Dietary Fiber Components Research Articles

Metagenomic Discovery and Characterization of Multi-Functional and Monomodular Processive Endoglucanases as Biocatalysts

Biomass includes cellulose, hemicelluloses, pectin and lignin; constitutes the components of dietary fibre of plant and alge origins in animals and humans; and can potentially provide inexhaustible basic monomer compounds for developing sustainable biofuels and biomaterials for the world. Development of efficacious cellulases is the key to unlock the biomass polymer and unleash its potential applications in society. Upon reviewing the current literature of cellulase research, two characterized and/or engineered glycosyl hydrolase family-5 (GH5) cellulases have displayed unique properties of processive endoglucanases, including GH5-tCel5A1 that was engineered and was originally identified via targeted genome sequencing of the extremely thermophilic Thermotoga maritima and GH5-p4818Cel5_2A that was screened out of the porcine hindgut microbial metagenomic expression library. Both GH5-tCel5A1 and GH5-p4818Cel5_2A have been characterized as having small molecular weights with an estimated spherical diameter at or < 4.6 nm; being monomodular without a required carbohydrate-binding domain; and acting as processive β-1,4-endoglucanases. These two unique GH5-tCel5A1 and GH5-p4818Cel5_2A processive endocellulases are active in hydrolyzing natural crystalline and pre-treated cellulosic substrates and have multi-functionality towards several hemicelluloses including β-glucans, xylan, xylogulcans, mannans, galactomannans and glucomannans. Therefore, these two multifunctional and monomodular GH5-tCel5A1 and GH5-p4818Cel5_2A endocellulases already have promising structural and functional properties for further optimization and industrial applications.

Development of technology of sauces with functional ingredients for restau-rants

Currently, the creation of a range of new products that improve human nutritional status is a timely and urgent problem facing scientists in the food industry. In food technology it is effective to use functional ingredients that have enhanced protective and improved technological properties. It is possible to confidently attribute the components of plant origin, namely, dietary fiber and plant phospholipids, to such substances. Phospholipids are a group of essential substances that are irreplaceable and enter the human body only with food. Phospholipids cannot be formed independently in the human body, but perform important functions that have a positive effect on the body: they restore cell walls; they are involved in lipid metabolism, as well as reducing the risk of cholesterol formation; they actively participate in the delivery processes of biologically active substances to cells, etc. A rich source of biologically active substances are flax seeds, its medicinal properties have been known for centuries and are recognized by official medicine. The influence of flax seed mucilage and phospholipids in the formulation of red main sauce on rheological and physical parameters was investigated. Samples of sauces with replacement of 50 and 100% of flour for flax polysaccharides and 30 % of animal fat for vegetable phospholipids were developed. The change of effective viscosity and density of the developed sauces is investigated. It was found that at a shear rate of 0.3333 s-1 the viscosity of the control sample is 14.32 Pa·s, of the same one with the replacement of 50 % flour and 10 g of fat and 100 % flour and 10 g of fat, respectively, is 16.49 and 19.6 Pa·s. This replacement in the experimental samples is accompanied by a slight increase in density. In order to substantiate the functional orientation of sauces in the introduction of herbal additives, studies were conducted to determine the antioxidant activity (AOA) of the developed sauces and their components. It was found that the maximum AOA a sauce with herbal additives has, which for 90 minutes is able to “quench” 89 % of the radicals formed in these conditions in the model system. Adding sauces to ready meals, even in small quantities, help to increase the nutritional value and attractiveness of the consumed food. Therefore, the effect of additives on the consumer characteristics of sauces was investigated. It is established that the developed types of sauces have a characteristic structure, creamy and homogeneous consistency, pronounced taste and aroma. The conducted complex of researches allows to state with confidence that use of available vegetable raw materials instead of the ingredients possessing the raised food value, allows to reduce energy value and to expand the range of sauces of functional orientation for restaurant enterprises.

High-fiber diets attenuate emphysema development via modulation of gut microbiota and metabolism

Dietary fiber functions as a prebiotic to determine the gut microbe composition. The gut microbiota influences the metabolic functions and immune responses in human health. The gut microbiota and metabolites produced by various dietary components not only modulate immunity but also impact various organs. Although recent findings have suggested that microbial dysbiosis is associated with several respiratory diseases, including asthma, cystic fibrosis, and allergy, the role of microbiota and metabolites produced by dietary nutrients with respect to pulmonary disease remains unclear. Therefore, we explored whether the gut microbiota and metabolites produced by dietary fiber components could influence a cigarette smoking (CS)-exposed emphysema model. In this study, it was demonstrated that a high-fiber diet including non-fermentable cellulose and fermentable pectin attenuated the pathological changes associated with emphysema progression and the inflammatory response in CS-exposed emphysema mice. Moreover, we observed that different types of dietary fiber could modulate the diversity of gut microbiota and differentially impacted anabolism including the generation of short-chain fatty acids, bile acids, and sphingolipids. Overall, the results of this study indicate that high-fiber diets play a beneficial role in the gut microbiota-metabolite modulation and substantially affect CS-exposed emphysema mice. Furthermore, this study suggests the therapeutic potential of gut microbiota and metabolites from a high-fiber diet in emphysema via local and systemic inflammation inhibition, which may be useful in the development of a new COPD treatment plan.

The Evaluation of the Effects of Orange Juice on the Microflora, Haematologyand Selected Organs of Albino Rats

Fresh oranges juice is an excellent source of vitamin C and contains powerful natural antioxidant, folate, dietary fibre and other bioactive components. The effects of fresh orange juice on the microflora, haematology and histopathology of selected organs of albino rats was evaluated using standard methods. Different volumes of the juice were fed to the rats daily for 8 weeks. Their weight was taken every other day and a comprehensive assessment of their hematology, gastrointestinal flora and histopathology of selected organs done. The juice did not cause any pathological degeneration of the tissue or organs assessed. It caused increased in Packed Cell Volume (PCV) of the rats with the highest increase observed in the rats given 1.0 ml of the juice daily. The PCV was 51.22 ± 1.24% for the group given 1.0 ml daily while the control group was 41.33 ± 0.67%. All the results for the PCV were significantly different at P ≤ 0.05. None of the rats gut was sterile with 7 bacteria identified. The bacteria load ranges from 1.3 × 102 cfu/ml to 1.9 × 104 cfu/ml. The group fed with 0.5 ml of the juice had the highest weight gain. The results obtained has proof the effect of fresh orange juice as a source of vitamin. The histopathological results of the selected organs showed that they are pathologically fine without any degeneration of tissues thereby providing evidence that fresh orange juice has prophylactic and therapeutic values. Conclusively, fresh orange juice has medicinal values, boost immunity, increase blood volume, and restore normal gastrointestinal microflora.

Rye (Secale cereale L.) arabinoxylans and their health-related activity

Arabinoxylans are an essential component of dietary fiber, and their health-promoting properties are determined mainly by the content and structural features their biopolymers. Rye bread is particularly rich in these compounds; their unique features in the context of content and chemical structure of rye arabinoxylans make it a valuable component od daily diet. Long-term studies have shown the positive effect of these compounds in the aspect of prevention of civilization diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. Among the description of the physicochemical properties and diversity of arabinoxylans, the article contains a collection of the most important reports regarding the health-promoting effects of these polymers, as well as their metabolism in the human body.

Innovative technology of flour confectionery products for therapeutic and preventive nutrition of patients with diabetes mellitus

Recently, much attention has been paid to the introduction of raw materials with a low glycemic index into the food industry, among which buckwheat, oat and barley flour occupy a special place. The use of raw materials with a low glycemic index in the formulation of flour confectionery products makes it possible to improve both the organoleptic and physicochemical properties of the product. They also allow to reduce the energy value of such products by reducing the amount of wheat flour, low-calorie margarine, melange and at the same time significantly increase the biological value of the food product. With the aim of adjusting the chemical composition, three recipes for cookies have been developed wheat-oat, wheatbuckwheat and wheat-barley, with the replacement of water in the recipe with an infusion from the collection of herbs “Arfazetin-E”, replacing part of the low-calorie margarine with linseed oil, with the addition of wheat flakes and flaxseed, as well as an aqueous solution of sorbitol and stevioside, apple pectin, iodized salt and flavocene (dihydroquercetin). The introduced components will improve the structural and mechanical properties of the dough, organoleptic and physicochemical indicators of the finished product, and bring the composition closer to the formula for balanced nutrition. The use of unconventional raw materials with a low glycemic index in the food industry makes it possible to enrich the chemical composition of biscuits with dietary fiber, vitamins, and mineral components. From the results of the analysis of the nutritional value, it follows that the finished product contains vitamins B1, B2, β-carotene and E, which can be used for therapeutic and prophylactic nutrition. The use of non-traditional raw materials of vegetable origin in the recipe for cookies leads to an increase in the biological value of the product and a decrease in its calorie content.

In Vitro Glycemic Response of Indigenous Pigmented Rice Cultivars from South India and Influence of Different Carbohydrate Components

Staple diet patterns such as white rice consumption play an important part in the occurrence of chronic lifestyle-related disease like diabetes. This study intended to identify pigmented rice cultivars from India as an alternative to white rice. Nine carbohydrate components were quantified in six red and two black pigmented rice varieties. In vitro starch digestibility was also analyzed and the predicted glycemic index (pGI) was estimated. The relationship between the carbohydrate components and the pGI of the rice varieties was analyzed. The rice varieties, Kattuyanam and Chennangi exhibited high levels of insoluble dietary fibre, total dietary fibre and amylose. High soluble dietary fibre contents were observed in Poonghar and Aruvadam kuruvai. The levels of resistant starch and slowly digestible starch were found to be the highest in Karupakavuni. The results indicated Kattuyanam, Chennangi, Karungkuruvai, and Poonghar to be low pGI rice varieties (< 55). The three varieties, Kesari, Karupakavuni, and Aruvadam kuruvai were categorized under the medium pGI category (56-69). Mapillai samba had a high pGI of 70 which could be due to processing (partially milled and parboiled), but had significantly lower pGI than the white rice, Sona masuri (GI – 76). The dietary fibre components, resistant starch, slowly digestible starch, and the amylose content were negatively correlated with the pGI. Among these components, the insoluble dietary fibre, total dietary fibre, and resistant starch with significantly high (p ≤0.01) correlation were found to be the major determining factors of pGI in the studied pigmented rice cultivars. The inclusion of the identified pigmented rice varieties with low to medium glycemic response in the diet could become a key role in the dietary management of diabetes, especially among the rice-eating population.

Effect of germination on the physicochemical, nutritional, functional, thermal properties and in vitro digestibility of Bambara groundnut flours

The physicochemical, functional, thermal properties and in vitro digestibility of flours from germinated Bambara groundnut (BGN) were monitored over 72 h. In a time dependent manner, germination led to significant (p ≤ 0.05) increases in protein (26.1–28.79 g/100 g), dietary fiber components, digestible starch, in vitro protein digestibility (73.67–88.9%), calcium, magnesium, potassium, total phenolic content, and majority of the amino acids. Germination significantly decreased phytic acid, tannin and trypsin inhibitory activity. Protein solubility, oil and water absorption capacity, foaming capacity, emulsion stability and activity of BGN flour increased significantly with germination. Germination also modified the thermal and pasting properties of the flour. However, scanning electron microscopy did not reveal significant changes in starch granular structure. There were significant decreases in relative crystallinity (57.94–20.92%) as observed from the X-ray diffractograms. This study has demonstrated that germination significantly improved the nutritional, total phenolic content, functional and processing properties of BGN flour. This could encourage its utilization in food product development, particularly as a functional food ingredient.

Rye (Secale cereale L.) arabinoxylans: molecular structure, physicochemicals properties and the resulting pro-health effects

Arabinoxylans are an essential component of dietary fiber, and their health-promoting properties are determined mainly by the content and structural features their biopolymers. Rye bread is particularly rich in these compounds; their unique features in the context of content and chemical structure of rye arabinoxylans make it a valuable component od daily diet. Long-term studies have shown the positive effect of these compounds in the aspect of prevention of civilization diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. Among the description of the physicochemical properties and diversity of arabinoxylans, the article contains a collection of the most important reports regarding the health-promoting effects of these polymers, as well as their metabolism in the human body.

Dietary fiber components, microstructure, and texture of date fruits (Phoenix dactylifera, L.)

Date fruits vary widely in the hardness of their edible parts and they are classified accordingly into soft, semi-dry, and dry varieties. Fruit texture, a significant parameter in determining consumer acceptance, is related to the tissue structure and chemical composition of the fruit, mainly the ratio of sucrose to reducing sugars. This study aimed to understand the relationship between the chemical composition, microstructure, and texture profile of 10 major Emirati date fruits. The soluble sugars, glucose and fructose, represent ca 80 g/100 g of the fruits on the basis of dry weight (DW) while the dietary fiber contents varied 5.2–7.4 g/100 dg D.W. with lignin being the main determinant of the variability. The textures of the samples were studied using instrumental texture profile analysis. While no correlation was found between the soluble sugar and texture parameters in this study, the different fiber constituents correlated variably with the different parameters of date fruit texture. Lignin, arabinoxylan, galactomannan, and pectin were found to correlate significantly with fruit hardness and the related parameters, gumminess and chewiness. Both lignin and arabinoxylan correlated with resilience, and arabinoxylan exhibited a strong correlation with cohesiveness.

PERSIMMON IS A VALUABLE RAW MATERIAL FOR PROCESSING

A method has been developed for obtaining confiture from overripe persimmons, unsuitable for storage, using mashed lemons with skin. It has been established that the addition of mashed lemons with peel enriches the finished product with ascorbic acid, P-active compounds, dietary fiber and other useful components. Also provided are the results of an organoleptic assessment of the quality of confiture made from three pomological persimmon varieties according to a 5-point system.

Functional soluble dietary fiber from ginseng residue: Polysaccharide characterization, structure, antioxidant, and enzyme inhibitory activity.

Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) is the most famous edible Chinese herbal medicine. In the present study, soluble dietary fiber of ginseng (ginseng-SDF, 8.98% content) was extracted from ginseng residue, and its physicochemical characterization, structure, and biological activities were studied. Ginseng-SDF was an acidic heteropolysaccharide (uronic acid, 4.42% content) rich in protein, amino acids, and mineral elements. Glucose was its main monosaccharide composition (58.03%). Ginseng-SDF had a porous microstructure, a typical cellulose I structure and a large number of hydroxyl functional groups. These chemical composition and structural characteristics gave ginseng-SDF a good water solubility (98.56%), oil-holding capacity (OHC) (3.01g/g), and biological activities, as the antioxidant activity (13.35μM TE/g, 105.17μM TE/g, 54.20μM TE/g for DPPH, ABTs, and FRAP assays, respectively), glucose diffusion retardation index (GDRI, 33.33%-7.43%), and α-amylase/α-glucosidase inhibitory activities (IC50 , 6.70mg/ml, and 4.89mg/ml, respectively). The results suggested that ginseng residue is a valuable source of functional dietary fiber, and the ginseng-SDF has a potential use in antioxidant and hypoglycemic foods. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Ginseng has long been popular as a health food in Asia, North America, and Europe. Ginseng residue is rich in polysaccharides, dietary fiber, proteins, and other components, which is also of great research value. However, there are few studies focus on the soluble dietary fiber of ginseng at present. The research shows that ginseng residue is a valuable source of functional dietary fiber. The chemical components and structural characteristics give ginseng-SDF a noteworthy antioxidant activity and enzyme inhibitory activity in vitro. These properties and biological activities indicate that ginseng-SDF has application value in antioxidant and hypoglycemic foods.

Do modern types of wheat have lower quality for human health?

Wheat is the major staple food in Western Europe and an important source of energy, protein, dietary fibre, minerals, B vitamins and phytochemicals. Plant breeders have been immensely successful in increasing yields to feed the growing global population. However, concerns have been expressed that the focus on increasing yield and processing quality has resulted in reduced contents of components that contribute to human health and increases in adverse reactions. We review the evidence for this, based largely on studies in our own laboratories of sets of wheats bred and grown between the 18th century and modern times. With the exception of decreased contents of mineral micronutrients, there is no clear evidence that intensive breeding has resulted in decreases in beneficial components or increases in proteins which trigger adverse responses. In fact, a recent study of historic and modern wheats from the UK showed increases in the contents of dietary fibre components and a decreased content of asparagine in white flour, indicating increased benefits for health.

Nutrition importance and health benefits of mulberry leaf extract: A review

Mulberry (Morus) belongs to the Moraceae plant family, native of China. The leaves of mulberry plant are the major food source for the silkworm. The leaf consists of minerals, vitamins, dietary fibre, amino acids, phytosterols, flavonoids and other functional components, mainly 1-DNJ (1-Deoxynojirimycin) which acts as an anti-diabetic drug. In countries like China, Korea and Japan the preparations from mulberry leaves are used as medicine for increasing the immunity of the human body, cough relief and to lower the blood sugar and blood pressure. The high nutritional value of leaves is used as a functional food, mostly in the form of herbal tea, smoothie, yoghurt, salads, nutritional masala biscuits, capsules, dry powder, oil, dietary supplement etc. This manuscript mainly focuses on the nutritional importance and health benefits of mulberry leaves extract. The leaves extract may help to lower blood sugar (diabetes), inflammation levels, cholesterol and fighting against heart disease.

Lignin is the main determinant of total dietary fiber differences between date fruit (Phoenix dactylifera L.) varieties

Date fruits (Phoenix dactylifera) of ten varieties, collected in the United Arab Emirates, were studied to determine their dietary fiber content and composition. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy indicated that the dietary fiber components in all the date fruit varieties was similar. The major dietary fiber components, including cellulose, hemicellulosic components, lignin, and pectin, were analyzed by the Uppsala method. The total dietary fiber content in the date fruits analyzed (5.2%–8.3%) is comparable to commonly consumed dried fruits and is correlated with the content of lignin. The lignin was the main determinant of the total dietary fiber content in dates and its content was higher in semi-hard and hard fruit varieties.

Endogenous arabinoxylans variability in refined wheat flour and its relationship with quality traits

Arabinoxylans (AXs) are the major dietary fiber (DF) component in wheat and their consumption has been associated with several health benefits. Genetic improvement of the AX in refined wheat flour could be a good solution to improve the DF daily consumption while maintaining the flour desirable quality. In this study, 193 common wheat lines were analyzed for their AX content in refined flour and end-use quality. Wide variation in both the total arabinoxylan (TOT-AX) (10.8–16.5 mg/g) and water-extractable arabinoxylan (WE-AX) (3.2–7.6 mg/g) was identified and, in both cases, the genotype had the greatest impact on the observed phenotypes. Variation in the endogenous AX fractions appeared to have a moderate effect on wheat quality. The WE-AX, specifically, were positively correlated with gluten strength (r = 0.11 to 0.32) and bread loaf volume (r = 0.16), whereas the TOT-AX were negatively correlated with dough extensibility (r = −0.11) and bread making quality (r = −0.11). Overall, results of this study show that the genetic improvement of grain AX is feasible and that the AXs present in refined flour do not dramatically alter wheat quality indicating that it is possible to select varieties with high AX endosperm content end desired end-use quality.

Does High Voltage Electrical Discharge Treatment Induce Changes in Tannin and Fiber Properties of Cocoa Shell?

Cocoa shell is a by-product of the chocolate industry that is rich in dietary fiber and bioactive components. In this research, the influence of high voltage electric discharge (HVED) treatment on chemical and physical characteristics of the cocoa shell, i.e., the effects of applied time and frequencies on grinding ability, water binding capacity (WBC), dietary fibers and tannin content was investigated. HVED had a significant influence on the chemical and physical properties of cocoa shell, all of which could be linked to changes in fiber properties. Along with the fiber content, grinding ability and water binding capacity were increased. These properties have already been linked to fiber content and soluble/insoluble fiber ratio. However, this research implies that change in fiber properties could be linked to tannin formation via complexation of other polyphenolic components. Additional research is needed to verify this effect and to establish mechanisms of tannin formation induced by HVED and its influence on fiber quantification.

Microbiota Modulating Nutritional Approaches to Countering the Effects of Viral Respiratory Infections Including SARS-CoV-2 through Promoting Metabolic and Immune Fitness with Probiotics and Plant Bioactives.

Viral respiratory infections (VRIs) can spread quickly and cause enormous morbidity and mortality worldwide. These events pose serious threats to public health due to time lags in developing vaccines to activate the acquired immune system. The high variability of people’s symptomatic responses to viral infections, as illustrated in the current COVID-19 pandemic, indicates the potential to moderate the severity of morbidity from VRIs. Growing evidence supports roles for probiotic bacteria (PB) and prebiotic dietary fiber (DF) and other plant nutritional bioactives in modulating immune functions. While human studies help to understand the epidemiology and immunopathology of VRIs, the chaotic nature of viral transmissions makes it difficult to undertake mechanistic study where the pre-conditioning of the metabolic and immune system could be beneficial. However, recent experimental studies have significantly enhanced our understanding of how PB and DF, along with plant bioactives, can significantly modulate innate and acquired immunity responses to VRIs. Synbiotic combinations of PB and DF potentiate increased benefits primarily through augmenting the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as butyrate. These and specific plant polyphenolics help to regulate immune responses to both restrain VRIs and temper the neutrophil response that can lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This review highlights the current understanding of the potential impact of targeted nutritional strategies in setting a balanced immune tone for viral clearance and reinforcing homeostasis. This knowledge may guide the development of public health tactics and the application of functional foods with PB and DF components as a nutritional approach to support countering VRI morbidity.

The potential use of by‐products from coconut industry for production of pasta

The study was undertaken to assess the use of coconut flour (CF) and coconut residue (RCO) as a source of dietary fiber in wheat pasta production. The addition of CF and RCO can decrease the pasta extruder output up to 32%. The optimum cooking time for pasta with the CF and RCO was higher than for the control. CF and RCO had little or no effect on the weight and volume increase index. The pasta with CF had lower firmness compared to the product with RCO. The use of CF (up to 15%) and RCO (up to 10%) did not exert a negative effect on sensory attributes, however, the pasta was whiter and more intensely red, and yellow than the control. Pasta with the recommended addition of CF and RCO had good quality and higher content of dietary fiber, protein, and lipids, compared to the control. Practical applications Due to its popularity, pasta can be an excellent food matrix for supplementation with dietary fiber, proteins, minerals, and other healthy components; to prevent some noncommunicable disease. Based on literature, coconut components are good source of fermentable dietary fiber, which allows production of functional food. So far, there is limited information available about the use of the coconut industry by-product for production of pasta. Coconut flour and coconut residue can be successfully used in pasta production as a potential sources of dietary fiber. Harnessing the potential of coconut by-products as a dietary fiber could be a health benefit and economic boost to the coconut industry.

Historical changes in the contents and compositions of fibre components and polar metabolites in white wheat flour

Thirty-nine UK adapted wheat cultivars dating from between 1790 and 2012 were grown in replicated randomised field trials for three years, milled, and white flour analysed for the contents of dietary fibre components (arabinoxylan and β-glucan) and polar metabolites (sugars, amino acids, organic acids, choline and betaine) to determine whether the composition had changed due to the effects of intensive breeding. The concentrations of components varied between study years, indicating strong effects of environment. Nevertheless, some trends were observed, with the concentrations of arabinoxylan fibre and soluble sugars (notably sucrose, maltose and fructose) increasing and most amino acids (including asparagine which is the precursor of acrylamide formed during processing) decreasing between the older and newer types. The concentration of betaine, which is beneficial for cardio-vascular health, also increased. The study therefore provided no evidence for adverse effects of intensive breeding on the contents of beneficial components in wheat flour.