High Dietary Fiber Content Research Articles

In vitro fermentation characteristics of fruit and vegetable juicing wastes using human fecal inoculum are determined by cell wall architecture

Fruit and vegetable juicing wastes are a promising source of hydrocolloids with potential gut fermentation benefits for applications in foods. The aim of this study was to investigate the fermentation characteristics of juicing wastes from apple, beetroot, carrot, celery, orange and pineapple to characterise fermentation rates, gas production and end-products. All juicing wastes had high dietary fibre content (70–90%) and high water-holding capacity (9–12 g H2O per gram dry matter) consistent with food application potential but had diverse fermentation rates and extents over a 48h period. Apple, carrot and orange waste were well-fermented, beetroot and celery waste were less well fermented and pineapple waste was the least fermented as indicated by gas production and short chain fatty acid concentrations. Variations in fermentability were determined by cell wall architecture more than polymer chemistry. Apple, carrot and orange waste were primarily parenchymal fleshy tissue with loosely packed cell walls and readily fermentable. Beetroot and celery waste had more compact cell walls, while pineapple waste had the most densely packed cell walls and the highest cellulose content. The molecular composition of unfermented material also changed during fermentation, with pectin the fastest fermenting, followed by hemicelluloses such as (arabino)xylan, xyloglucan, and mannan while cellulose was the slowest. The results show the potential for unrefined juicing wastes to provide sustained fermentation throughout the large intestine.

Multiresponse optimization of the extrusion process for ready-to-eat snacks from pineapple byproducts and maize flour.

This research aimed to optimize the processing conditions to obtain ready-to-eat extruded snacks with a high fiber content from mixtures of pineapple byproduct powder (PBP) and nixtamalized maize flour (PBP-NMF) or maize flour (PBP-MF). The effects of barrel temperature, feed moisture content, and PBP were evaluated. The increase in barrel temperature has a negative effect on the bulk density, the water absorption index, and the texture in both mixtures (PBP-MF and PBP-NMF) and increases the expansion index and the water solubility index in the mixture with MF. The increase in the feed moisture content increased the bulk density and water absorption index in both mixtures and the texture in the mixtures with MF. The increasing PBP decreases the expansion index and increases the water solubility index in both mixtures. The increase in PBP in the mixtures with MF decreases the water absorption index, texture, and bulk density. From the optimization, four products were obtained, two for the NMF mixture and two for the MF mixtures. The optimal formulations can be considered a good source of total fiber (12.46-12.78g/100g) and protein (8.27-8.85g/100g) with good acceptance by consumers. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Pineapple byproducts in combination with nixtamalized and nonnixtamalized maize flour are viable raw materials for the development of ready-to-eat extruded snacks with a high content of dietary fiber and good acceptance by consumers. Due to their characteristic nutritional properties, the consumption of this ready-to-eat snack could present potential benefits for human health.

A Comprehensive Review on Millets: A Potential Source of Energy and Nutrients for Health

Millets, Cereals and grains, are essential for providing appropriate nutrients and have been shown to be beneficial effect for disorders of lifestyle. The society's knowledge of nutrition and health care research substantiates the potential of photochemicals, such as polyphenols and dietary fibers, on their health beneficial properties, so there is no need to search for newer sources of energy and other natural and nutritional material with the desired functional characteristics. It is a crucial staple food crop in India, especially for low-income families. Its value in terms of nutrition is widely known because to its high content of phenolic compounds (0.03%–3%), dietary fibre (18%), and calcium (0.38%).

Nutritional Value of Meals Designed for a School-Based Food Aid Program and Comparison with Similar Commercial Products: An Example of Good Practice from the DIATROFI Program.

Providing meals of high nutritional value should be the principal objective of large-scale school-based food aid programs. This study aimed at highlighting the nutritional value of meals distributed in the school-based food assistance DIATROFI Program by comparing them to their commercially available counterparts. For the purpose of this study, n = 13 DIATROFI meals and n = 50 commercial products from the 2016-2017 school year, and n = 12 DIATROFI meals and n = 40 commercial products from the 2022-2023 school year were selected. The protein, carbohydrate, total sugar, dietary fiber, total fat, sodium/salt content, and fatty acid methyl ester profile of DIATROFI meals were estimated through recipe simulation and national/international food databases, and verified through laboratory analyses while the relevant information was extracted from the label for commercial products. As verified by laboratory analyses and in comparison with food labels, most DIATROFI meals had lower total fat, saturated fatty acid, and sugar content, and most had higher dietary fiber content during both years. Many recipes' nutrient profiles also improved over time. DIATROFI meals present significant advantages over available commercial products. Such tailored-made school meals can prove to be advantageous in terms of nutrition profile compared to commercially available, which have yet to be impacted by food reformulation.

Morphotextural, microbiological, and volatile characterization of flatbread containing cricket (Acheta domesticus) powder and buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) flour

The growing awareness of the consumers on the advantages of a proper nutrition is deeply modifying their demands. Hence, the exploitation of innovative ingredients to enrich the nutritional values of staple foods is continuously explored by research institutions and food industries. This paper represents a feasibility study on the use of nonconventional ingredients, including house cricket (Acheta domesticus) powder and buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) flour, for the production of novel flatbread formulations. Experimental flatbread prototypes were evaluated by analyzing microbiological, physico-chemical, textural, colorimetric, and volatile parameters. Microbiological viable counts revealed low levels of bacterial spores in the formulations comprising cricket powder. Water activity results showed adequate values, inhibiting the growth of spoilage and pathogenic bacteria, and preventing the germination of bacterial spores. The addition of cricket powder, influenced textural properties of flatbread samples, characterized by lower hardness values respect to those not containing insects seems likely due to a high content of dietary fiber (chitin from insects). As for the color analysis, flatbread samples added with cricket powder evidenced darker tones respect to those not containing insects, thus resulting visibly comparable with whole grain products. Worthy to mention that the addition of buckwheat flours did not cause hardness reduction or color variation of experimental prototypes. The volatile component analysis highlighted numerous compounds associated with enzymatic activities and nonconventional ingredients. Overall, the results collected demonstrated that cricket powder and buckwheat flour possess a great potential to produce innovative flatbreads.

Nutritional and Functional New Perspectives and Potential Health Benefits of Quinoa and Chia Seeds.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) and chia (Salvia hispanica) are essential traditional crops with excellent nutritional properties. Quinoa is known for its high and good quality protein content and nine essential amino acids vital for an individual's development and growth, whereas chia seeds contain high dietary fiber content, calories, lipids, minerals (calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc), and vitamins (A and B complex). Chia seeds are also known for their presence of a high amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Both quinoa and chia seeds are gluten-free and provide medicinal properties due to bioactive compounds, which help combat various chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic diseases such as cancer. Quinoa seeds possess phenolic compounds, particularly kaempferol, which can help prevent cancer. Many food products can be developed by fortifying quinoa and chia seeds in different concentrations to enhance their nutritional profile, such as extruded snacks, meat products, etc. Furthermore, it highlights the value-added products that can be developed by including quinoa and chia seeds, alone and in combination. This review focused on the recent development in quinoa and chia seeds nutritional, bioactive properties, and processing for potential human health and therapeutic applications.

Rye and Rye Bran as Components of Diets in Piglet Production-Effects on Salmonella Prevalence.

The nutritional benefits of rye (and therefore rye bran) are mainly due to its high content of fermentable dietary fiber, the non-starch polysaccharides (NSP). Microorganisms in the large intestine are able to convert these into short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), including butyrate. Butyrate strengthens the epithelial barrier function in the colon by nourishing the enterocytes and inhibiting the spread of Salmonella in the intestinal tract. Therefore, the aim of this study was to test under field conditions whether a diet with rye or rye bran as the main ingredient for gilts, sows, and weaned piglets is associated with a lower Salmonella prevalence. Depending on the age groups, between 20-30% rye or between 15-20% rye bran was used in the experimental group. A total of n = 1983 boot swabs, n = 356 fecal samples, and n = 1909 serum samples were examined. The results of this study show that rye or rye bran at the levels used had no apparent effect on the number of positive Salmonella samples. However, the Salmonella OD values in the experimental groups were significantly lower than in the control group. This suggests that the use of rye leads to a lower incidence of infection, but this effect could not be proven from swabs.

Wolffia globosa-Based Nutritious Snack Formulation with High Protein and Dietary Fiber Contents.

Wolffia globosa (W. globosa) or duckweed is a small aquatic plant with high protein, dietary fiber, and lipid contents that can be combined with food products to develop nutritious snacks as one strategy to mitigate malnutrition. Here, response surface methodology (RSM) with mixture design was used to develop snacks from W. globosa freeze-dried powder (WP). The physical properties, proximate analysis, amino acid profiles, sensory evaluation, phytochemical analysis, antioxidant properties, and genotoxicity (Ames test) of the snacks were evaluated. The optimal W. globosa snack formula was 64% glutinous rice flour, 10% tapioca flour, and 26% WP, giving a highly desirable liking score of 1.00. Addition of WP increased crude protein, essential amino acids, and dietary fiber compared with the control snack by 51%, 147%, and 83%, respectively. According to the Thai recommended daily intakes, the developed W. globosa snack had high protein and dietary fiber. Phytochemical contents and antioxidant activities of the W. globosa snack such as total phenolic contents (TPCs), total flavonoid contents (TFCs), ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) activity, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) activity were significantly higher than the control snack. The novel combination of WP with snack product ingredients greatly enhanced nutritional value.

Changes in structural units in dough and bread from wheat flour with the addition of pumpkin cellulose in combination with phospholipids

Unfavorable ecological and food security situation in the world causes frequent spread of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In particular, the number of cases of irritable bowel syndrome is increasing, especially among the young working population. Diet therapy, which includes increasing the amount of dietary fiber in combination with phospholipids, is effective for the prevention of these diseases. A perspective raw material with a high content of dietary fibers is pumpkin cellulose, which can be added to the recipe of bakery products instead of part of wheat flour. The aim of the work was to find the effect of pumpkin cellulose in combination with sunflower lecithin on the conformational changes of the structure of dough and bread from wheat flour and the completeness of assimilation of products with this raw material by the organism. It was established that the infrared spectra of wheat flour, pumpkin cellulose and sunflower lecithin differ in reflection intensity and character. In the process of dough fermentation, the conformational transformations deepened with an increase in the amount of replacement of wheat flour with pumpkin cellulose, and the reflection coefficient increased. For bread samples, the reflectance coefficient was lower compared to dough, but there were almost no differences in the location of the spectra. In general, the biological value of samples of bread with additives was lower than the control sample, however, the high content of dietary fibers in pumpkin cellulose makes it a promising raw material for enriching bakery products with a valuable nutrient and giving bread health properties. The rational amount of replacing wheat flour with pumpkin cellulose is no more than 7 %, taking into account the decrease in the biological value of bread with this raw material

Chemo-Enzymatically Modified Cereal Brans as a Modulator of Healthy Gut Bacteria: An In-Vitro and In-Vivo Study

ABSTRACT Finger millet, kodo millet, and rice bran were chemo-enzymatically modified, and their prebiotic potential was evaluated using in-vitro human fecal batch fermentation and in-vivo feeding to mice. Modified cereal bran (mCB) from finger millet, kodo millet, and rice bran contained 30%, 17%, and 24% higher content of dietary fiber compared to their respective native bran. Tannin, flavonoids, polyphenols, and phytate content were reduced in the mCBs. Fecal batch fermentation with mCBs enhanced the short-chain fatty acid levels and the abundance of selected gut bacteria such as Bifidobacteria, Lactobacillus, and Bacteroidetes along with propionate and butyrate. In-vivo experiments showed no change in weight gain, blood glucose, and serum lipids. mCB supplementation enhanced the abundance of selected bacteria such as Bifidobacteria, Lactobacillus, and Bacteroidetes and decreased the abundance of E. coli, Klebsiella, and Clostridium. These findings provide an insight into the functional food potential of valorized mCBs in maintaining a healthy gut environment.

The Potential of Wine Lees as a Fat Substitute for Muffin Formulations.

The current study evaluates the prospect of wine lees (WL), a costless by-product from Amarone winemaking, as a fat replacer in muffin formulation. WL have elsewhere replaced sunflower oil, allowing the creation of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% fat-substituted muffins named ML0, ML25, ML50, ML75, and ML100, respectively. Batter rheology, in addition to the textural and colorimetric characteristics, the pore dimension, and the sensory aspect of the different formulations were evaluated. The batter consistency (K) of fat-replaced muffins was lower than that of the control, while the hardness and chewiness of the end products were higher. ML25 and ML50 samples reached the highest volume, while the baking loss decreased due to WL's fiber components. ML25, ML50, ML75, and ML100 accounted for caloric reductions of 9, 18, 22, and 26%, respectively, compared to full-fat muffins. Muffins with WL showed a darker crust and crumb as lightness (L*) decreased. Moreover, a* parameter increased with the increment of WL in the formulation, leading to a redder and less yellow-hued fat-replaced muffin. In conclusion, WL could effectively replace fat in the 25-50% range in muffins, achieving a final product with reduced calories, a higher dietary fiber content, higher volume, and promising sensory aspects.

Production of dietary cookies based on wheat-sugarcane bagasse: Determination of textural, proximal, sensory, physical and microbial parameters

In this work, dietary fibers (DF) were synthesized from SCB wastes, incorporated in different amounts (5, 10, 15 and 20 g kg−1) into wheat flour to formulate composite cookies. At the same time, they were compared with biscuits prepared with 100 g kg−1 wheat flour (control), evaluating their potential application in bakery products. Both, the DF and the cookies were analyzed from textural, physical, sensory, proximal and microbial features. The DF of SCB residues favorably presented a high content of insoluble dietary fiber 85.46 g kg−1 with only 1.3 g kg−1 of soluble fibers indicating satisfactory conditions to human consumption. The composite cookies showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the L* color value and an opposite effect in the a* and b* parameters depending on the amount of DF. The sensory evaluation indicates a greater acceptability with the addition of bagasse, and particularly, the highest acceptance was obtained with an inclusion of 15 g kg−1. The use of SCB from agro-industrial wastes as a source of DF is a feasible alternative for the formulation of bakery products.

Low-gluten shortbread enriched with sweet potato powder (Ipomoea batatas var. Portu Orange): quality and texture indicators

The chemical composition of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas var. Portu Orange), grown in Ukraine, was studied to determine its potential in shortbread technology. Portu Orange sweet potato has a high content of starch (11.2 %), natural sugars (4.7 %), dietary fiber (3.8 %) and food pigments. To obtain the highest quality characteristics and preserve the antioxidant properties of sweet potato during drying, an innovative microwave vacuum drying method was used. This allowed us to produce Portu Orange sweet potato powder with a high content of starch (43 %), natural sugars (18 %), dietary fibre (14.6 %) and preservation of food colouring properties. According to organoleptic parameters, Portu Orange sweet potato has an orange color, which was formed with a combination of anthocyanin pigmentation of the skin (orange) and β-carotene pigmentation of the flesh (light orange). In shortbread technology, Portu Orange sweet potato is used in powder form, which is an alternative to starch, sugar, orange food colorings, gluten-containing cereals and egg products. Portu Orange sweet potato powder was added to the shortbread recipe in the amount of 38 % to completely replace sugar and chicken eggs. The wheat flour in the recipe was replaced by 80 % low-gluten wheat flour and 20 % sweet potato powder. Compared to regular shortbread, the protein content increased by 24.3 % to 9.2 g/100 g, the dietary fiber content increased by 74.6 % to 10.3 g/100 g, and the ash content increased by 155.6 % to 2.3 g/100 g. The fat content of shortbread with sweet potato powder was reduced by 7.5 %, the carbohydrate content was reduced by 11.5 % and the energy value was reduced by 8 % to 407.8 kcal/100 g. Texture parameters were improved, making shortbread with sweet potato powder less hard, the hardness was reduced by 48 %, but at the same time the fracturability indicators were maintained, the fracturability was reduced by only 2 %, compared to the regular shortbread, which made it more acceptable to consumers. The obtained changes in the nutritional value of the shortbread, the improvement of the texture, the reduction of the gluten content and the presence of a high amount of biologically active substances confirm the effectiveness of using Portu Orange sweet potato powder for dietary low-gluten nutrition.

Compositional analysis of phytochemicals and polysaccharides from Senegalese plant ingredients: Adansonia digitata (baobab), Moringa oleifera (moringa) and Hibsicus sabdariffa (hibiscus)

Certain indigenous African plant materials, including Adansonia digitata (baobab), Moringa oleifera (moringa), and Hibiscus sabdariffa (hibiscus) could be leveraged in food-to-food fortification strategies due to their high content of nutrients, dietary fiber, and phenolic compounds. However, more studies are needed to understand the nutritional composition of commercially available food ingredients. The objective of this study was to examine the phytochemical and polysaccharide compositions of commercially available baobab, moringa, and hibiscus ingredients from Senegal. Characterization of carotenoids, tocopherols, phenolic compounds, monosaccharide composition, and glycosyl linkage was carried out. We observed that moringa contained the greatest content of carotenoids and tocopherols. Moringa also contained significant amounts of the flavonols quercetin 3-O-glucoside and quercetin 3-O-rutinoside, while baobab had greater concentrations of flavan-3-ols. Substantial content of anthocyanins was observed for hibiscus, but not moringa or baobab. The predominant monosaccharide in baobab was xylose, while hibiscus was a combination of xylose, galactose, and glucose. The primary monosaccharides in moringa were galactose and glucose. Based on our glycosyl linkage analysis, (1 → 2)- and (1 → 2,4)-linked rhamnose were attributed to rhamnogalacturonan-I, while (1 → 4)-linked glucose and (Terminal →)-linked xylose were attributed to xyloglucans. The phytochemical and polysaccharide characterization of baobab, moringa, and hibiscus suggested that delivery of micronutrients, such as iron and carotenoids, could be impacted when applied as functional food ingredients.

Utilization of Cassava-Jicama Composite Flour in Making Gluten-Free Biscuits with Different Types of Fats

Biscuits are a commonly consumed bakery product typically using wheat flour as a primary ingredient, rendering them unsuitable for gluten-intolerant consumers. Using cassava as a gluten-free alternative for composite flour in bakery products has been proven effective. Furthermore, jicama, which has high total dietary fiber contents, including inulin, can enhance total dietary fiber content. However, high-fiber ingredients can often produce a tough texture. To address this, fats such as butter and margarine are typically used to enhance the texture of baked products, although the use of shortening still needs to be explored. Both margarine and shortening are vegetable-based, making them more widely consumable. The production of jicama flour and gluten-free biscuits was the focus of this study. This study uses a completely randomized design with two factors: the ratio of composite flour (100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40) and the type of fat (margarine and shortening). Analyses were performed on the gluten-free biscuits to determine the total dietary fiber, inulin, fat, moisture, spread ratio, color and hardness. Results indicated that biscuits made with shortening with a flour ratio of 90:10 of cassava to jicama flour are the best formulation, yielding 2.54±0.00% inulin, 6.50±0.10% total dietary fiber, 19.88±0.17% fat, 2.20±0.10% moisture content, 10.03±0.20 spread ratio, lightness (L*) value of 52.53±0.37, °Hue value of 66.78±0.51, and 869.88±16.07 g hardness. This study shows that jicama flour can be an alternative to producing composite flour for gluten-free products. Shortening, which is not commonly used in biscuit making, may be considered an alternative fat source.

Breeding cereal rye (Secale cereale) for quality traits

AbstractCereal rye (Secale cereale) is a multi‐purpose crop, harvested for grain (for food, feed, and other products) as well as used as a forage or cover crop. The functionality of rye across these spheres is due to its abiotic and biotic stress tolerance and unique phytochemical composition. In this review, we focus on the current state and prospects of breeding rye for quality traits, where we define quality traits as grain, feed, or forage quality. Rye grain for human consumption has numerous healthful compounds, notably high dietary fiber content in grain and unique flavors that contribute to the signature properties of rye baked products and distilled spirits. As a forage, rye is useful in marginal environments and has high quality, including high crude protein, and is thus valuable for livestock production. While yield remains a major focus of breeding efforts, due to recent improvements in rye genomic and phenotypic resources, there are now opportunities for increased attention on breeding high‐quality ryes for multiple end uses. Through genetic improvement of quality traits, cereal rye has the potential to expand and serve multiple markets as a climate‐resilient crop.

Improved chromosome-level genome and annotation data for a leafy vegetable water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica)

Water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forssk.) is an important green leafy vegetable in Asia, with high content of dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins. The genome sequence of water spinach cv. HNUWS001 was published in 2021 with PacBio and Illumina sequences. However, this assembly showed low contig continuity and low BUSCO complete rate for the genes. Here, we reported a high-quality chromosome-level reference genome for water spinach by integrating PacBio high-fidelity (HiFi) sequencing and Hi-C technology. The water spinach assembly was improved 492.2 Mb in size, with chromosome anchoring rate of 96.5%, contig N50 size of 23.5 Mb, and BUSCO complete rate of 99%. Telomeric repeat analysis indicates that 13 of the 15 pseudo-chromosomes have both-end telomeric repeats, including 4 gapless and telomere to telomere pseudo-chromosomes. We identified 36,014 protein-coding genes in the improved water spinach assembly, with BUSCO complete rate of 99.0%, and 88.5% of genes were functionally annotated. In addition, we identified 8,853 rRNA genes in our assembly, with 5S, 5.8S, 18S, and 28S rRNA genes were 5,235, 1,199, 1,227, and 1,192, respectively. Besides, evolution analysis based on the improved gene set suggested a whole genome triplication (WGT) event that occurred in water spinach, not the previously reported whole genome duplication (WGD) event. The improved genome assembly has a 14-fold increase in contig N50 size, a 15.5% increase in chromosome anchoring rate, and a 3.1% increase in BUSCO complete rate of the gene set, and corrected 6 pseudo-chromosomes that with some incorrectly clustered, ordered, or orientated contigs in previous study. The results of water spinach assembly and annotation provides a valuable resource for genetic studies and will facilitate future research aimed at improving agronomic traits.

Diversity of Linum genetic resources in global genebanks: from agro-morphological characterisation to novel genomic technologies - a review.

Linseed or flaxseed is a well-recognized nutritional food with nutraceutical properties owing to high omega-3 fatty acid (α-Linolenic acid), dietary fiber, quality protein, and lignan content. Currently, linseed enjoys the status of a 'superfood' and its integration in the food chain as a functional food is evolving continuously as seed constituents are associated with lowering the risk of chronic ailments, such as heart diseases, cancer, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis. This crop also receives much attention in the handloom and textile sectors as the world's coolest fabric linen is made up of its stem fibers which are endowed with unique qualities such as luster, tensile strength, density, bio-degradability, and non-hazardous nature. Worldwide, major linseed growing areas are facing erratic rainfall and temperature patterns affecting flax yield, quality, and response to biotic stresses. Amid such changing climatic regimes and associated future threats, diverse linseed genetic resources would be crucial for developing cultivars with a broad genetic base for sustainable production. Furthermore, linseed is grown across the world in varied agro-climatic conditions; therefore it is vital to develop niche-specific cultivars to cater to diverse needs and keep pace with rising demands globally. Linseed genetic diversity conserved in global genebanks in the form of germplasm collection from natural diversity rich areas is expected to harbor genetic variants and thus form crucial resources for breeding tailored crops to specific culinary and industrial uses. Global genebank collections thus potentially play an important role in supporting sustainable agriculture and food security. Currently, approximately 61,000 germplasm accessions of linseed including 1,127 wild accessions are conserved in genebanks/institutes worldwide. This review analyzes the current status of Linum genetic resources in global genebanks, evaluation for agro-morphological traits, stress tolerance, and nutritional profiling to promote their effective use for sustainable production and nutrition enhancement in our modern diets.

Pecans and Its Polyphenols Prevent Obesity, Hepatic Steatosis and Diabetes by Reducing Dysbiosis, Inflammation, and Increasing Energy Expenditure in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet.

Pecans (Carya illinoinensis) are considered a functional food due to the high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, dietary fiber and polyphenols. To determine the effect of whole pecans (WP) or a pecan polyphenol (PP) extract on the development of metabolic abnormalities in mice fed a high-fat (HF) diet, we fed C57BL/6 mice with a Control diet (7% fat), HF diet (23% fat), HF containing 30% WP or an HF diet supplemented with 3.6 or 6 mg/g of PP for 18 weeks. Supplementation of an HF diet with WP or PP reduced fat mass, serum cholesterol, insulin and HOMA-IR by 44, 40, 74 and 91%, respectively, compared to the HF diet. They also enhanced glucose tolerance by 37%, prevented pancreatic islet hypertrophy, and increased oxygen consumption by 27% compared to the HF diet. These beneficial effects were associated with increased thermogenic activity in brown adipose tissue, mitochondrial activity and AMPK activation in skeletal muscle, reduced hypertrophy and macrophage infiltration of subcutaneous and visceral adipocytes, reduced hepatic lipid content and enhanced metabolic signaling. Moreover, the microbial diversity of mice fed WP or PP was higher than those fed HF, and associated with lower circulating lipopolysaccharides (~83-95%). Additionally, a 4-week intervention study with the HF 6PP diet reduced the metabolic abnormalities of obese mice. The present study demonstrates that WP or a PP extract prevented obesity, liver steatosis and diabetes by reducing dysbiosis, inflammation, and increasing mitochondrial content and energy expenditure. Pecan polyphenols were mainly condensed tannin and ellagic acid derivatives including ellagitannins as determined by LC-MS. Herein we also propose a model for the progression of the HF diet-mediated metabolic disorder based on early and late events, and the possible molecular targets of WP and PP extract in preventive and intervention strategies. The body surface area normalization equation gave a conversion equivalent to a daily human intake dose of 2101-3502 mg phenolics that can be obtained from 110-183 g pecan kernels/day (22-38 whole pecans) or 21.6-36 g defatted pecan flour/day for an average person of 60 kg. This work lays the groundwork for future clinical studies.

Effects of proteins and fats on the physicochemical, nutritional and sensory properties of plant‐based frozen desserts

SummaryThis study aimed to investigate the effects of plant‐based proteins (i.e. chickpea protein concentrate [CP] and soymilk powder [SM]) and fats (i.e. sunflower oil [SO] and coconut oil [CO]) in substituting dairy ingredients to develop plant‐based frozen desserts. The physicochemical, nutritional and sensory properties of the frozen desserts were evaluated. As compared to the dairy‐based frozen dessert, the plant‐based ones had comparable nutritional profiles with higher dietary fibre contents, which increased viscosities in the mix, resulting in improved meltdown properties. The frozen desserts containing both CP and SM, regardless of the types of fat (3CP3SM‐SO and 3CP3SM‐CO), received higher sensory scores for texture, mouthfeel, taste and overall acceptance. These findings suggest that plant‐based ingredients have the potential to create functional frozen desserts that are high in protein and energy, making them an ideal food supplement for the elderly who are at risk of malnutrition. due to chewing challenges and declining appetites.