Health Benefits Of Foods Research Articles

Future outlook for food function research.

The results of research on food functionality in Japan have been passed on to society in the form of Foods for Specified Health Uses and Foods with Functional Claims. However, it is also true that there are people who do not experience any health benefits even when they consume these foods. To clarify the factors that cause such individual differences in the health benefits of food, research into the following points is important: 1) Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms behind why food factors exert their functionality. 2) Research into the functional interactions between food factors that exert their functionality in multi-component systems. 3) Research into the functionality of food factors that have not been the subject of research until now. We will introduce the results of our research in these areas. We will also discuss our expectations for the application of food functionality research to pharmaceutical development as an extension of this research.

Systemic Health Effects of Oleuropein and Hydroxytyrosol Supplementation: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) cause 41 million deaths annually, accounting for 74% of global fatalities. The so-called Mediterranean diet, with its especially significant consumption of olive oil, has shown promising results in reducing the risk of developing NCDs, such as cardiovascular, liver, or bone diseases. In the context of the nutritional health benefits of foods, phenolic compounds such as olive oil's main components, oleuropein (OLE) and hydroxytyrosol (HT), have been shown to possess different beneficial effects. However, no systematic review has evaluated the health-promoting effects of OLE and HT until now. Consequently, this systematic review analyzed 12 human randomized controlled trials (RCTs), involving 683 participants, to assess the effects of supplements, pure compounds, or enriched foods containing OLE and HT regarding systemic health outcomes, including CVD risk factors, liver parameters, and bone, joint, and cognitive health. The review found contrasting but encouraging results, with some studies reporting significant modulation of body weight, lipid profile, and glucose metabolism, and improvements in bone, joint, and cognitive functions. The studies described different dosages and forms of supplementation, ranging from 5 mg/d HT to 990 mL/d olive leaf infusion (320.8 mg OLE and 11.9 mg HT), highlighting the need for further research to determine the optimal dosing and duration. Despite the mixed outcomes, OLE and HT supplementation show potential for improving some of the cardiometabolic health outcomes and bone, joint, and cognitive health. However, further studies are necessary to understand their benefits better and address existing limitations.

Digestion inhibition of potato starch-botanical proteolytic polypeptides complexes subjected to heat moisture treatment based on steric hindrance and enzymatic inhibition

The effects of food components on starch digestibility is a prominent topic within the realms of food and nutritional science. In this study, complexes of potato starch (PS) and botanical proteolytic polypeptides (BPPs), including wheat peptides, maize peptides, rice peptides, and soybean peptides, were subjected to heat-moisture treatment (HMT). The physicochemical, structural, and digestibility variations of the PS-BPPs complexes were analyzed using polarized light microscopy, DSC, X-ray, FT-IR, SAXS, and in vitro simulated digestion. Additionally, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of BPPs on porcine pancreatic α-amylase (PPA). The results showed that the polarization cross of PS-BPPs complexes was weakened after HMT. The gelatinization temperatures (To, Tp, Tc) of the PS-BPPs complexes increased significantly. The starch in the PS-BPPs complexes transitioned from B-type structure to A-type structure after HMT, accompanied by an increase in short-range ordering and semicrystalline lamella thickness. In particular, the complexes exhibited higher contents of slowly digestible starch (SDS) and resistant starch (RS). Furthermore, wheat, rice, and soybean peptides exhibited a mixed type of competitive inhibition against PPA, whereas maize peptides exhibited competitive inhibition. The findings provide valuable insights into the role of BPPs in regulating starch digestion. Moreover, BPPs hold potential for enhancing the nutritional value and health benefits of foods.

The Role of Tambelo Extract (Bactronophorus thoracites) in Mice-Induced Lipopolysaccharide: Food Health Benefits

Tambelo reportedly has a positive impact on health. Our study investigates the possible effect of tambelo extract as an anti-inflammatory in mice induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS)Tambelo phytochemistry from liquid chromatography analysis – high-resolution mass spectrometry (LCMS) coupled with NF-κB protein, docking was carried out to pursue anti-inflammatory properties. Thirty Balb/C mice were randomized into six groups: untreated, LPS, dexamethasone + LPS, and tambelo extract with doses of 100, 150, and 200 mg/kg BW + LPS, respectively. The results of this study indicate that there are four compounds which has a high affinity for the target protein. High CD4+CD25+ expression after treatment with fermented products tambelo (BE) significantly attenuated LPS-induced mice (p<0.05). Our findings show that fermentation tambelo protects against induced LPS by maintaining Tregs. Tambelo may have the potential as a food choice due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

Consumer perceptions of nutrient content claims in Australia: A qualitative study.

Nutrition and health claims influence consumer purchasing. Claims include content claims, which refer to the amount of a nutrient contained in a product, and health claims, which refer to health benefits of foods or nutrients in a product. Products that display a health claim must meet the Nutrient Profiling Scoring Criterion (NPSC). The present study aimed to explore consumer perceptions of content claims used on food and beverage labelling and advertisements. Semi-structured focus groups were conducted with Australian consumers. Analysis involved an inductive, reflexive approach to thematic analysis. Six focus groups involving 26 participants were conducted. Four main interconnected themes were generated: (1) complex factors influence food choice; (2) content claim scepticism; (3) the difference between content and health claims is unclear; and (4) the regulation of content claims is not common knowledge. Content claims were used, although generally viewed through a lens of scepticism and mistrust, and seen as a promotional tool for the food industry. Product complexity appeared to increase content claim use as a result of consumer uncertainty of the content of complex products, such as ultraprocessed foods. Most participants were aware that content and health claims were in some way regulated. Overall, they did not know further detail, including the relevant regulatory body. For content claims to support the consumer they need to be accurate and their use limited to healthier foods. This can be achieved by requiring products with content claims to meet NPSC thresholds, as required for products making health claims.

Conventional and advanced extraction methods of some bioactive compounds with health benefits of food and plant waste: A comprehensive review

AbstractFood bioactive compounds have a beneficial biological effect on human health, fending off cancer, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and neurodegenerative disease, among other noncommunicable diseases and neurodegenerative disorders. Secondary metabolites like polyphenols, glucosinolates, carotenoids, vitamins, terpenoids, saponins, and fibers have been linked to these health benefits due to their antioxidant, antiatherogenic, anti‐inflammatory, antimicrobial, cardioprotective, and vasodilator properties. This review comprehensively illustrates the extraction of bioactive compounds in food formulations along plant wastes and provides insight into the efficient delivery systems for health‐promoting compounds. There is an insight into how to choose which bioactive to use, how to extract them in a bioavailable state, and how to include and deliver them. Grapes, garlic, sweet potato leaves, cactus pears, beetroot, amaranth, Picea abies bark waste, olive leaves, and black plum are discussed comprehensively in terms of extraction and health benefits. The novel and emerging technologies are discussed in detail, and a comprehensive review and comparison with conventional methods are presented. The significant health benefits associated with bioactive compounds are also discussed.

Physicochemical and functional properties of capsaicin loaded cricket protein isolate and alginate complexes

As people become more aware of the health benefits of foods and their nutritional benefits for preventing diseases and promoting health, the demand for functional foods rich in proteins, fiber, and bioactives like capsaicin (CAP) is constantly rising. This study hypothesized that the electrostatic complexes developed by cricket protein isolate (CPI) and alginate (AL) could be utilized to encapsulate CAP, making it more water-soluble and protecting it at acidic pHs. Quantitative analysis revealed that CAP was efficiently encapsulated into the CPI-AL complexes with a maximum encapsulation efficiency of 91%, improving its aqueous solubility 45-fold. In vitro release tests showed that CAP was retained at acidic pHs (3.0 and 5.0) in CPI-AL complexes but released steadily at neutral pH (7.4), which will protect CAP in the stomach while enabling its release in the small intestine. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of CAP-CPI-AL complexes was superior to that of their individual bare equivalents. The complexes also demonstrated enhanced emulsifying capabilities and stability at acidic pHs (2.0–5.0) as the CPI fraction in the complexes increased. Our findings thus contribute to the growing body of knowledge that validates protein-polysaccharide complexation as a promising strategy for developing edible delivery systems.

Does attitude moderate the effect of labelling information when choosing functional foods?

Our study is a part of the scientific and political debate on how to inform consumers about the health benefits of foods and guide their choices towards healthier diets. In particular, the study has investigated how attitude towards functional foods moderates the effect of the health claim and naturalness claim when choosing these products. For this purpose, we used a hybrid choice model that has allowed us to identify the determinants of attitude towards functional foods and then integrate said attitude into a choice function. The empirical study was conducted on biscuits, by analysing data from a representative sample of Italian (500) and Danish (506) consumers. The results provide novel evidence for both policy makers and manufacturers involved in fostering the demand for foods with enhanced nutraceutical characteristics.

Effect of information on public perception of organic foods: a case study

PurposeWhen scientific information is unclear about the health benefits of foods, people choose to react in different ways. Using a posttest-only control group design, the authors tested how balanced and nonfactual information available on YouTube influences public perception of organic foods.Design/methodology/approachThe authors randomly assigned participants (N = 640) from a southern US land grant university to watch one video: balanced news, nonfactual news, or control. All participants indicated changes in perception about organic foods immediately after the video. The authors analyzed the data using one-way and two-way ANOVA.FindingsThe nonfactual news video had the most influence on public perception of organic foods. Results confirmed that the effect of nonfactual information was more for individuals with preexisting beliefs consistent with the message communicated and individuals exposed to average to high levels of health and diet news.Practical implicationsThe authors recommend regulatory changes in marketing strategies related to organic foods in the US that encourage balanced information about organic foods rather than promoting credence attributes of organic foods using persuasive information.Originality/valueThe authors findings suggest that, when scientific information about the health benefits of foods is unclear, communication activities should aim to increase healthy skepticism considering the audience's preexisting beliefs and frequency of health and diet news exposure.

The Effects of Nutrition and Health Claim Information on Consumers' Sensory Preferences and Willingness to Pay.

As marketing tools, nutrition claims (NCs) and health claims (HCs) can be used to convey the nutritional properties and health benefits of food to consumers, but their respective effects on consumers' perceptions of healthier meat products are inconsistent in the literature. Using a physical prototype of omega-3-enriched sausages as a research interest, this paper explores how HCs and NCs differently influence consumers' sensory preferences and willingness to pay (WTP). Sensory tests were carried out among 330 participants, followed by a choice-based conjoint (CBC) experiment to measure consumers' WTP. Results indicate that, in comparison with the uninformed condition, labeling an omega-3 nutrition claim increased consumers' sensory liking for omega-3-enriched sausages in the attributes of appearance and texture. Moreover, consumers were willing to pay more for healthier sausages, but labeling HCs did not significantly improve participants' WTP for omega-3-enriched sausages more than NCs. Hence, HCs did not significantly outperform NCs, when it comes to positively influencing consumers' sensory liking and paying intentions for omega-3-enriched sausages. The findings of this study have implications for the meat industry in developing healthier sausage formulations with greater likelihood of success in the market.

Healthy Eating Value Systems Among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Participants: A Qualitative Study.

To understand how families receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) conceptualize healthy eating and its relationship to child development. This study is a secondary analysis of in-depth, in-home qualitative interviews. 30 caregivers with children between the ages of 4 and 10 years old participating in SNAP in Baltimore, MD, were asked about food purchasing resources and strategies. Two independent coders re-analyzed primary data using an iterative process to identify a priori themes related to caregivers' conceptualization of healthy eating and emergent themes related to the ways families use SNAP benefits. Themes were identified via content analysis and revised until consensus was reached. Participants demonstrated knowledge of nutritious food groups, specific unhealthy nutrients, and the importance of food in managing chronic conditions. However, the importance of nutrition was balanced with the need for ready-made foods that children could safely prepare on their own, shelf stable goods, and low-cost foods. Emergent themes identified caregivers' views of health-related impacts of food beyond nutrition, including the role of food as: a parenting tool to support child socialization and development, a means of creating experiences unique to childhood, and a mechanism for promoting family cohesion. This study suggests families receiving SNAP use benefits to best serve children's well-being while conceptualizing the child health benefits of food as extending beyond nutrition. Future policy interventions aimed at optimizing SNAP should address the potential for nutrition assistance to foster positive child social and emotional development among low-income families while meeting nutritional needs.

A Review of the Health Benefits of Food Enriched with Kynurenic Acid.

Kynurenic acid (KYNA), a metabolite of tryptophan, is an endogenous substance produced intracellularly by various human cells. In addition, KYNA can be synthesized by the gut microbiome and delivered in food. However, its content in food is very low and the total alimentary supply with food accounts for only 1–3% of daily KYNA excretion. The only known exception is chestnut honey, which has a higher KYNA content than other foods by at least two orders of magnitude. KYNA is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract; it is not metabolized and is excreted mainly in urine. It possesses well-defined molecular targets, which allows the study and elucidation of KYNA’s role in various pathological conditions. Following a period of fascination with KYNA’s importance for the central nervous system, research into its role in the peripheral system has been expanding rapidly in recent years, bringing some exciting discoveries. KYNA does not penetrate from the peripheral circulation into the brain; hence, the following review summarizes knowledge on the peripheral consequences of KYNA administration, presents data on KYNA content in food products, in the context of its daily supply in diets, and systematizes the available pharmacokinetic data. Finally, it provides an analysis of the rationale behind enriching foods with KYNA for health-promoting effects.

A comprehensive review on functionality of probiotics in edible packaging

AbstractOver the last few years, edible packaging has been employed in order to increase the health benefits of food and increasing its shelf‐life. Edible packaging is an alternative to typical food protection systems that is both environmentally and customer‐friendly. Concerns regarding healthy diet and well‐being have led to a worldwide surge in the usage of probiotic‐containing foods. This breakthrough has elicited the attention of scientists in the food industry, with an objective of producing novel probiotic foods and enhancing existing probiotic delivery techniques. In this context, edible packaging is being researched as a probiotic carrier with a vast array of applications. Probiotics have been added to a variety of foods and mixed into biopolymeric materials to create food packaging as a way to control foodborne pathogens, improve food safety and provide health benefits. The following review attempts to describe the edible packaging system with very current data, unexplored sources of probiotics and examines probiotics in edible packaging, its incorporation techniques and new breakthroughs in synbiotic edible packaging.

Negative Affect, Affect Regulation, and Food Choice: A Value-Based Decision-Making Analysis

Maladaptive eating is one of the greatest threats to health and well-being in the 21st century. Psychological factors that drive maladaptive eating are of interest as they may offer low-cost intervention targets. One such factor is negative affect. If negative affect does lead to maladaptive eating, interventions that reduce negative affect should lead to improved eating and food choice. One relevant class of techniques is affect regulation strategies. In the present research, we use survey data and a value-based decision-making task to demonstrate that negative affect is associated with maladaptive eating and food choice. We find that negative affect decreases the weight that participants place on the health benefits of food. We also show that teaching participants to use reappraisal to downregulate negative affect leads to healthier food choices. These findings indicate that reappraisal applied to incidental negative affect may be an effective method for improving eating and food choice.

Dreadful Practices of Adulteration in Foods: Their Frequent Consequences on Public Health

Despite the numerous health benefits of food, people today face a variety of health issues because of food adulteration. Food adulteration is the consequence of corporate rampant consumerism which maliciously does so to optimize its benefits. Food adulteration degrades food quality and has a wide range of negative health consequences for humans. An adulterant is a food-depleting toxic substance. Such adulterants can escalate to causing multiple fatal diseases which can have a destructive effect on public health. Food adulteration can lead to slow toxicity and a number of diseases that can cause death. This paper highlights the common scenario of food adulteration practices, as well as the detrimental effects of adulterated food consumption on human health as well as the role of the authorities involved in eradicating it. The purpose of this paper is to inform the responsible authorities about the current situation of food adulteration and to present the implications of meaningful change through proactive measures from these authorities.

Association between consumers’ food selection and differences in food labeling regarding efficacy health information: Food selection based on differences in labeling

On April 1, 2015, Japan enacted the foods with function claims (FFCs) system, which categorizes the third function of food, based on the dietary supplement system of the United States. FFCs are popular in the food market in Japan; we detected FFCs with differences between the health claims listed on food labels and the actual efficacy information of functional substances that are based on scientific evidence. The potential health benefits of foods should be accurately conveyed for consumers to make informed food choices for their health promotion. This study clarified the association between food selection and differences in listed efficacy information. A survey was conducted in May 2020 with 664 consumers aged 20–80 years, using a self-administered questionnaire. Participants were asked to select one of two products containing the same functional substance but labeled with either single or multiple claims based on the same scientific evidence. Participants were asked whether they had any queries about the information discrepancy. There were no significant differences between food selection groups stratified by age, sex, academic background, experience with foods with health claims, and selected health claim of interest, with the exception of queries on the information discrepancy referring to the efficacy information of the functional substance—22.2% (22/29) for the single-benefit vs. 37.3% (211/565) for the multiple-benefit group ( p < 0.001). A relationship between a query regarding the information discrepancy and the selection of products with multiple benefits listed on the label was found after adjusting for participants’ background (adjusted odds ratio: 2.1, 95% confidence interval: 1.2–3.4). Querying the information discrepancy affected food selection; therefore, it may be important to develop a standard clinical evaluation for effective benefit communication. • Clinical evaluation of food health claims is essential for communicating benefits. • Food selection was affected by differences in benefits listed on the food label. • Users wanted food labels to show all benefit information. • Most consumers selected multiple benefits regardless of personal factors. • Effective communication of functional substances is needed for health promotion.

The effects of presenting health and environmental impacts of food on consumption intentions

Current patterns of food consumption are detrimental to our health and the environment. Consumers need to make informed changes to their diets but due to a lack of understanding of the health and environment benefits/risks of foods, this is difficult to do. The current study examined the effectiveness of a novel food label, the Health Nutrition Index (HENI; minutes of healthy life gained/lost per serving), that communicates the health benefits/risks of foods, and identifies how consumers negotiate and prioritise health and environmental concerns of foods. Participants (N = 901, females = 546, age: M = 46.62 (16.61) years, BMI: M = 27.39 (6.75)) viewed 24 foods presented with either no information (control), standard nutritional facts (nutrition), HENI (health), carbon footprint scores (kg CO2eq per serving; environment), or both HENI and carbon footprint scores (combined). Participants rated the perceived healthiness, environmentally friendliness and their intentions to increase/decrease consumption of each food. Perceptions of healthiness and environmentally friendliness were significantly correlated with HENI and carbon footprint scores respectively. Although, overall intentions to change consumption did not significantly differ across conditions, participants presented with HENI (health and combined conditions) scores reported intentions that significantly increased minutes of healthy life gained. Only participants in the environment condition intended to reduce consumption of foods that were beneficial to health but high risk for the environment. For foods that were harmful to health, but low risk for the environment, no significant difference in intentions was found. Overall, results suggest HENI is effective at portraying the health benefits of foods and individuals prioritise the health benefits of foods over the environmental impact they may have.

Anthocyanins: From Mechanisms of Regulation in Plants to Health Benefits in Foods.

Anthocyanins represent the major red, purple, and blue pigments in many flowers, fruits, vegetables, and cereals. They are also recognized as important health-promoting components in the human diet with protective effects against many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and cancer. Anthocyanin biosynthesis has been studied extensively, and both biosynthetic and key regulatory genes have been isolated in many plant species. Here, we will provide an overview of recent progress in understanding the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway in plants, focusing on the transcription factors controlling activation or repression of anthocyanin accumulation in cereals and fruits of different plant species, with special emphasis on the differences in molecular mechanisms between monocot and dicot plants. Recently, new insight into the transcriptional regulation of the anthocyanin biosynthesis, including positive and negative feedback control as well as epigenetic and post-translational regulation of MYB-bHLH-WD40 complexes, has been gained. We will consider how knowledge of regulatory mechanisms has helped to produce anthocyanin-enriched foods through conventional breeding and metabolic engineering. Additionally, we will briefly discuss the biological activities of anthocyanins as components of the human diet and recent findings demonstrating the important health benefits of anthocyanin-rich foods against chronic diseases.

Comprehensive two-dimensional temperature-responsive × reversed phase liquid chromatography for the analysis of wine phenolics

Phenolic compounds are an interesting class of natural products because of their proposed contribution to health benefits of foods and beverages and as a bio-source of organic (aromatic) building blocks. Phenolic extracts from natural products are often highly complex and contain compounds covering a broad range in molecular properties. While many 1D-LC and mass spectrometric approaches have been proposed for the analysis of phenolics, this complexity inevitably leads to challenging identification and purification. New insights into the composition of phenolic extracts can be obtained through online comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography (LC × LC) coupled to photodiode array and mass spectrometric detection. However, several practical hurdles must be overcome to achieve high peak capacities and to obtain robust methods with this technique. In many LC × LC configurations, refocusing of analytes at the head of the 2D column is hindered by the high eluotropic strength of the solvent transferred from the 1D to the 2D, leading to peak breakthrough or broadening. LC × LC combinations whereby a purely aqueous mobile phase is used in the 1D and RPLC is used in the 2D are unaffected by these phenomena, leading to more robust methods. In this contribution, the combination of temperature-responsive liquid chromatography (TRLC) with RPLC is used for the first time for the analysis of phenolic extracts of natural origin to illustrate the potential of this alternative combination for natural product analyses. The possibilities of the combination are investigated through analysis of wine extracts by TRLC × RPLC-DAD and TRLC × RPLC-ESI-MS.

Future trends of processed meat products concerning perceived healthiness: A review.

The 21st-century consumer is highly demanding when it comes to the health benefits of food and food products. In the pursuit of attracting these consumers and easing the rise in demand for high-quality meat products, the processed meat sector is intensely focused on developing reformulated, low-fat, healthy meat products. Meat and meat products are considered the primary sources of saturated fatty acids in the human diet. Therefore, these reformulation strategies aim to improve the fatty acid profile and reduce total fat and cholesterol, which can be achieved by replacing animal fat with plant-based oils; it could be performed as direct inclusion of these oils or pre-emulsified oils. However, emulsions offer a viable option for incorporating vegetable oils while avoiding the multiple issues of direct inclusion of these oils in meat products. Processed meat products are popular worldwide and showing a gradually increasing trend of consumption. Various types of plant-based oils have been studied as fat replacers in meat products. This review will focus on possible methods to reduce the saturated fatty acid content in meat products.