Effect of Anti-Obesity and Antioxidant Activity through the Additional Consumption of Peel from 'Fuji' Pre-Washed Apple.

Da-Yeong Ko,Kang-Mo Ku

doi:10.3390/foods11040497

Abstract

There is limited information on the health effects of apple peel taken from ‘Fuji’ (Malus pumila Mill) apples washed with ozonated water. To clarify the health-promoting effects of peel, the triterpenoids (ursolic acid and oleanolic acid) were quantified with gas chromatograph–mass spectrometry. Anti-obesity effects of apple peel extract on the 3T3-L1 pre-adipocyte cell were compared with apple flesh, whole apple, and ursolic acid. The peel extract treatment with 3.30 ± 1.05 μM of ursolic acid significantly suppressed (p < 0.05) the lipid accumulation compared with the content in flesh, and a similar level was reached in the 5 μM ursolic acid positive control group. In the peel extract and ursolic acid treatment groups, the C16:0 concentration was significantly inhibited (p < 0.05), implying the anti-obesity effect of ursolic acid on the 3T3-L1 cell. Moreover, apple peel contributed 41% of the total flavonoids content and 31% of the phenolic contents of the whole apple, but only accounted for less than 10% of the whole apple (weight basis). This study’s results offer basic data on pre-washed apple as a health functional food, offering information about the health benefits of apple peel, calculated based on the partial ratio in the whole apple.

Highlights

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity in modern society is defined by abnormal or excessive lipid accumulation [1]
The pre-washed apples had been through 3 steps of washing, which were flooding, brushing with ozonized water, and full drying with air and far-infrared light at the Uiseong agricultural products processing center (APC)
To determine the actual effects of pre-washed apple, the dry weight value was converted into the fresh weight 100 g value according to the water contents of each portion

Summary

Introduction

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity in modern society is defined by abnormal or excessive lipid accumulation [1]. Reducing obesity is becoming an important social issue, and ongoing research is being conducted aiming to decrease overall health problems using health-promoting compounds derived from natural sources [3]. Attempts to address obesity using drugs derived from natural sources have shown success in several cases, reducing lipid accumulation in the body [4]. Compounds derived from apples, such as minerals and amino acids, actively engage in the body’s metabolic activities. Antioxidant compounds in apples, such as phenolic compounds and flavonoids, and other bio-active compounds, especially ursolic acid, have a therapeutic effect [5,6]. The WHO suggested that consuming more than 400 g of fruits, vegetables and nuts per day could reduce the risk of various diseases [7]

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Results

Conclusion