Potential Functional Food Research Articles

Characterization and valorization of soybean residue (okara) for the development of synbiotic ice cream.

There is an increasing challenge in probiotic viability and stability during food product formulation, processing, and storage. However, synbiotic functional foods have promising potential to deliver the targeted benefits. This study aimed to isolate the okara from soybean residue, and obtained okara flour was further characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Synbiotic ice cream was developed by fortification with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and okara at different concentrations (1-3%). Additionally, the synbiotic ice cream was subjected to physicochemical and sensory attributes over 60 days of storage. High viability of L. rhamnosus GG (8.17 log CFU/mL) was observed during storage at 3% okara. Moreover, adding okara at 2% or higher improved viscosity, reduced overrun, and maintained probiotic viability. When compared to the control (ice cream without okara), synbiotic ice cream exhibited a higher protein content and a lower fat level. The synergistic combination of probiotics and okara in ice cream is a potentially novel approach for developing functional ice cream. The addition of okara is not only helpful in increasing the nutritional value of the ice cream but will also be a way forward to minimize agricultural waste. Synbiotic ice cream developed in this study may be considered a potential functional food rich in protein and low in fat.

Extraction and Purification, Structural Characterization and Biological Activity of a Polysaccharide, PRP-1, from Plumeria rubra.

Polysaccharides derived from the flowers of Plumeria rubra (PRP) have shown a variety of beneficial effects on improving human health. However, the structural features and bioactivities of PRP remain unclear. A novel neutral polysaccharide (named PRP-1) with a molecular weight of 23 kDa was extracted and purified from the flowers of P. rubra. PRP-1 was consisted of arabinose, galactose, glucose, xylose and mannose, with a molar ratio of 1.49: 27.89: 50.24: 13.02: 7.36. The structural characterization based on the methylation and 1D/2D nuclear magnetic resonance analyses indicated that PRP-1 was composed of →4)-Glcp-(1→, →4,6)-Glcp-(1→, →4)-Galp-(1→, →2)-Galp-(1→, t-Gal(p), →4)-Manp-(1→, →4,6)-Manp-(1→, t-Man(p), →2)-Xylp-(1→, and t-Xyl(p). Scanning electron microscopy revealed that PRP-1 possess a compact three-dimensional curling network structure in the terms of morphology. PRP-1 exhibited anti-inflammatory activity, which have moderate inhibitory effects on TNF-α and IL-6 production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells. In addition, PRP-1 showed ABTS, OH radicals scavenging and the Fe2+ chelating effects in a concentration dependent manner. In α-glucosidase inhibition assay, PRP-1 did not exhibit inhibitory activity. Overall, these results provide a scientific basis for the utilization of the flowers of P. rubra as a potential functional food ingredient.

Halal Fermented Functional Food in Indonesia: A Review

Nowadays, people prefer to consume foods with better nutrition to enjoy life more healthily. However, Muslims must also eat halal food following the Islamic way of life; eating nutritious food alone is insufficient. Indonesia, the largest Muslim population in the world, presents a market potential for halal food manufacturers and consumers worldwide. Several varieties of regional fermented foods were listed on the halal-positive food list and free from the requirement of halal certification, as per Indonesian Halal rules. The review of Indonesian fermented foods listed in the category of positive halal foods is the main topic of this essay. The procedures used to review the chosen themes include finding the literature in online sources, screening for topic inclusion, and evaluating, extracting, and discussing the accessible data found in the publications. The potential functional local fermented food varieties are included on the positive halal list: Tape (sticky rice and cassava), Dadih, and Tempeh. These fermented foods' microbiological and chemical characteristics were discussed. Therefore, the functional value of these fermented foods is rich in phytochemicals, anti-cancer (β-glucan), antioxidant compounds (isoflavones) and probiotic components (lactic acid bacteria and yeasts).

Total ginsenosides promotes intestinal epithelial proliferation via affecting polyamine-mediated HuR on post-transcriptional control

Ginseng, as a functional food, is widely used worldwide because of its various benefits. This study aims to elucidate the potential effects of total ginsenosides (TG) in intestinal mucosal restitution. Establishing IEC-6 cell proliferation inhibition model by culturing with 5 mmol/L DL-α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO, a polyamine inhibitor) for 48 h. The intestinal injury mice model was induced by 3% Dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) for 7 d. TG reversed the cell growth inhibition, regulated cell cycle and the decrease in c-Myc protein expression caused by DFMO, without affecting mRNA expression; TG increased translation efficiency and half-life of c-Myc mRNA, suggesting that TG promoted cell proliferation through affecting translation of c-Myc. Furthermore, TG could prevent the decrease of human antigen R (HuR)/c-Myc mRNA, p-HuR and p-Chk2 expression caused by DFMO, as well as reduce the expression of HuR in cytoplasm while increasing the expression in nucleus, indicating that TG influenced post-transcriptional control of c-Myc through polyamine-mediated HuR pathway for intestinal mucosal restitution. Panax ginseng aqueous extract (PGE) prevented intestinal mucosal injury induced by DSS(improved clinical symptoms and restored colon integrity) through enhancing HuR and c-Myc levels. Our results may provide a scientific basis for ginseng as a potential functional food ingredient and assistance therapeutic agent to prevent intestinal injury.

2-O-β-D-Glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acid, an ascorbic acid derivative isolated from the fruits of Lycium barbarum L., ameliorates high fructose-induced neuroinflammation in mice: involvement of gut microbiota and leaky gut

Western diet (rich in highly refined sugar and fat) can induce a range of metabolic dysfunctions in animals and humans, including neuroinflammation and cognitive function decline. Neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment, two critical pathological characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease, have been closely associated with microbial alteration via the gut-brain axis. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the influence of 2-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acid (AA-2βG) isolated from the fruits of Lycium barbarum on preventing the high-fructose diet (HFrD) induced neuroinflammation in mice. It was found that AA-2βG prevented HFrD-induced cognitive deficits. AA-2βG also predominantly enhanced the gut barrier integrity, decreased lipopolysaccharide entry into the circulation, which subsequently countered the activation of glial cells and neuroinflammatory response. These beneficial effects were transmissible by horizontal fecal microbiome transplantation, transferring from AA-2βG fed mice to HFrD fed mice. Additionally, AA-2βG exerted neuroprotective effects involving the enrichment of Lactobacillus and Akkermansia, potentially beneficial intestinal bacteria. The present study provided the evidence that AA-2βG could improve indices of cognition and neuroinflammmation via modulating gut dybiosis and preventing leaky gut. As a potential functional food ingredient, AA-2βG may be applied to attenuate neuroinflammation associated with Western-style diets.

Mannose‐rich exopolysaccharide from Agaricus sinodeliciosus var. Chaidam: Purification, chemical characterization, and neuroprotective activity

AbstractAmyloid β (Aβ) aggregation is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Searching for compounds that attenuate Aβ aggregation could uncover novel prevention for AD. Herein, an exopolysaccharide (EPS)‐2 was purified from the fermentation broth of Agaricus sinodeliciosus var. Chaidam. Morphology characterization, circular dichroism spectroscopy, and molecular docking demonstrated that EPS‐2 inhibited oligomer formation and remodeled the conformational conversion of Aβ1‐42, thus reducing the cytotoxicity and oxidative stress induced by Aβ1‐42 oligomers in vitro. Structural characterization revealed that the neuroprotective EPS‐2 with an average molecular weight of 18 kDa consisted of mannose, galactose, and a small proportion of rhamnose, glucose, fucose, ribose, glucuronic acid, and galactosamine. Glycosidic linkage and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis suggested that EPS‐2 has a backbone of →1)‐D‐Galp‐(6→, →1)‐D‐Manp‐(2, 6→, →1)‐D‐Galp‐(2→ and →1)‐t‐Manp with branched chains. Therefore, EPS‐2 was able to block Aβ1‐42 aggregation and reduced its neurotoxicity, and thus can be developed into a potential functional food ingredient for AD patients.

Peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) seeds and kernels as potential plant-based functional food ingredients: A review of bioactive compounds and health-promoting activities

Prunus persica (L.) Batsch (or peach) (Rosaceae) is the most important stone fruit crop in many areas, including North Africa, South Africa, and Europe. Peaches are well known for their flavor, nutritional value, and potential health benefits. During the consumption of peach fruit, usually jams, jellies, juices, and other food products, the seed and kernel (stone) is disposed of as waste. However, the seeds and kernels of peach fruit are considered remarkably rich sources of sodium, potassium, zinc, copper, iron, fatty acids (linolenic, oleic, palmitic, and linoleic acids), fiber, and carbohydrate (sucrose, glucose, and fructose) content. The preliminary results of various studies demonstrated that seed and kernels of peach fruit contain high amount of protein and bioactive peptides. Seed and kernels extract showed anti-ageing, anti-biofilm properties, protection against oxidative stress, cancer cell proliferation, inhibit type II diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and obesity. It was concluded that biological properties are stimulated by the presence of hydroxycinnamic acids, polymeric procyanidins, cyanogenic glycosides, carotenoids and other metabolites. Oil extracted from the seeds of peach extracted via, supercritical CO2 shows the presence of phytosterols (stigmasterol, β-sitosterol, campesterol) that were widely known for their cholesterol-lowering effects, while additional research showed peach kernels as a potent source of phenolic compounds with high concentration of phenolic acids and catechin. Amygdalin is present in the seed extract of peach fruit, that changes into cyanide and supposed to kill cancer cells. A variety of studies are being conducted to recover possible bioactive compounds from peach seed and/or kernels in order to prevent environmental pollution and also economic losses. Thus, peach wastes, by-products, and their valorized compounds can be used as a sustainable resource of various important compounds that can be of great importance in different functional foods, pharmaceuticals, animal feed industry and cosmetics.

Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of the Tropical Red Alga Eucheuma spinosum: In Silico Study

Recently, numerous studies have focused on characterizing the biochemical activities of new natural marine resources as functional foods. Eucheuma spinosum J. Agardh., family Solieraceae, is a potential functional food that is widely used as a natural food source and contains bioactive components. This study aims to identify the bioactivity, drug-likeness, and pharmacokinetics of 3-(3-methoxyphenyl) propanal isolated from E. spinosum, and to discover the molecular interactions between the ligand, 3-(3-methoxyphenyl) propanal, and various antioxidant and antibacterial receptors. The bioactivity of 3-(3-methoxyphenyl) propanal was analyzed using computational Prediction of Activity Spectra for Substance (PASS) analysis. The drug-likeness was examined based on Lipinski's rule and other parameters. The pharmacokinetics of 3-(3-methoxyphenyl) propanal were predicted, and the molecular interactions between the receptors governing the antioxidant and antibacterial activity and 3-(3-methoxyphenyl) propanal were determined using the molecular docking method and molecular dynamics simulation. Based on the PASS analysis, 3-(3-methoxyphenyl) propanal was predicted to inhibit JAK2 expression, which contributes to apoptosis, with a probability of a molecule to be active (Pa) values of 0.733 and 0.508. Additionally, 3-(3-methoxyphenyl) propanal is an oxygen scavenger (Pa 0.408) and antimutagenic (Pa 0.419). Based on the drug-likeness and pharmacokinetic analyses, 3-(3-methoxyphenyl) propanal meets the requirements for an oral drug. Molecular docking revealed that binding affinity of 3-(3-methoxyphenyl) propanal for superoxide dismutase, tyrosinase, glutathione peroxidase, UDP-N-acetylmuramate, and penicillin-binding protein was −5.5, −6.1, −4.2, −6.2, and −4.9 kcal mol −1, respectively. Moreover, according to molecular dynamics simulation, propanal 3-(3-methoxyphenyl) propanal has stronger interaction with tyrosinase than the positive control. Based on PASS analysis and molecular docking results, 3-(3-methoxyphenyl) propanal exhibited promising potential as an antioxidant.

Shifting archetype to nature's hidden gems: from sources, purification to uncover the nutritional potential of bioactive peptides.

Contemporary scientific findings revealed that our daily food stuffs are enriched by encrypted bioactive peptides (BPs), evolved by peptide linkage of amino acids or encrypted from the native protein structures. Remarkable to these BPs lies in their potential health benefiting biological activities to serve as nutraceuticals or a lead addition to the development of functional foods. The biological activities of BPs vary depending on the sequence as well as amino acid composition. Existing database records approximately 3000 peptide sequences which possess potential biological activities such as antioxidants, antihypertensive, antithrombotic, anti-adipogenics, anti-microbials, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancerous. The growing evidences suggest that BPs have very low toxicity, higher accuracy, less tissue accretion, and are easily degraded in the disposed environment. BPs are nowadays evolved as biologically active molecules with potential scope to reduce microbial contamination as well as ward off oxidation of foods, amend diverse range of human diseases to enhance the overall quality of human life. Against the clinical and health perspectives of BPs, this review aimed to elaborate current evolution of nutritional potential of BPs, studies pertaining to overcome limitations with respect to special focus on emerging extraction, protection and delivery tools of BPs. In addition, the nano-delivery mechanism of BP and its clinical significance is detailed. The aim of current review is to augment the research in the field of BPs production, identification, characterisation and to speed up the investigation of the incredible potentials of BPs as potential nutritional and functional food ingredient.

Protective Effect and Mechanisms of Eckol on Chronic Ulcerative Colitis Induced by Dextran Sulfate Sodium in Mice.

The use of functional foods and their bioactive components is receiving increasing attention as a complementary and alternative therapy for chronic ulcerative colitis (UC). This study explored the protective effect and mechanisms of Eckol, a seaweed-derived bioactive phlorotannin, on the dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced chronic UC in mice. Eckol (0.5-1.0 mg/kg) reduced DSS-enhanced disease activity indexes, and alleviated the shortening of colon length and colonic tissue damage in chronic UC mice. The contents of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 were significantly decreased, and the level of anti-inflammatory IL-10 was enhanced in the serum and colonic tissues collected from Eckol-treated mice compared with the DSS controls. Eckol administration significantly reduced the number of apoptotic cells and the expression of cleaved Caspase-3, and increased the B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)/B-cell lymphoma-2- associated X (Bax) ratio in DSS-challenged colons. There were more cluster of differentiation (CD)11c+ dendritic cells and CD8+ T cells, and less CD4+ T cells infiltrated to inflamed colonic tissues in the Eckol-treated groups. Expression of colonic Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) p65, phosphorylated-signal transducer and activator of transcription (pSTAT)3 was significantly down-regulated by Eckol compared with the DSS-challenged group. In conclusion, our data suggest that Eckol appeared to be a potential functional food ingredient for protection against chronic UC. The anti-colitis mechanisms of Eckol might be attributed to the down-regulation of the TLR4/NF-κB/STAT3 pathway, inhibition of inflammation and apoptosis, as well as its immunoregulatory activity.

In Vitro Characterization of Antioxidant, Antibacterial and Antimutagenic Activities of the Green Microalga Ettlia pseudoalveolaris.

Recently, green microalgae have gained importance due to their nutritional and bioactive compounds, which makes them some of the most promising and innovative functional foods. The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical profile and the in vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial and antimutagenic activity of an aqueous extract of the green microalga Ettlia pseudoalveolaris, obtained from the freshwater lakes of the Ecuadorian Highlands. Human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1) were used to determine the ability of the microalga to reduce the endothelial damage caused by hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress. Furthermore, the eukaryotic system Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used to evaluate the possible cytotoxic, mutagenic and antimutagenic effect of E. pseudoalveolaris. The extract showed a notable antioxidant capacity and a moderate antibacterial activity mostly due to the high content in polyphenolic compounds. It is likely that the antioxidant compounds present in the extract were also responsible for the observed reduction in endothelial damage of HMEC-1 cells. An antimutagenic effect through a direct antioxidant mechanism was also found. Based on the results of in vitro assays, E. pseudoalveolaris proved to be a good source of bioactive compounds and antioxidant, antibacterial and antimutagenic capacities making it a potential functional food.

Immunomodulatory activity of semen Ziziphi Spinosae protein: a potential plant protein functional food raw material

Semen Ziziphi Spinosae protein (SZSP) is a new plant protein resource with good food functional properties and health care function. However, the biological activity of SZSP has not been further studied, which greatly limits the development and utilization of SZSP in the food industry. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of SZSP on immunosuppressed mice and its inhibitory effect on immune-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The results demonstrated that SZSP remarkably improved the immunomodulatory secretion in serum (interleukin-2, tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], interferon-γ, immunoglobulin-A, immunoglobulin-G, immunoglobulin-M) and primary macrophages (nitric oxide, interleukin-1β, TNF-α) and promoted the NK-cell killing activity of primary splenocytes in CTX-induced immunosuppression mice. Immunohistochemical analysis results indicated that the secretion of CD4+ and CD8+ in the spleen and thymus can be regulated by SZSP, leading to inhibition of the damage induced by cyclophosphamide in mice. Meanwhile, in order to clarify the immunomodulatory mechanism of SZSP, we showed that SZSP significantly inhibited the secretion of NO, interleukin-6, and TNF-α and reduced the phosphorylation expression of p-ERK, p-JNK, and p-IκBα in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Therefore, the immunomodulatory effect of SZSP may be related to the activation of MAPKs and NF-κB signaling pathways. Based on the above studies, the preliminary purification of SZSP was continued, and S1F2G1 with immunomodulatory activity was obtained. Taken together, SZSP has an immunoregulatory effect in vivo and in vitro and may be a favorable candidate of functional food raw material for regulating immune responses.

Polysaccharide extracted from the Sargassum fusiforme induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of B16F10 melanoma cells through the PI3K/AKT pathway.

SARGASSUM FUSIFORME: (S. fusiforme) is a brown alga that has been utilized as a medicine for a long time. Polysaccharides extracted from S. fusiforme demonstrate antitumor activities. The impact of S. fusiforme polysaccharides (SFPS 191,212) on the proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle kinetics of B16F10 murine melanoma cells were thoroughly investigated in this work. The anticancer activities of the SFPS 191,212 compounds were assayed in the B16F10 cells at both transcriptional and translational levels. The compound exhibited concentration-dependent effects. Moreover, SPFS 191,212 increased the numbers of apoptotic cells and arrested the cell cycle in the S phase of the quantitative real-time PCR. From western blotting, it was verified that the SFPS 191,212 treatment improved the expression of Bax, Caspase-9, and Caspase-3 genes and proteins, while it reduced phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase and Bcl-2 genes and proteins, suggesting the involvement of mitochondria. Overall, SFPS 191,212 can be further explored as a potential functional food or adjuvant agent for the prevention or treatment of melanoma.

Microencapsulated Diets as an Alternative to Bivalve Feeding: Particle Size and Microalga Content Affect Feed Intake.

Bivalve mollusks represent a nutritious source with a low environmental impact; as a result, they are one of the most attractive aquaculture options. Advances in microencapsulation technology offer great potential to face key bivalve nutrition problems, and an alga-based microencapsulated diet can turn enriched bivalves into potential functional foods. The central goal of this study was the evaluation of food intake as a function of particle size and microalga content following the supply of four microencapsulated diets, incorporating as core material Nannochloropsis sp. or Tetraselmis sp. in 20 or 40 µm diameter pellets (diets N20, T20, N40, and T40, respectively) in five bivalve species (Magallana gigas, Solen marginatus, Ruditapes decussatus, Ruditapes philippinarum, and Cerastoderma edule). Overall, all tested diets were easily ingested, although food intake was higher for N20 (except for the S. marginatus, which showed a higher rate for the diet T40). Concerning a size-related analysis, C. edule and S. marginatus favored, respectively, smaller and bigger pellet-sized diets, with no signs of selectivity for microalga species. The diet T20 was the lesser ingested, except for C. edule. This knowledge enables a better selection of feed with appropriate and species-adjusted profiles, contributing to the optimization of microencapsulated diets for bivalve rearing and a better final product.

Isolation, structural characterization and cholesterol-lowering effects of a novel polysaccharide from mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaf

Mulberry is a kind of crop with high value and worldwide distribution. Mulberry leaf is being an excellent source of phytochemicals. In present study, a polysaccharide (MLP-2C) with an average Mw of 59.8 kDa was isolated and purified from mulberry leaf by hot water and chromatographic purification. Methylation, GC-MS and NMR analysis revealed that the main glycosidic linkage types of MLP-2C were (1→4)-α-D-GlcpA (28.91%), (1→2,6)-α-D-Glcp (26.81%) and (1→4)-α-D-Manp (29.64%) residues. The side chains mainly composed of (1→2)-α-D-Manp and (1→4)-β-D-GalpA residues which were terminated with α-D-Xylp residue. Within the tested concentrations (100–300 μg/mL), MLP-2C significantly inhibited cholesterol synthesis, promoted bile acid transport and cholesterol efflux by up-regulating the corresponding mRNA expression levels in HepG2 cells (P < 0.05). MLP-2C also exhibited high antioxidant capacity by scavenging of ROS and improving the activities of a series of antioxidant enzymes. The findings indicated that MLP-2C might be a good candidate for potential medicine or functional food on hypercholesterolaemia treatment.

Nutrient profiling of lablab bean (Lablab purpureus) from north-eastern India: A potential legume for plant-based meat alternatives

Because of their high protein content, legumes are becoming increasingly important as a base for many functional food products. However, the presence of nutrition inhibitors is the biggest barrier to using legumes. In the current study, eleven local accessions of Lablab purpureus (Linn.) Sweet collected from various locations in Arunachal Pradesh – a global biodiversity hotspot – were analysed for the morphological and biochemical characteristics of the pods. The analysis revealed considerable variation among the accessions in each characteristic. The length, width, and pod colour differed significantly. All accessions had a good nutritional composition and the levels of phytic acid – a major nutrient inhibitor – were extremely low (1.8–2.4 mg for every100g of tender pods), compared to its levels in accessions from other parts of India and in many other common leguminous vegetables. The low phytate content translates to enhanced bioavailability of minerals, making the immature pods a potential functional food and a valuable asset in overcoming malnutrition, especially in the developing countries. Besides, these local accessions can also make a valuable contribution in breeding superior cultivars of L. purpureus.

Date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Fruits as a Potential Lipid-Lowering Therapy: Effect on High-Fat Diet and Triton-WR-1339-Induced Hyperlipidemic Rats

The present study was designed to establish the phenolic profile and explore the potential lipid-lowering effect of two Moroccan date fruit varieties (Majhoul and Bousrdoun). HPLC-DAD has been used for phenolic profiling. Lipid peroxidation was measured in terms of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) by using egg yolk homogenate as lipid-rich media. The anti-hyperlipidemic effect of the methanolic extract was examined using both models Triton-WR-1339 and chronic high-fat-diet-induced hyperlipemic rats. Further, the serum lipid profile was determined. The HPLC-DAD analysis revealed the presence of seven phenolic acids and three flavonoids, of which gallic, caffeic acids and rutin were found to be the most abundant compounds. The gathered results indicate that rats treated with both varieties showed a significant decrease in serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels as well as an increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels compared with Triton and high-fat diet controls. Moreover, a significant decrease in body weight was observed in the date-treated groups when compared to the hyperlipidemic control group. A thiobarbituric acid reactive substances test showed that these extracts significantly inhibited lipid peroxidation. Bousrdoun, which showed the highest lipid-lowering effects, is the one that displayed the greatest inhibition of lipid peroxidation and contains the largest amount of caffeic, p-coumaric, gallic, vanillic acids, rutin and luteolin. Accordingly, dates could be used as a potential functional food, which may be used to prevent lipid disorders and oxidation.

Functionality of Puff Pastry Olive Pomace Oil-Based Margarines and Their Baking Performance.

Designing healthier lipids is a current approach to developing potential functional foods. Olive pomace oil (OPO) has beneficial effects on human health, attributed to its high oleic acid content and unique bioactive compounds. Four puff pastry margarines (PP-M), based on OPO (M1, M2 at 40.8%, and M3, M4 at 30.8%, and cocoa butter at 10%) combined with low molecular weight organogelators, were prepared using two initial cooling rates (M1, M3 at 0.144 °C/min and M2, M4 at 0.380 °C/min) and compared to both commercial puff pastry (PP) butter (CB) and fatty preparation (CFP). Subsequently, six baked PP counterparts were elaborated. Physical-chemical, mechanical properties, and lipid profiles were analyzed in M1-M4 and PP, while thermal properties were determined in M1-M4. Sensory analysis was carried out in PP-M1 and PP-M3 counterparts. Elasticity (G') of M1-M4 samples was between that of controls CB and CFP, although a higher OPO content reduced viscous modulus (G″). The initial cooling rate did not affect the melting behavior of M1-M4. The firmness of PP-M1 was similar to that of PP-CB and PP-CFP, and the better spreadability and plasticity of M1 positively favored PP puffing. In addition, PP-M1 had 36.8% less SFA content than baked PP-CB, and its overall acceptability was similar. For the first time, a new margarine with high OPO content, showing adequate firmness, spreadability, and plasticity, was formulated, which gave rise to PP with appropriate performance and sensory quality and a healthy lipid profile.

In vivo anti-diabetic activity, physicochemical and sensory properties of Kunu enriched with African walnut

This study aimed at determining the anti-diabetic, physicochemical and sensory characteristics of African walnut enriched- kunu beverage in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic Wistar rats. The physicochemical, sensory and anti-diabetic properties of the four formulated samples viz: NWJ (90% kunu + 10% raw walnut juice); BWJ (90% kunu + 10% boiled walnut juice); RWJ (90% kunu + 10% roasted walnut juice) and ZWJ (kunu 100%) were evaluated using standard methods. The boiling and roasting of the walnut juice affected the TTA and brix of the enriched kunu but all have similar pH around 5. The significant (p < 0.05) increase in insulin, glycogen concentrations, hexokinase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities were observed in the STZ-induced rats after treatment with the enriched kunu. However, the decrease in hepatic glucose concentration and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase activities in the treated rats, signified a significant (p < 0.05) lowering of the fasting blood glucose level (from 30 to 10 mmol/l) when compared with the untreated rats. Besides, the boiling process of the BWJ sample gave it a significantly (p < 0.05) higher overall acceptability when compared to the RWJ, NWJ and ZWJ samples. The study established the antidiabetic potentials and consumer acceptability of African walnut enriched kunu as potential functional food in diabetes management.

Effect of Sprouting on Biomolecular and Antioxidant Features of Common Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum).

Buckwheat is a pseudo-cereal widely grown and consumed throughout the world. Buckwheat is recognized as a good source of nutrients and, in combination with other health-promoting components, is receiving increasing attention as a potential functional food. Despite the high nutritional value of buckwheat, a variety of anti-nutritional features makes it difficult to exploit its full potential. In this framework, sprouting (or germination) may represent a process capable of improving the macromolecular profile, including reducing anti-nutritional factors and/or synthesizing or releasing bioactives. This study addressed changes in the biomolecular profile and composition of buckwheat that was sprouted for 48 and 72 h. Sprouting increased the content of peptides and free-phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity, caused a marked decline in the concentration of several anti-nutritional components, and affected the metabolomic profile with an overall improvement in the nutritional characteristics. These results further confirm sprouting as a process suitable for improving the compositional traits of cereals and pseudo-cereals, and are further steps towards the exploitation of sprouted buckwheat as a high-quality ingredient in innovative products of industrial interest.