA/methyglyoxal (BSA/MGO) model systems. Results showed a remarkable biodiversity in phenolic contents and profile among raisin samples. The reducing capacity ranged between 43.8 and 97.8 mmol Fe(II) eq/kg d.w. Raisin samples inhibited protein glycation in the in vitro model systems, which simulate the early and intermediate steps of the formation of advanced-glycation end-products occurring in vivo and leading to cell damage. The anti-glycation effectiveness in the BSA/FRU and BSA/MGO model systems was in the range 48-176 and 9.6-20.5 mmol catechin eq./kg d.w., respectively and was generally comparable or, for some raisin varieties higher than that of well-known antiglycation agents. These results support the promising role of raisin as a functional food/ingredient targeting the inhibition of glycoxidative damage.

The objective of the present contribution was to design and characterize resveratrol (RSV) and tocopherol (TOC) loaded quinoa protein (QP) nanocomplexes, their antioxidant and antiradical functionality were also evaluated. QP intrinsic fluorescence spectra showed a quenching effect exerted by RSV and TOC, demonstrating protein-bioactive compounds interactions. Stern-Volmer and Scatchard models application confirmed the static quenching effect and allowed to obtain parameters that described the QP-RSV or QP-TOC complexation process. Isothermal titration calorimetry allowed obtaining thermodynamic parameters to describe the interaction between RSV or TOC with QP. Protein aggregates up to 40 nm in diameter were induced by bioactive compounds as detected by atomic force microscopy. QP-RSV and QP-TOC nanocomplexes showed additive effect in their antioxidant capacity. These nanocomplexes could constitute a real platform for the design of functional ingredients.

The aim of this work was to study the effects of two LAB strains on the bioaccessibility (BA) of minerals after the fermentation of pistachio-based beverages. The beverages were made with two varieties of pistachio (Argentina, AP and Italian, IP). Aliquots were inoculated with 10⁶ CFU of two different LAB strains and fermented for 24 h at 28 °C. Six types of beverages were obtained: two controls (AP-c and IP-c), two fermented with LAB1 (AP-f1 and IP-f2) and two fermented with LAB2 (AP-f2 and IP-f2). The contents of minerals, phytic acid, and ascorbic acid were evaluated. To determine the BA of minerals, the samples were subjected to a simulated gastrointestinal digestion with equilibrium dialysis in the intestinal stage. The IP presented higher contents of Ca and Fe than the AP ones. The ascorbic acid content was higher for AP than for IP, and increased in both beverages after fermentation, obtaining a 70% increase in IP-f1. Phytic acid content was higher for AP than for IP, and decreased after fermentation to a greater extent when fermented with LAB1 (50% reduction). In all the cases, mineral BA was higher in fermented samples, being BA values dependent on the pistachio variety and the LAB strain. Negative correlations (p < 0.05) were observed between the BA of Ca and Mg with phytic acid content. The fermentation of the pistachio beverages with LAB allowed increasing the BA of minerals, improving the nutritional quality of the pistachio-based beverage.