DPPH Scavenging Capacity Research Articles

Effect of relative humidity on the metabolite profiles, antioxidant activity and sensory acceptance of black garlic processing

Fresh garlic (FG) was processed at five different relative humidities (RH) at 55 °C for 40 days. The moisture content, aw, browning intensity and DPPH scavenging capacity were determined during processing under controlled conditions. After processing, sensory acceptance and metabolite differences were analyzed using 1H-NMR. Furthermore, a chemometric analysis was performed using both the 1H-NMR chemical profiles and the sensory evaluation of the 40-day black garlic (BG) samples. An increase in the antioxidant capacity at higher browning rate was observed. The variability for twenty-five compounds showed main changes in amino and organic acids, sugars, organosulfur compounds, ethanol, methanol GABA, choline and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. Higher acceptance values on the sensory evaluation were for BG processed at 58 and 71% RH, indicating that intermediates RH results in a better sensory quality. An OPLS-DA chemometric analysis showed that sugars, formic acid, 5-HMF, amino acids, ethanol, and choline were the main contributors.

Improvement of solubility, stability and antioxidant activity of carotenoids using deep eutectic solvent-based microemulsions

Natural carotenoids have been widely used as colorants and antioxidants in process of food, medicine, and cosmetic. However, the carotenoids have low bioactivity in vivo due to poor water-solubility. To enhance the solubility, stability and antioxidant activity of carotenoids, novel microemulsions (MEs) composed with deep eutectic solvents (DESs), tween 80 and water were developed as alternatives to organic solvents. The phase diagrams and physicochemical properties (viscosity, pH, and diameter) of the DES-based MEs were investigated at different temperatures. Then the solubility distribution, storage stability and DPPH free radical-scavenging activity of three carotenoids (astaxanthin, astaxanthin ester and lutein) in the MEs were evaluated. Compared with ethanol, methanol, and acetone, all the DES-based MEs studied significantly enhanced the solubility of the carotenoids due to the stronger hydrogen bonding and Van der Waals interactions. The highest solubilities of 0.27, 473.63, and 12.50 mg/mL for astaxanthin, astaxanthin ester and lutein, respectively, were observed in the MEs containing DES (DL-menthol:acetic acid = 1:2) at 35 ℃. Moreover, astaxanthin ester can be well preserved in the MEs containing DES (DL-menthol:octanoic acid = 1:2) with a half-life of more than 69 days. In addition, the DPPH scavenging capacities of the three carotenoids in all the MEs were higher than the organic solvents. The results revealed that the DES-based MEs with low viscosity (<0.2 Pa•s) and mild acidic pH (4−5) are potential solvents for natural carotenoids in food processing and storage, medicine making, as well as biomaterials processing.

Effect of Ndonga (Paste of Mixed Spices) on Some Metabolic Parameters in Rats Fed With a High-Calorie Diet

ObjectivesThe beneficial role of spices on health has long been proven. In Cameroon, spices are mostly been consumed as a mixture added in meal preparations not for their health benefits but for their capacity to enhance the taste or the flavour of the meals. Therefore, associating the health advantages with the culinary properties will make it possible to better valorize these spices largely consumed by Cameroonian populations. Thus the present work aimed at evaluating the effect of Ndonga (a paste of mixed spices) on some biological parameters in rats fed with a high-calorie diet. MethodsThe paste was purchased from a local manufacturer and vendor in Kumbe-Bakundu, South-West Region, Cameroon. Part of the spice mixture was macerated in distilled water (1:6w/v) for 24 h and the filtrate was used to assess for bioactive compounds. The other part was used to supplement at 5 and 10% a High-fat high sucrose diet (HFHSD) used to feed rats (treated groups). The experimentation included a rat group fed with a normal diet (ND) and a positive control group fed with no supplemented HFHSD. Body weight was registered for all rats throughout the experimental period that lasted 28 days. Fasting blood and organs collected from rats were used for biochemical assays. ResultsBioactive molecules such as polyphenols and flavonoids were present in the prepared aqueous extract. Total antioxidant capacity and DPPH scavenging capacity were both found to be more important in the acidified water extract. In vivo results revealed that weight gain was least important (+3, 05%) in the group supplemented with 10% Ndonga compared to all the other groups (P < 0.05) as well as a lower triglyceride level (69,2 ± 9,31 mg/dL) (p< 0.05). Apart from the normal group where food consumption was lowest, food intake was similar in all groups. HDL-cholesterol level was higher in the group supplemented with 5% Ndonga (P < 0.05). Liver and kidney parameters were found to be ameliorated in supplemented groups. ConclusionsSupplementation of meals with Ndonga can ameliorate lipid metabolic disorders and thus prevent atherogenic risk. Funding SourcesThe present work did not receive any funding.

PARAFAC modeling of dandelion phenolic compound fluorescence relation to antioxidant properties

The phenolic compounds in dandelion were extracted using different ethanol percentage solutions, identified with HPLC-MS, and their scavenging capabilities of DPPH, ABTS and OH radicals were determined. Then the excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy coupled with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) was conveyed to analyze the relationship between phenolics, components scores of PARAFAC model and antioxidant capacities, based on linear regression method. The results showed that the relative content of chicoric acid, esculetin, caffeic acid, gallic acid monohydrate, eupatilin, caffeic acid-3-glucoside, corchorifatty acid F, and luteolin was higher than 0.5%, and the extraction solutions with 100% and 75% water had a better scavenging capacity of DPPH, ABTS and OH radicals. Two components PARAFAC model was identified with the comparatively higher sum of squares, core consistency values, and lower interactions numbers, and the established equations indicated the component scores had a linear regression relationship with antioxidant capacities of DPPH, and ABTS. The paper was proposed for the first time that the component scores of PARAFAC model might be treated as a useful indication for antioxidant capacity evaluation.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11694-022-01389-z.

Entrapping curcumin in the hydrophobic reservoir of rice proteins toward stable antioxidant nanoparticles

Loading hydrophobic phytochemicals by protein particles is challenged by either insufficient loading capacity or colloidal instability. In this study, hydrosoluble curcumin-loaded nanoparticles were prepared using hydrophobic rice proteins (RPs). The fabrication was facilitated by dissolving curcumin and RPs at pH 12.0 before neutralizing the basicity. The formation of nanoparticles was studied by fluorescence and infrared spectroscopy, and the microstructures were studied by transmission electron microscopy. The results showed the entrapping of curcumin inside the hydrophobic reservoir formed by the acid-induced refolding of RPs. Due to promoted burial of the hydrophobic moieties, the curcumin-loaded RP-nanoparticles displayed excellent colloidal stability during the 28-day storage. Bearing 144.41 mg/g protein of curcumin, the nanoparticles demonstrated prominent antioxidant properties, with the DPPH scavenging capacity increased by up to 88.62% compared to the free curcumin. This study harnessed hydrophobic attractions as a tool for management of the protein-phytochemical interactions, overcoming colloidal instabilities of both individual components.

Application of Glycine betaine coated chitosan nanoparticles alleviate chilling injury and maintain quality of plum (Prunus domestica L.) fruit

The use of edible coatings can lead to significant extension of the postharvest life of fresh horticultural products through the regulation of water and gaseous exchange during storage. In this regard, nano-engineered materials are of great interest to design novel and multifunctional edible coatings and are increasingly employed. Chitosan and glycine betaine have been reported to enhance fruit tolerance to chilling stress during cold storage. The current study applied new coating treatments to plum (Prunus domestica L. cv. ‘Stanley’) fruit at maturity stage in a completely randomized factorial design with three replicates. Plums were treated with distilled water (control), glycine betaine (GB) at 2.5 and 5 mM, chitosan (CTS) at 1% (w/v) or glycine betaine-coated chitosan nanoparticles (CTS-GB NPs) at 0.5 and 1% (w/v) and stored at 1 °C for up to 40 days. The application of CTS-GB NPs (0.5% w/v) was the most effective treatment and induced lower electrolyte leakage, MDA and H2O2 content, and significantly alleviated chilling injury. Furthermore, this treatment remarkably increased the activity of PAL enzyme, resulting in higher levels of phenolics, flavonoids and anthocyanins content, and enhanced DPPH scavenging capacity. In addition, CTS-GB NPs treatment increased endogenous GB (9.25 mg g−1 DW) and proline (1929.29 μg g−1 FW) accumulation leading to higher activity of CAT, POD, SOD and APX enzymes. Based on the obtained results, the commercial application of CTS-GB NPs could effectively reduce chilling injury, preserve nutritional quality, and prolong the storage potential and shelf life of plum fruit.

Development of a Simple and Rapid HPLC-UV Method for Ultrasound-assisted Deep Eutectic Solvent Extraction optimization of Ferulic Acid and Antioxidant Activity from Ixora javanica Flowers

In this work, we developed an environmental friendly extraction method to enhance ferulic acid yields and antioxidant activity of I. javanica flowers using Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) method and Deep Eutectic Solvents as green solvent. To optimize the extraction method, response surface method analysis using Box Behnken designs were conducted. The results showed that the optimum extraction conditions for ferulic acid yields, DPPH scavenging capacity, ABTS scavenging capacity and Ferric-Reducing Antioxidant Power featured an extraction time of 40 min, 25% water content, and solid-to-liquid ratio of 1/27 g/mL. In this study, a rapid and simple analytical method was also validated for the quantification of ferulic acid in I. javanica flower extract using LC-UV method. The developed method was carried out under following condition: isocratic mobile phase of acetonitrile/formic acid pH 2.55 (30:70), a flow rate of 0.8 ml/min, detection at 321 nm, and C-18 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 µm). The ferulic acid and antioxidant activity of the extract obtained from the developed were higher than ethanolic extract under same extraction condition. In summary, the results of this study can provide more effective and efficient extraction method by applying the green extraction principle and be recommended to provide new potential antioxidant raw material.

An Integrated Strategy for Rapid Screening of Multi-target Lead Compounds for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease from Traditional Chinese Medicines by UHPLC Combined with High-throughput Screening: A Case Study on Salviae miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma

Background: Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Red Sage root) is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) with demonstrated curative effects, based on the concept of "one drug with multiple therapeutic targets," which appears to be a good strategy for AD treatment. Objective: This study aimed to develop of high-throughput screening (HTS) method for multitherapeutic target components found in complex TCMs, which are active against AD, using Red Sage root as the case study. Method: Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors (AChEIs) from Red Sage root extracts were pre-screened by ultrafiltration-HPLC (UF-HPLC) analysis, in which AChE was added to the extract and then ultrafiltered to remove non-binding compounds. Potential AChEIs were identified by HPLC analysis of compounds bound to AChE. A microplate-based HTS was then used to quantify the AChE inhibitory activity and antioxidant activity of the pre-screened compounds. Results: Pre-screening found ten potential inhibitors, which were identified by ESI-TOF/MS; six of these were purified by semi-preparative HPLC: Oleoyl neocryptotanshinone (1), Dihydrotanshinone Ⅰ (2), Cryptotanshinone (3), Tanshinone Ⅰ (4), Tanshinone ⅡA (5) and Miltirone (6). All six compounds had good AChE inhibitory activity and weak DPPH scavenging capacity. Conclusion: This study provides a platform and technology support for the rapid discovery of multi-target components, potentially active against AD, from complex TCMs and with strong potential for adaptation to the discovery of treatments for other diseases.

Optimization of Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Perilla Meal Protein for Hydrolysate with High Hydrolysis Degree and Antioxidant Activity.

Botanical oils are staple consumer goods globally, but as a by-product of oil crops, meal is of low utilization value and prone to causing environmental problems. The development of proteins in meal into bioactive peptides, such as Perilla peptide, through biotechnology can not only solve environmental problems, but also create more valuable nutritional additives. In the present work, the hydrolysis process of Perilla meal protein suitable for industrial application was optimized with the response surface methodology (RSM) on the basis of single-factor experiments. Alcalase was firstly selected as the best-performing among four proteases. Then, based on Alcalase, the optimal hydrolysis conditions were as follows: enzyme concentration of 7%, hydrolysis temperature of 61.4 °C, liquid-solid ratio of 22.33:1 (mL/g) and hydrolysis time of 4 h. Under these conditions, the degree of hydrolysis (DH) of Perilla meal protein was 26.23 ± 0.83% and the DPPH scavenging capacity of hydrolysate was 94.15 ± 1.12%. The soluble peptide or protein concentration of Perilla meal protein hydrolysate rose up to 5.24 ± 0.05 mg/mL, the ideal yield of which was estimated to be 17.9%. SDS-PAGE indicated that a large proportion of new bands in hydrolysate with small molecular weights appeared, which was different from the original Perilla meal protein. The present data contributed to further, more specific research on the separation, purification and identification of antioxidant peptide from the hydrolysate of Perilla meal protein. The results showed that the hydrolysis of Perilla meal protein could yield peptides with high antioxidant activity and potential applications as natural antioxidants in the food industry.

Anthocyanin‐fortified konjac glucomannan/sodium alginate composite edible boba: characteristics of texture, microstructure, in vitro release behaviour and antioxidant capacity

SummaryKonjac glucomannan/sodium alginate composite edible boba (KGM/SA‐boba) with good taste is very popular in China, and it is an outstanding carrier for health potential ingredients. In this work, KGM/SA‐boba were fortified with 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00% purple sweet potato anthocyanin (PSPA), then characterised by the water distribution, texture, microstructure, in vitro release property of PSPA and antioxidant capacity. LF‐NMR analysis demonstrated that the free water of KGM/SA‐boba could transfer to tightly bound water with the addition of PSPA that made it with better water‐binding ability, higher springiness and lower hardness. And the results of SEM and rheology showed that PSPA could stabilise the microstructure of KGM/SA‐boba by forming more amorphous regions and hydrogen bonds proved by the results of DSC and FT‐IR. Furthermore, 50% of PSPA in PSPA‐fortified KGM/SA‐boba can be released at the first hour in a simulated gastrointestinal environment. And the scavenging capacity of DPPH and ABTS of the PSPA‐fortified KGM/SA‐boba after digestion was higher than that of PSPA alone. Generally, PSPA could improve the texture while KGM/SA‐boba in turn would make PSPA more stable in the gastrointestinal digestive system.

Synthesis, antioxidant activity and antibacterial study of EGCG complexes with iron(III) ions

Tea is infamous for its iron absorption, which leads to iron deficiency due to its high polyphenols content that easily chelates non-heme iron. Thus, studying the formation of (−)-Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) complexes with iron ions in vitro might give more insight into their properties. UV and IR spectrums were recorded to determine the structure of EGCG complexes with iron(III) ions. Job’s method, formation constants, free energy, and DPPH scavenging capacity were calculated. Disk diffusion assay was used to evaluate the antibacterial activity of these complexes against four different bacteria. The results showed the formation of [Fe(EGCG)(H2O)], [Fe(EGCG)2], and [Fe2(EGCG)(H2O)2] complexes in pH = 7.4 with formation constants (log K) of 4.39, 4.78 and 3.93, respectively. The complexes’ DPPH results didn’t show any significant difference. The antibacterial study showed a small inhibition of the tested bacteria compared to the standard disk. It is suggested that if EGCG-iron complexes form in the body after tea consumption, they will still have the main properties of EGCG as an antioxidant and an antibacterial agent. They also might be considered in medical supplements to provide or reduce iron metal in the body.

Alkaline-extracted thinned young apple polyphenols as an effective scavenger against nitrite in pickles: A comparative study with ethanol-extracted polyphenols

Pickles are popular fermented vegetable products worldwide. However, nitrite residue in pickles has caused a major safety concern. In this study, we adopted 80% ethanol solution (v/v) and 4N NaOH solution as solvents to extract polyphenols from thinned young apples, and the resulting polyphenols were designated EEP (ethanol-extracted polyphenols) and AEP (alkaline-extracted polyphenols), respectively. The results showed that AEP had a higher extraction yield than EEP, and the main individual phenolic components in AEP and EEP were different. Additionally, the DPPH scavenging capacity (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free radical) of AEP was slightly higher than that of EEP, indicating that the antioxidant activity of AEP was better than that of EEP. Further experiments suggested that both AEP and EEP exhibited good nitrite-scavenging capacity under simulated acidic conditions (pH ~3.8, close to the pH of real pickle products), with AEP showing a more pronounced effect. Moreover, in a real pickle system, the nitrite-scavenging capacity of AEP was also better than that of EEP, possibly because AEP contained a higher caffeic acid content, which was proven more effective in reacting with nitrite than chlorogenic acid (the main individual polyphenol in EEP). In addition, the EEP and AEP addition did not significantly affect the original flavor and taste of the pickle, which highlights the potential application of thinned apple polyphenols in pickle production.

The Effect of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum BX62 Alone or in Combination with Chitosan on the Qualitative Characteristics of Fresh-Cut Apples during Cold Storage

In order to explore whether beneficial lactic acid bacteria (LAB) could prolong the shelf life and improve the quality of fresh-cut apples, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum BX62, which was isolated from traditional fermented yak yogurt, and chitosan (CT), were applied to fresh-cut apples, subsequently stored at 4 °C. On days 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8, apple slices were taken for physicochemical, microbiological analysis, and sensory evaluation. The results showed that apple slices coated with L. plantarum BX62 (8 log CFU/mL) presented lower weight loss and browning rate, higher DPPH scavenging capacity, and achieved more effective inhibition of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activities compared to the control samples. The application of CT alone or in combination with L. plantarum BX62 resulted in a significant reduction in aerobic mesophilic bacteria (AMB), aerobic psychrophilic bacterial (APB), yeast and molds (YAMs) counts (2.31 log CFU/g for AMB, 2.55 for APB, and 1.58 for YAMs). In addition, L. plantarum BX62 coated apples showed acceptable sensory properties in terms of color, flavor, taste, texture, and overall visual quality during 8 d of storage. On this basis, L. plantarum BX62 could be used as an excellent bio-preservative to extend the shelf life and improve the quality of fresh-cut apples.

Production nutritious juice blends containing bioactive healthy compounds

Abstract Fruit drinks are healthful drinks, where they contain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that play important role in preventing many diseases. Blended Juice method is used to improve the nutritional value of drinks according to the kind of fruits used. The aim of this study is to prepare healthful fresh blended drinks from some fruit and vegetable, then evaluate their nutritional value and sensory quality. Five formulas of natural drinks blends were prepared and kept in bottles. Physico-chemical and sensory properties of the prepared drinks blends were evaluated. Total phenols, total flavonoids and antioxidant activity of fresh drink blends was evaluated using DPPH scavenging capacities method. The overall acceptability of blended drink of formulas 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 showed the possibility to produce blended drink characterized with its good sensory and nutritional properties. The obtained antioxidant activity of blended drink confirmed that they could used as a source of antioxidants and as healthful drinks. Therefore, these blended drinks could be used to who suffering from obesity, blood pressure, cancer, Alzheimer’s and heart diseases. The obtained five blended drinks are good source of minerals and antioxidant activity of their vitamin C, flavonoids and total phenolics contents. Therefore, it could be recommended to consume the obtained blended drink to protect human from several diseases.

VIETNAMESE Phellinus baumii FRUITING BODY, A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF ANTIOXIDANT AND α-AMYLASE INHIBITORY AGENTS

n-Hexane, ethyl acetate, and butanol fractions from methanol extract of Vietnamese Phellinus baumii fruiting body consisted of phenolics, flavonoids, and terpenoids. Ethyl acetate and butanol fractions showed a high level of total phenolics. Ethyl acetate fractions possessed the highest phenolic content (532.96 ± 19.95 mg GAE\g), accounting for approximately 53% fraction dry weight. Free radical DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging capacity of all fractions correlated with their total phenolic content. Ethyl acetate fraction exhibited the strongest capacity with an IC50 value of 0.059 mg\mL, equivalent to nearly 50% of ascorbic acid’s capacity. Its ferric reducing power was off more than half of quercetin and acid ascorbic at the concentration of 0.2 mg\mL. Ethyl acetate also had remarkable α-amylase inhibitory activity (IC50= 0.38 mg\mL). The results suggested P. baumii fruiting body as a potent source for antioxidative and α-amylase inhibitory compounds.

Anthelminthic, Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Activities and FTIR Analyses of Vernonia camporum Stem-Bark

Vernonia camporum is used ethnomedicinally to treat diseases such as malaria, fever, hypertension, mouth sores, pains, inflammation, and skin rashes in Africa. This study aims at investigating the biological activities (anthelminthic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial) and separating some of the biologically active components in the methanol crude extract of the stem-bark of Vernonia camporum. Phytochemical screening, anthelminthic (Lumbricus terrestris (earthworm)), anti-inflammatory (egg albumin denaturation), antioxidant (DPPH and H2O2 scavenging and total antioxidant capacity (TAC)), and antimicrobial (agar and broth dilution method) assays were performed on the extracts. Column chromatography and FTIR spectroscopic analysis were employed to separate and analyze the least polar constituents of the methanol extract. The preliminary phytochemical analyses revealed the presence of secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, phenols, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, flavonoids, steroids, phytosterols, proteins and amino acids, phlobatannins, glycosides, cardiac glycosides, coumarins, and anthocyanins. The extracts (methanol and hexane) showed a higher concentration-dependent anthelminthic activity. The extracts exhibited high concentration-dependent anti-inflammatory activities with IC50 values of 35.83 ± 3.984 and 53.91 ± 5.8413 µg/mL, respectively. The IC50 values for methanol and hexane extracts in the DPPH assay were 17.70 ± 3.430 and 29.54 ± 1.5437 µg/mL, and those of the H2O2 assay were 243.20 ± 0.1528 and 352.20 ± 12.64 µg/mL, respectively. TAC results for methanol and hexane extracts were recorded as 31.592 ± 1.682 and 30.232 ± 0.445 gAAE/100 g, respectively. The extracts were observed to exhibit antimicrobial activity against test organisms with MICs ranging from 0.1953 to 25.00 mg/mL. Chromatographic separations gave four fractions. FTIR analysis indicated the presence of various functional groups in purified fractions of the methanol extract that confirms the presence of the phytochemicals identified in the screening test. The results indicate that both extracts of V. camporum possess anthelminthic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities supporting the traditional usage of this plant.

Biosynthesis and evaluation of a novel highly water-soluble quercetin glycoside derivative

Quercetin (1) was converted into quercetin 7-O-succinyl glucoside (2) by used Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FJ18 as a solvent-resistant whole-cell biocatalyst. The structure of the new compound was confirmed by LC-MS analysis and NMR spectroscopy. The water-solubility of this novel quercetin 7-O-succinyl glucoside (2) was approximately 1000 times higher than that of native quercetin (2). Quercetin (1) and quercetin 7-O-succinyl glucoside (2) exhibited significant DPPH scavenging capacity with IC50 values of 23.55 and 36.05 µM, respectively. Both compounds showed moderate cytotoxic effects against the two human cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and HepG2) with IC50 values ranging from 39.45-63.38 µM.

Process optimization, digestibility and antioxidant activity of extruded rice with Agaricusbisporus

Using broken rice and Agaricus bisporus powder as main raw materials, the extruded rice with Agaricus bisporus was prepared by twin-screw extruder. Taking texture and sensory score as evaluation indexes, response surface method was used to optimize the quality of extruded rice. Meanwhile, the microstructure, digestion property and antioxidant capacity of extruded rice were estimated. Box-Behnken design optimization result showed that the optimum process parameters were extrusion temperature 102.2 °C, moisture 30.1, Agaricus bisporus powder 3.8. The internal structure of extruded rice with Agaricus bisporus was dense and uniform, the hydrolysis rate of starch in vitro decreased and the resistant starch increased. In particular, the antioxidant activity of expanded rice with Agaricus bisporus were significantly increased, and the scavenging capacity of DPPH• and ABTS•+ were increased by 52.9% and 39.9%, respectively. These results demonstrated that the addition of Agaricus bisporus powder and extrusion technology could effectively improve the quality and function of broken rice.

Characterization of Latilactobacillus curvatus MS2 isolated from Korean traditional fermented seafood and cholesterol reduction effect as synbiotics with isomalto-oligosaccharide in BALB/c mice

This study investigated the properties of Latilactobacillus curvatus MS2 isolated from Korean traditional fermented seafood as probiotics and the effect of reducing cholesterol as a synbiotic with isomalto-oligosaccharide (IMO) in BALB/c mice. The isolated strain showed high resistance to acids and bile acids and exhibited a high DPPH scavenging capacity of 72.27 ± 0.38 %. In the intestinal adhesion test using HT-29 cells, the adhesion rate of MS2 was 17.10 ± 1.78 %, which was higher than the adhesion rate of the other investigated probiotics. MS2 showed good antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens, especially Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Escherichia coli, and Vibrio vulnificus. This strain had high availability for IMO among the prebiotics of fructo-oligosaccharide, inulin and IMO. Oral administration of MS2 and IMO to BALB/c mice for 5 weeks resulted in a significant reduction in blood cholesterol levels by regulating liver lipid metabolism. These results suggest that the combination of MS2 and IMO has potential for application in functional foods.

Seasonal variation in yield, nutritive value, and antioxidant capacity of leaves of alfalfa plants grown in arid climate of Saudi Arabia

In addition to its high nutritional value, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) has several health benefits including antioxidant, neuroprotective, antimicrobial, antiulcer, hypocholesterolemic, hypolipidemic, and estrogenic effects. We aimed to assess the nutritional value and antioxidant capacity of alfalfa leaves at different times of the year in arid regions. Alfalfa was harvested in autumn, winter, spring, and summer and fresh yield and leaf:stem ratio were measured. Leaves were collected to determine their nutritional value and antioxidant capacity using two different extracts viz.: absolute ethanol or distilled water. Fresh yield and leaf:stem ratio were highest in spring (20 t ha-1 and 57.6%, respectively), followed equally by winter and autumn, and were lowest in summer (10.75 t ha-1 and 51.6%, respectively). The autumn cut had the highest crude protein (33.52%) and crude fat content (3.79%) and the lowest content of crude fiber (13.95%) and acid detergent fiber (16.55%), which are good indicators of suitability for human nourishment. However, leaves collected in autumn were characterized by lower digestibility values (86.2%) compared to the other cuts. Antioxidant capacity of leaves harvested in autumns and extracted with either ethanol or distilled water was examined in terms of total polyphenols, total flavonoids, DPPH scavenging capacity, and reducing power. Ethanol extract showed higher antioxidant capacity in terms of total phenol and total flavonoid contents (6.41 and 4.88 mg gallic acid equivalents g-1 DW, respectively). These results suggest that autumn is the most appropriate season to cut alfalfa leaves for human nutritional purposes.