Natural Food Ingredients Research Articles

Optimization of ultrasound-assisted extraction of sorghum phenolics and effect on the stability of 3-deoxyanthocyanins.

Sorghum 3-deoxyanthocyanins (3-DXAs) have greater stability when compared to other anthocyanins. However, the efficiency in extracting these phenolic compounds from cereals, using conventional methods, is low, because most of them are bound to the cell wall. Thus, the aim of this study was to optimize the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of anthocyanins and total phenolics from sorghum flour, and evaluate the stability of the 3-DXAs. Two frequencies (25 and 45kHz) were applied in a Central Composite Rotational design to investigate the effect of the variables time (5-75min) and temperature (30-65°C) using the UAE, with amplitude of the ultrasonic power set at 400W. In addition, the stability of the 3-DXAs present in the extracts was evaluated. It was possible to successfully optimize the extraction of total anthocyanins (both frequencies) and phenolics (at 45kHz), and then to obtain equations, to predict their concentrations, with high R2 . The efficiency of UAE was observed, increasing the yield of total anthocyanins, phenolics, and antioxidant capacity at the frequencies of 25 and 45kHz by 30% and 27%, 10% and 5%, and 30% and 15%, respectively. The apigeninidin was the major 3-DXA found in the extracts, and the luteolinidin was the most stable over storage time. Overall, there was no difference in the 3-DXAs stability obtained by the UAE compared to the conventional method. Thus, ultrasound is an alternative to obtaining sorghum extracts rich in 3-DXAs and other phenolic compounds. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The health benefits of sorghum 3-deoxyanthocyanins coupled with the growing interest of the food industry in producing healthier food products have motivated this study, because it is important to find ways to optimize 3-deoxyanthocyanins extraction. We have demonstrated that ultrasound-assisted extraction was efficient in extracting high amounts of 3-deoxyanthocyanins and other phenolics from sorghum flour. Moreover, some 3-deoxyanthocyanins have shown to be more stable than others after extraction. Thus, the ultrasound has great potential to produce sorghum phenolic extracts rich in 3-deoxyanthocyanins, which can be used as natural colorants and functional ingredients in foods.

Ultrasonic-assisted resting of Tartary buckwheat dough: Study on its effect and mechanism

Utilizing natural hypoglycemic ingredients in staple foods is a safe and effective way to improve diabetes. High Tartary buckwheat noodles have garnered research interest due to their hypoglycemic properties. However, increasing the Tartary buckwheat content poses challenges in noodle processing and affects their edible quality. Effective resting is a critical link to improve the processing performance of noodle and edible quality of noodle. Therefore, research was conducted on ultrasound assisted resting of Tartary buckwheat dough (TBD) to explore its feasibility and mechanism in improving the quality of Tartary buckwheat noodle. The results indicated that ultrasound treatment effectively promoted the migration of weakly-bound water towards strongly-bound water, thereby enhancing the gluten protein network structure and increasing the α-helix and β-sheet contents significantly (p < 0.05). Furthermore, Texture analysis indicated decreased hardness and adhesion, and increased elasticity and stretching distance in the final noodles. Ultrasound-assisted maturation pre-treatment shortens TBD's dough's resting time and improves noodle quality, according to this study.

In-depth analysis of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitors of Ganoderma amboinense based receptor-ligand affinity coupled with complex chromatography

Given the abundance and intricate nature of the chemical components found in natural food ingredients, functional food research has long grappled with two significant technical challenges: rapid and precise screening of active substances and targeted preparation. This study outlines a novel methodology to enhance the efficiency of preparing natural products, presenting new extraction processes, biological activity screening, and the preparation of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors from Ganoderma amboinense. acetylcholinesterase inhibitors were rapidly screened using ultrafiltration coupled with liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The inhibitory effect of active compounds on acetylcholinesterase was investigated via enzymatic reaction kinetics, with the mechanism also explored. Additionally, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were used to verify the anti-alzheimer's disease activity of active compounds. Following this, the biological activity of ligands identified were separated and purified using complex chromatography (consecutive-CCC and semi-preparative HPLC). We used n-hexane: ethyl acetate: methanol: water (4.0:6.0:4.0:6.0, v/v/v/v), which optimized by a universal quasichemical functional group activity coefficient-based mathematical model and semi-preparative HPLC, 25–60% A (0–50 min), 60–100% A (50–60 min). Twelve active ingredients viz. ganoderic acids I, C2, G, B, K, A, D, F, J, ganoderenic acid A, deacetyl ganoderic acid F, and lucidenic acid F with the binding affinity for AChE were identified and isolated from natural foods. We enhance the efficiency and purity of active compounds preparation by incorporating enzyme inhibition assays and computerized virtual screening with compound chromatography. With this approach, we seamlessly incorporate fast discovery, screening, and focused preparation of active ingredients, as well as delving into the mechanisms of action of active monomers and proteases, and the molecular-level interactions between active ingredients and proteases. This approach effectively mitigates the occurrence of false positives attributable to a single technique, thereby providing valuable data to underpin future advances in enzyme inhibitor screening and isolation.

Microencapsulated polyphenol extracts from Georgia-grown pomegranate peels delay lipid oxidation in salad dressing during accelerated and ambient storage conditions.

Lipid oxidation is a major cause of quality deterioration in salad dressings. This study evaluated the effect of incorporating microencapsulated polyphenol extracts via spray drying from pomegranate peels (MPP) to delay lipid oxidation in Italian-style salad dressings (ISD) during accelerated (55°C) and ambient (25°C) storage conditions. ISDs, prepared at high (5000 rpm) and low (250 rpm) shear rates conditions, were formulated with unencapsulated polyphenol extracts from pomegranate peels (PPP), MPP, and/or grape seed extract (GSE). Lipid oxidation in ISDs was evaluated by measuring peroxide value (PV), iodine value (IV), and TBARS, stored in accelerated and ambient conditions for 21 days and 8 weeks, respectively. Tannis in extracts were measured via HPLC-DAD and the total hydrolyzable tannin content of PPP and MPP was 283.09 and 427.74 (mg/g extract), respectively. Condensed tannins were not detected in PPP and MPP but were found in GSE (348.53 mg/g extract). Salad dressings prepared at high shear rates had significantly (p < .05) higher emulsion stability than those homogenized at low shear rates. Mixing conditions did not affect the lipid oxidative stability of IDSs. Salad dressing stored under accelerated storage had higher lipid oxidation (higher PV, lower IV, and higher TBARS) after 21 days than IDSs stored under ambient conditions for 8 weeks. ISDs prepared with MPPP showed significantly (p < .05) lower lipid oxidation than the other ISDs at the end of the shelf life studies. Results from the accelerated storage suggested that incorporating MPP could have extended the shelf life of IDSs by 20% compared to using unencapsulated polyphenol extracts. The study demonstrated that MPP delays lipid oxidation in ISDs during storage more effectively than unencapsulated extracts. MPP may serve as a natural and effective functional food ingredient for controlling lipid oxidation in high-lipid and acidified foods.

Processing of Herbal-Based Natural Products and Functional Foods: A Review

The growing worldwide emphasis on health and wellness, leading to increased demand for natural plant-based ingredients in foods. This shift is driven by concerns over synthetic additives in processed foods, giving rise to the popularity of plant-based functional foods. The global functional food market is projected to reach $275.77 billion by 2025, with a surge in demand for plant-based immune-boosting products due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Malaysian herbs, with their rich history of culinary and traditional use, are gaining attention as functional ingredients. However, their incorporation into food products requires more advanced processing methods and research. Malaysia's biodiversity offers untapped economic potential, and the country's herbal industry is experiencing growth in exports and research investments. Herbal ingredients, containing active phytochemicals, are sometimes referred to as botanical substances and can be incorporated into formulations for functional foods. The review classifies herbal-based food products as herbal medicine, botanical food, or food-drug interphase (FDI). Herbal processing methods are crucial for ensuring the functionality of herbal-based products. Primary processing steps include sorting, cutting, drying, and grinding. Specific processing functions involve retaining active compound contents, enhancing effectiveness, reducing toxicity or side effects, and changing active compound properties or functions. The review also discusses the application of herb combinations in functional foods, highlighting the need for careful consideration of interactions between herbs and other components. Approaches to functional food development in Malaysia include refining existing products, creating new formulations, and integrating novel processing technologies. Future research directions include enhancing bioavailability and functionality of active compounds, exploring nanosystem technology, and incorporating nutrigenomics for disease prevention through dietary interventions.

The Most Potent Natural Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics, and Food Ingredients Isolated from Plants with Deep Eutectic Solvents.

There is growing interest in reducing the number of synthetic products or additives and replacing them with natural ones. The pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries are especially focused on natural and bioactive chemicals isolated from plants or microorganisms. The main challenge here is to develop efficient and ecological methods for their isolation. According to the strategies and rules of sustainable development and green chemistry, green solvents and environmentally friendly technologies must be used. The application of deep eutectic solvents as efficient and biodegradable solvents seems to be a promising alternative to traditional methods. They are classified as being green and ecological but, most importantly, very efficient extraction media compared to organic solvents. The aim of this review is to present the recent findings on green extraction, as well as the biological activities and the possible applications of natural plant ingredients, namely, phenolics, flavonoids, terpenes, saponins, and some others. This paper thoroughly reviews modern, ecological, and efficient extraction methods with the use of deep eutectic solvents (DESs). The newest findings, as well as the factors influencing the efficiency of extraction, such as water content, and hydrogen bond donor and acceptor types, as well as the extraction systems, are also discussed. New solutions to the major problem of separating DESs from the extract and for solvent recycling are also presented.

Myrtaceae leaves grown in Agroforestry: a sustainable alternative to producing natural antioxidants extracts

Myrtaceae species such as uvaia, grumixama, and feijoa have been used in Brazil’s Agroforestry Systems (AFS). In AFS, frequent pruning occurs, and leaves are discarded. However, the leaves contain specific phenolic compounds (PC) that, when appropriately extracted, produce extracts with antioxidant activity (AA). These extracts meet the demand for natural and sustainable food ingredients. Therefore, the drying study (40, 50, and 60 °C) of uvaia, grumixama, and feijoa leaves obtained from AFS was carried out, and the effect of drying on the PC profile (LC-ESI-MS/MS) and AA were evaluated. In the uvaia extracts, the major compounds were EGCG, gallic acid, and isoquercitin, accounting for 94% of their PC, and leaves dried at 50 °C promoted a better phenolic extraction. The gallic acid, 2.5 DHBA and isoqueticitrin represent 79% of the relative composition of PC in grumixama extracts, and leaves dried at 60 °C were the condition that allowed a greater extraction. While, epicatechin, catechin, gallic acid and isoquercitrin correspond to 66% of the PC composition of feijoa leaves. Grumixama had the highest values for AA by the FCRC and DPPH while feijoa had significant values for FRAP in all treatments. Dried leaves at 50 °C showed higher AA for all methods, except for grumixama which showed this behavior at 60 °C. These results indicate that these matrices proved promising sustainable sources of various phenolic compounds. The drying process of the leaves at 50 and 60 °C had a greater extraction of compounds with antioxidant activity, with potential industrial applications.

OVERVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES AND FEATURES OF PRODUCTION OF INNOVATIVE ALGAE PRODUCTS

About 70% of the earth's surface is covered by seas and oceans. The marine environment provides a wide range of diverse natural sources. Given the lack of food resources for a healthy and active life of the world's population, the research of alternative sources of food, including marine biological resources, among which algae are the leading ones, is an urgent issue today. The increase in the global market of functional food products requires the study of new natural food ingredients. Thus, in recent years, the possibility of using algae and compounds obtained from them for the production of innovative food products has attracted worldwide interest. Traditionally, algae can be classified into three different groups: green algae (Chlorophyta), brown algae (Ochrophyta, Phaeophyceae) and red algae (Rhodophyta). The need for food daily prompts us to explore more sustainable alternatives for protein raw materials. Micro- and macroalgae are rich in protein, dietary fibers, polysaccharides, lipids and polyunsaturated fatty acids, pigments, vitamins and minerals. That is why in the food industry algae are used not only as ingredients, but as high-protein, vitaminized food additives, biodyes, biostimulants and growth regulators. Algae are low-calorie foods, which gives them advantages over most refined components of the diet. In addition, their wide composition of essential substances has a qualitative effect on the prevention and overcoming of many health problems, such as cardiovascular pathologies, skin diseases, hypovitaminosis, iodine deficiency. Given the increasing demand for plant-based diets enriched with protein components, algae and their by-products can be effectively used to develop new food products, providing a rich biomass as a substitute for plant-based meat alternatives.

The potential utilization of non-timber vascular plants in the karst area of Ayah Village, Kebumen District, Central Java, Indonesia

Abstract. Indriyani S, Aurina DM, Ramadhan MF, Rachmalia F, Fauziyyah MD, Faturrahman AD, Nazar IA, Septiasari A, Naim DMD, Setyawan AD. 2023. The potential utilization of non-timber vascular plants in the karst area of Ayah Village, Kebumen District, Central Java, Indonesia. Intl J Trop Drylands 7: 51-61. Karst vegetation has unique characteristics in its shape and species composition. As a result, karst plant communities have a high ability to adapt to environmental stress. In addition to ecological functions, vegetation that grows in karst areas also has the potential as natural medicine, food ingredients, and materials for folk traditions. This study aims to determine the diversity and potential utilization of non-timber vascular plants in the karst area of ??Ayah Village, Kebumen, Central Java, Indonesia. This study used a survey method, namely direct observation, by exploring the Ayah Forest area to observe the studied object, namely vascular plants. The results showed 44 plant families of 111 species in the Ayah Forest area. Vascular plants in the Ayah Forest area are mostly from Fabaceae and Poaceae families. Therefore, five habitus types grow there, including trees, herbs, shrubs, epiphytes, and vines. The vascular plants found during the research have different potencies. In this study, eight prospects could be utilized from vascular plants in Ayah Forest: ornamental plants, medicinal plants, food ingredients, beverage ingredients, flavorings, natural coloring, animal feed, and woven crafts. The potential use of vascular plants in the Ayah Forest is most widely used as medicine.

Biochemical and Antioxidant Profiling of Raspberry Plant Parts for Sustainable Processing.

The optimization of innovation and food technological processes not only increases the profits of companies but also allows them to achieve the set goals of the green trajectory. This research aimed to collect data on the biochemical composition of different parts of the raspberry variety 'Polka', including the various morphological parts, to present the importance of differentiating plant parts in food processing, and to show the potential of usage for primary processing in different fields of the food industry. Fruits, stems (cane), leaves, flowers, seeds, and roots were evaluated according to their chemical composition and mineral (Ca, Mg, B, Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn) contents, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity. In our study, the contents of inverted sugar, saccharose, and total sugar varied from 51.8 ± 2.46 %, 18.9 ± 0.31 %, and 69.7 ± 4,36 % in raspberry puree to 5.9 ± %, 1.51 ± %, 7.39 ± % in the seeds, respectively. The results regarding the mineral composition of various raspberry parts (mg/kg) indicated significant differences (p < 0.05). The contents of manganese and iron (57.6 ± 0.50; 36.9 ± 0.59) were the highest in all the parts in the plant. Manganese varied from 246 ± 10.32 in inflorescence to 40.1 ± 0.87 in the seeds. Iron fluctuated from 1553 ± 44.03 in the roots to 35.5 ± 0.15 in the seeds. The highest statistically significant boron content (p < 0.05) was found in the leaves (41.8 ± 0.33), while the lowest was in the seeds (7.17 ± 0.19). The total phenol content of the raspberry's distinct parts ranged from 6500 mg GAE/100 g DW to 1700 mg GAE/100 g DW. The inflorescence had the considerably highest total phenol content. Our study found that the highest amount of epicatechin is found in the roots (9162.1 ± 647.86 mg), while the fruits contain only 657.5 ± 92.99, and the lowest value is in the stems (130.3 ± 9.22). High levels of procyanidin B2 were found in the raspberry roots (7268.7 ± 513.98), while the stems had the lowest value-368.4 ± 26.05. The DPPH of the raspberry morphological parts ranged from 145.1 to 653.6 µmol TE/g FW, ABTS-from 1091.8 to 243.4 µmol TE/g FW, and the FRAP-from 720.0 to 127.0 µmol TE/g FW. The study revealed the importance of differentiating plant parts in production for the quality of the final product. Studies showed that raspberry plant parts represent a potential source of natural food ingredients, and can be a potential raw material for products rich in phenolic compounds or dietary fiber, which can provide healthy properties to food when used as an additive that may be economically attractive for consumers.

Production of Value-Added Products as Food Ingredients via Microbial Fermentation

Humankind has been unknowingly utilizing food fermentations since the first creation of bread, cheese, and other basic foods. Since the beginning of the last century, microbial fermentation has been extensively utilized for production of commodity chemicals. It has also gained substantial interest in recent decades due to its underlying applications in the preparation of natural and safe food ingredients including enzymes, antimicrobial agents, vitamins, organic acids, sweeteners, stabilizers, emulsifiers, oligosaccharides, amino acids, and thickening agents. In addition, some novel food ingredients that were conventionally made from some other sources such as plant tissue cultures or animals are now being introduced in the industry as ‘fermentation products.’ Some examples of such novel fermentation food ingredients include flavonoids, cultured meat products, food colorants, antioxidants, lipids, and fatty acids. This review summarizes some of the most prominent food ingredients and novel fermentation food products currently being produced via microbial fermentation as well as the strategies to enhance such fermentation processes. Additionally, economical feedstocks are discussed with their potential to be converted into value-added products with the help of microbial fermentations.

Short-Term Effects of a Therapeutic Diet on Biochemical Parameters in Hemodialysis Patients: A Randomized Crossover Trial

Although unhealthy diets exacerbate nutritional and metabolic derangements in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), how therapeutic diets that possess a variety of different dietary strategies acutely modify diverse biochemical parameters related to cardiovascular disease remains underexplored. Thirty-three adults with end-stage kidney disease undergoing thrice-weekly hemodialysis participated in a randomized crossover trial comparing a therapeutic diet with their usual diets for 7days, separated by a 4-week washout period. The therapeutic diet was characterized by adequate calorie and protein amounts, natural food ingredients with a low phosphorus-to-protein ratio, higher portions of plant-based food, and high fiber content. The primary outcome measure was the mean difference in the change-from-baseline intact fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) level between the 2 diets. The other outcomes of interest included changes in mineral parameters, uremic toxins, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels. Compared with the usual diet, the therapeutic diet lowered intact FGF23 levels (P=.001), decreased serum phosphate levels (P<.001), reduced intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels (P=.003), lowered C-terminal FGF23 levels (P=.03), increased serum calcium levels (P=.01), and tended to lower total indoxyl sulfate levels (P=.07) but had no significant effect on hs-CRP levels. Among these changes, reduction in serum phosphate level achieved in 2days, modifications of intact PTH and calcium levels in 5days, and reductions in intact and C-terminal FGF23 levels in 7days of therapeutic diet intervention. Within the 1-week intervention period, the dialysis-specific therapeutic diet rapidly reversed mineral abnormalities and tended to decrease total indoxyl sulfate levels in patients undergoing hemodialysis but had no effect on inflammation. Future studies to assess the long-term effects of such therapeutic diets are recommended.

Purification, Identification, and Mechanistic Investigation of Novel Selenium-Enriched Antioxidant Peptides from Moringa oleifera Seeds.

In this study, five novel Se-enriched antioxidant peptides (FLSeML, LSeMAAL, LASeMMVL, SeMLLAA, and LSeMAL) were purified and identified from Se-enriched Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) seed protein hydrolysate. The five peptides showed excellent cellular antioxidant activity, with respective EC50 values of 0.291, 0.383, 0.662, 0.1, and 0.123 μg/mL. The five peptides (0.025 mg/mL) increased the cell viability from 78.72 to 90.71, 89.16, 93.92, 83.68, and 98.29%, respectively, effectively reducing reactive oxygen species accumulation and significantly increasing superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in damaged cells. Molecular docking results revealed that the five novel Se-enriched peptides interacted with the key amino acid of Keap1, thus directly blocking the interaction of Keap1-Nrf2 and activating the antioxidant stress response to enhance the ability of scavenging free radicals in vitro. In conclusion, Se-enriched M. oleifera seed peptides exhibited significant antioxidant activity and can be expected to find widespread use as a highly active natural functional food additive and ingredient.

Antimicrobial potential of Ericaria selaginoides extracts against Listeria monocytogenes in “mató”, a Catalan fresh cheese

The objective of this work was to assess the antimicrobial effect of crude extracts and non-polar and mid-polar subfractions of the brown macroalga Ericaria selaginoides, using a mid-polarity extraction medium. The activity was evaluated through challenge testing against Listeria monocytogenes in Catalan “mató” (fresh cheese) selected as a food matrix. Three concentrations were tested, representing 2 ×, 4 × and 10 × Minimum Bactericidal Concentration values obtained for crude extract in previous in vitro assays. Ericaria selaginoides extracts inhibited L. monocytogenes growth in a dose-dependent manner. Intermediate concentrations of the three extracts were able to notably reduce the growth rate of the pathogen. Highest concentration of crude extract and non-polar subfraction were able to completely inhibit the growth of L. monocytogenes during the 10 days of storage at 8 °C. Moreover, a slight listericidal effect was observed in presence of the non-polar subfraction, reducing the L. monocytogenes level by ca. 3 log after 10 days of refrigerated storage. These results prove the potential of E. selaginoides extracts as a source of valuable antimicrobial compounds that can be used as natural food ingredients to develop safer fresh dairy food.

Recent insights into green antimicrobial packaging towards food safety reinforcement: A review

AbstractFood packaging is widely used method of food preservation around the world. It is an element that enhances the quality and food product safety. The primary function of packaging is to protect food from contamination, undesirable chemical reactions and to provide physical protection. Food spoilage caused by food‐borne pathogens and microbes is increasing tremendously posing an enormous threat. In the field of food packaging, new biodegradable and natural antimicrobial agents from plants and animals are gaining popularity. Recent foodborne outbreaks have prompted more creative and safe ways to initiate efficient packaging systems in food industries. However, as consumer demand for natural food ingredients has grown as a result of increasing safety and availability, natural substances are thought to be safer. Antimicrobial packaging that incorporates natural antimicrobials is thus a viable active packaging innovation. One possibility for increasing the safety and quality of foods while prolonging their shelf life is to employ natural antibacterial packaging. This article focuses on environmentally friendly bio‐based polymers that can be utilized in food packaging to enhance mechanical strength, gas permeability, and water resistance, among other features. It also includes useful information about natural antimicrobial agents found in fruits and vegetables, as well as animal by‐products, their properties, safety laws, and uses aimed at improving and increasing food quality and safety.

Formation mechanism and functional properties of walnut protein isolate and soy protein isolate nanoparticles using the pH-cycle technology.

Walnut protein isolate (WPI) is a nutritious protein with poor solubility, which severely limits its application. In this study, composite nanoparticles were prepared from WPI and soy protein isolate (SPI) using the pH-cycle technology. The WPI solubility increased from 12.64 to 88.53% with a WPI: SPI ratio increased from 1: 0.01 to 1: 1. Morphological and structural analyses illustrated that interaction forces with hydrogen bonding as the main effect jointly drive the binding of WPI to SPI and that protein co-folding occurs during the neutralization process, resulting in a hydrophilic rigid structure. In addition, the interfacial characterization showed that the composite nanoparticle with a large surface charge enhanced the affinity with water molecules, prevented protein aggregation, and protected the new hydrophilic structure from damage. All these parameters helped to maintain the stability of the composite nanoparticles in a neutral environment. Amino acid analysis, emulsification capacity, foaming, and stability analysis showed that the prepared WPI-based nanoparticles exhibited good nutritional and functional properties. Overall, this study could provide a technical reference for the value-added use of WPI and an alternative strategy for delivering natural food ingredients.

The Effect of Dietary Phospholipids on the Ultrastructure and Function of Intestinal Epithelial Cells.

Dietary composition substantially determines human health and affects complex diseases, including obesity, inflammation and cancer. Thus, food supplements have been widely used to accommodate dietary composition to the needs of individuals. Among the promising supplements are dietary phospholipids (PLs) that are commonly found as natural food ingredients and as emulsifier additives. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of major PLs found as food supplements on the morphology of intestinal epithelial cells upon short-term and long-term high-dose feeding in mice. In the present report, the effect of short-term and long-term high dietary PL content was studied in terms of intestinal health and leaky gut syndrome in male mice. We used transmission electron microscopy to evaluate endothelial morphology at the ultrastructural level. We found mitochondrial damage and lipid droplet accumulation in the intracristal space, which rendered mitochondria more sensitive to respiratory uncoupling as shown by a mitochondrial respiration assessment in the intestinal crypts. However, this mitochondrial damage was insufficient to induce intestinal permeability. We propose that high-dose PL treatment impairs mitochondrial morphology and acts through extensive membrane utilization via the mitochondria. The data suggest that PL supplementation should be used with precaution in individuals with mitochondrial disorders.

Hemp seeds: Nutritional value, associated bioactivities and the potential food applications in the Colombian context.

For many years, Colombia was one of the countries with the largest illegal cultivation of cannabis around the world. Currently, it is going through a period of transition with a new government law that recently allows the cultivation, transformation, and commercialization of such plant species. In this sense, the identification of strategies for the valorization of products or by-products from Cannabis sativa represent a great opportunity to improve the value chain of this crop. One of these products is hemp seeds, which are exceptionally nutritious and rich in healthy lipids (with high content of three polyunsaturated fatty acids: linoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, and gamma-linolenic acid), good quality protein, and several minerals. In addition, hemp seeds contain THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) or CBD (cannabidiol) in traces, molecules that are responsible for the psychoactive and therapeutic properties of cannabis. These low terpenophenolic contents make it more attractive for food applications. This fact, together with the constant search for proteins of vegetable origin and natural food ingredients, have aroused an important interest in the study of this biomass. Some bioactivities of phytochemical compounds (polyphenols and terpenoids, mainly) present in hemp seeds have provided antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. This review summarizes and discusses the context of hemp use in Latin-American and the new opportunities for hemp seeds culture in Colombia considering the valuable nutritional value, main functional bioactivities, and recent advances in food market applications of hemp seeds.

Stabilization of Natural Pigments in Ethanolic Solutions for Food Applications: The Case Study of Chlorella vulgaris

Chlorella vulgaris is a green microalga with a high chlorophyll content, representing a valuable source of green pigments for food applications. As the application of whole biomass can promote an unpleasant fish-like flavor, the use of chlorophyll extract can overcome this drawback. However, chlorophylls tend to easily degrade when out of the chloroplasts, decreasing their potential as a food ingredient. Thus, to study the suitable conditions for isolated chlorophylls preservation, in this work, the influence of temperature (4 to 60 °C), light (dark or 24 h photoperiod), alkaline conditions (with or without aqueous NaOH addition), and modified atmosphere (air or argon atmosphere) on the stability of the color in ethanolic solutions obtained from C. vulgaris were studied. The loss of green color with temperature followed the first-order kinetics, with an activation energy of 74 kJ/mol. Below 28 °C and dark conditions were suitable to preserve isolated chlorophylls. The addition of NaOH and an inert argon-rich atmosphere did not exhibit a statistically positive effect on color preservation. In the case study, cooked cold rice was colored to be used in sushi. The color remained stable for up to 3 days at 4 °C. Therefore, this work showed that C. vulgaris chlorophylls could be preserved in ethanolic solutions at room or lower temperatures when protected from light, allowing them to obtain a suitable natural food ingredient to color foodstuffs.

Effect of bio control agents and botanical extracts on antioxidant activity in chilli fruits

Chilli fruit are good antioxidant sources and hold promise as natural ingredients in functional foods. Many other types of carotenoids accumulate in the fruit during the ripening process, for example, β-carotene, violaxanthin, lutein, and zeaxanthin. The present experiment was carried out to Effect of bio control agents and botanical extracts on antioxidant activity in chilli fruits. Chilli seedlings were treated with individually and in combination with effective bio control agents and botanical extracts in field condition applied as seedling treatment and foliar spray. Efficacy of botanical extract and bio control agents on antioxidant activity of fruits of chilli plant applied seedling treatment and foliar spray with T. Viride + P. Fluorescens + Neem + Garlic showed higher β-carotene and capsaicin content in chilli fruits in comparison to control. Maximum β-carotene (3.56 mg/mL) and capsaicin (2831.67µg/g) content were recorded in chilli fruits respectively. These antioxidants sources are responses to disease resistant against pathogen and benefiting the digestive tracts, promote healthy heart, relieve joint pains, promote weight loss, mitigate migraine, reduce cancer risk, prevent allergies etc.