Nutritional and Health-Related Effects of a Diet Containing Apple Seed Meal in Rats: The Case of Amygdalin.

Paulina Opyd,Jerzy Juśkiewicz,Bogusław Król,Joanna Milala,Adam Jurgoński,Zenon Zduńczyk

doi:10.3390/nu9101091

Paulina Opyd, Jerzy Juśkiewicz + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9101091

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Abstract

Apple pomace includes seeds that are rich in protein, fiber, and oil, which can be extracted from them. However, they can also contain a significant amount of toxigenic amygdalin. We hypothesized that amygdalin is a compound that significantly reduces the nutritional and health quality of defatted apple seeds. An experiment was conducted on rats that were distributed into three groups and fed with high-fructose diets. In the control (C) and amygdalin (AMG) groups, cellulose and casein were the source of dietary fiber and protein, respectively; in the apple seed meal (ASM) group, dietary fiber and protein originated from the endosperm of apple seeds, which were previously defatted and ground. A diet fed to the ASM group also contained 0.24% of amygdalin from the meal, whereas the AMG diet was supplemented with the same amount of synthetic amygdalin. After 14 days of experimental feeding, the body weight of rats was decreased in the ASM group. When compared to the C group, apparent protein digestibility and nitrogen retention were increased in the AMG group, while both were decreased in the ASM group. In the small intestine, mucosal maltase activity was decreased in the AMG and ASM groups, whereas lactase activity was only decreased by dietary amygdalin. The caecal SCFA pool and butyrate concentration were significantly increased in the ASM group compared to the other groups. Moreover, the ASM diet increased plasma concentration of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and plasma antioxidant capacity of water-soluble substances (ACW). It also decreased the liver content of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS). In contrast, dietary amygdalin did not affect these indices. Dietary supplementation with apple seed meal can exert beneficial effects on the intestinal tract, blood lipid profile and antioxidant status of rats. In most cases, these effects are not limited by the presence of amygdalin. However, the nutritional value of protein from apple seed meal is relatively low.

Highlights

The food industry generates large amounts of by-products, including those of fruit processing, which generally have less use and create environmental burden
We investigated the effect of dietary apple seed meal or amygdalin by itself on nitrogen excretion patterns, intestinal functions, blood biochemical markers, and antioxidant status in rats that were fed a diet high in fructose and saturated fats
Nitrogen intake during the 5-day balance period was similar among all groups, nitrogen content in feces and urine was higher in the apple seed meal (ASM) group and lower in the AMG group compared to group C (Table 2)

Summary

Introduction

The food industry generates large amounts of by-products, including those of fruit processing, which generally have less use and create environmental burden. As with many plant phenolic compounds, apple polyphenols are thought to reduce risk for diet-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer, or diabetes due to their antioxidant properties, among others [12,13,14,15]. These actions are related to phloridzin, which has been suggested as an effective agent in adjuvant treatment of obesity and hyperglycemia, primarily due to its inhibitory effect on glucose absorption from the small intestine [16]

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