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2nd Edition of Food Bioactives: Chemical Challenges and Bio-Opportunities

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A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2023) | Viewed by 22378

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Prof. Dr. Severina Pacifico

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Department of Environmental Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy
Interests: food chemistry; natural products chemistry; nutraceuticals; mass spectrometry polyphenols; chemoprevention
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Simona Piccolella

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Dear Colleagues,

A full awareness of the role played by a healthy diet, as part of a healthy lifestyle, in countering or slowing down chronic and degenerative diseases has strongly increased interest in food bioactives and caused the return of ancient but currently functionally considered foods. In fact, these dietary substances, to which nutraceutical attributes are increasingly entrusted, could display disease-preventing effects on animals and humans. In this context, polyphenols, which are widespread and mostly copious in dietary plant sources, have gained a lot of attention thanks to their potential ability to halt or reverse oxidative stress-related diseases. Indeed, food could contain, beyond health-promoting compounds, toxicants, which are naturally occurring or process-induced dietary compounds with adverse effects on human health. Bioactives’ presence and abundance are strictly related to their food source. Edible plant components largely contain beneficial secondary metabolites, but understanding them fully is still an important challenge as complex biotic and abiotic interactions are involved in their biosynthesis. Analytical methods, which are increasingly powerful, could enhance our knowledge of food bioactives, whereas the deep investigation of their bioactivity and bioavailability could make them particularly useful.

This Special Issue aims to attract contributions on analytical challenges in food bioactives’ chemistry and bioactivity, which form the basis of proper bio-opportunities.

Prof. Dr. Severina Pacifico
Dr. Simona Piccolella
Guest Editors

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Keywords

Food bioactives
Nutraceuticals
Mass spectrometry
Spectroscopic techniques
Natural product bioactivity

Published Papers (13 papers)

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13 pages, 2294 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Simultaneous Intake of Chlorella and Ascidian Ethanolamine Plasmalogen Accelerates Activation of BDNF–TrkB–CREB Signaling in Rats

by Hideo Takekoshi, Masaki Fujishima, Taiki Miyazawa, Ohki Higuchi, Takahiko Fujikawa and Teruo Miyazawa

Molecules 2024, 29(2), 357; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules29020357 - 11 Jan 2024

Viewed by 2173

Abstract

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an important role in neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, and cognition. BDNF is a neurotrophin that binds to tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB), a specific receptor on target cell surfaces; it acts on neuronal formation, development, growth, and repair via transcription factors, such as cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), and it is involved in learning and memory. BDNF expression is decreased in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Exercise and the intake of several different foods or ingredients can increase BDNF expression, as confirmed with lutein, xanthophylls (polar carotenoids), and ethanolamine plasmalogen (PlsEtn), which are present at high levels in the brain. This study examined the effects of combining lutein and PlsEtn using lutein-rich Chlorella and ascidian extracts containing high levels of PlsEtn bearing docosahexaenoic acid, which is abundant in the human brain, on the activation of the BDNF–TrkB–CREB signaling pathway in the hippocampus of Sprague-Dawley rats. Although activation of the BDNF–TrkB–CREB signaling pathway in the hippocampus was not observed in Chlorella or ascidian PlsEtn monotherapy, activation was observed with combination therapy at an equal dose. The results of this study suggest that the combination of Chlorella and ascidian PlsEtn may have a preventive effect against dementia, including AD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Food Bioactives: Chemical Challenges and Bio-Opportunities)

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12 pages, 1769 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antioxidant Activity of Egg Yolk Protein Hydrolysates Obtained by Enzymatic and Sub-Critical Water Hydrolysis

by Ismael Marcet, María Carpintero, Manuel Rendueles and Mario Díaz

Molecules 2023, 28(23), 7836; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules28237836 - 29 Nov 2023

Viewed by 649

Abstract

Obtaining peptides with antioxidant properties by enzymatic hydrolysis has been widely described; however, the use of non-enzymatic methods to obtain peptides with antioxidant capacities has been poorly investigated. In this study, non-soluble proteins obtained from delipidated egg yolk granules were hydrolyzed with trypsin, and with a non-enzymatic method using sub-critical water hydrolysis under a non-oxidizing (nitrogen) and oxidizing (oxygen) atmosphere. The effect of the sub-critical water hydrolysis on the amino acids’ composition of the hydrolysates was assessed. Furthermore, the antioxidant capacities of the hydrolysates were evaluated using the ABTS^•+ scavenging assay, the DPPH radical scavenging activity assay, and by measuring the reducing power of the peptides, the peptides’ ferrous ion chelating capacities, and the antioxidant effect of the peptides on beef homogenates. The hydrolysate obtained by sub-critical water hydrolysis under a nitrogen stream showed similar or better results in the antioxidant tests than those obtained using trypsin hydrolysis, except in the ferrous chelating capacity, where the trypsin hydrolysate showed the best performance. The oxidizing environment promoted by the oxygen in the other sub-critical water hydrolysis method tested produced the peptides with the lowest antioxidant capacities, due to changes in the primary structure of the peptides. These results suggest that the sub-critical water hydrolysis method under a nitrogen stream, in comparison with the enzymatic hydrolysis, is a reliable method to obtain peptides with good antioxidant capacities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Food Bioactives: Chemical Challenges and Bio-Opportunities)

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16 pages, 2727 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In Vitro Inhibitory Potential of Different Anthocyanin-Rich Berry Extracts in Murine CT26 Colon Cancer Cells

by Cornelia Schmutz, Frank Will, Elisabeth Varga, Carola Jaunecker, Gudrun Pahlke, Walter Berger and Doris Marko

Molecules 2023, 28(23), 7684; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules28237684 - 21 Nov 2023

Viewed by 795

Abstract

Anti-oxidant, -inflammatory, and -carcinogenic activities of bioactive plant constituents, such as anthocyanins, have been widely discussed in literature. However, the potential interaction of anthocyanin-rich extracts with routinely used chemotherapeutics is still not fully elucidated. In the present study, anthocyanin-rich polyphenol extracts of blackberry (BB), bilberry (Bil), black currant (BC), elderberry (EB), and their respective main anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside, and cyanidin-3-O-sambubioside) were investigated concerning their cytotoxic and DNA-damaging properties in murine CT26 cells either alone or in combination with the chemotherapeutic agent SN-38. BB exerted potent cytotoxic effects, while Bil, BC, and EB only had marginal effects on cell viability. Single anthocyanins comprised of the extracts could not induce comparable effects. Even though the BB extract further pronounced SN-38-induced cytotoxicity and inhibited cell adhesion at 100–200 µg/mL, no effect on DNA damage was observed. In conclusion, anti-carcinogenic properties of the extracts on CT26 cells could be ranked BB >> BC ≥ Bil ≈ EB. Mechanisms underlying the potent cytotoxic effects are still to be elucidated since the induction of DNA damage does not play a role. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Food Bioactives: Chemical Challenges and Bio-Opportunities)

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13 pages, 2578 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The SWGEDWGEIW from Soybean Peptides Reduces Insulin Resistance in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes by Activating p-Akt/GLUT4 Signaling Pathway

by Guofu Yi, Xia Sang, Yuxia Zhu, Di Zhou, Shuibing Yang, Yue Huo, Yang Liu, Bushra Safdar and Xianyong Bu

Molecules 2023, 28(7), 3001; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules28073001 - 28 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1666

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus, a group of metabolic disorders characterized by persistent hyperglycemia, affects millions of people worldwide and is on the rise. Dietary proteins, from a wide range of food sources, are rich in bioactive peptides with anti-diabetic properties. Notably, the protective mechanism of the single peptide SWGEDWGEIW (TSP) from soybean peptides (SBPs) on insulin resistance of adipocytes in an inflammatory state was investigated by detecting the lipolysis and glucose absorption and utilization of adipocytes. The results showed that different concentrations of TSP (5, 10, 20 µg/mL) intervention can reduce 3T3-L1 adipocytes’ insulin resistance induced by inflammatory factors in a dose-dependent manner and increase glucose utilization by 34.2 ± 4.6%, 74.5 ± 5.2%, and 86.7 ± 6.1%, respectively. Thus, TSP can significantly alleviate the lipolysis of adipocytes caused by inflammatory factors. Further mechanism analysis found that inflammatory factors significantly reduced the phosphorylation (p-Akt) of Akt, two critical proteins of glucose metabolism in adipocytes, and the expression of GLUT4 protein downstream, resulting in impaired glucose utilization, while TSP intervention significantly increased the expression of these two proteins. After pretreatment of adipocytes with PI3K inhibitor (LY294002), TSP failed to reduce the inhibition of p-Akt and GLUT4 expression in adipocytes. Meanwhile, the corresponding significant decrease in glucose absorption and the increase in the fat decomposition of adipocytes indicated that TSP reduced 3T3-L1 adipocytes’ insulin resistance by specifically activating the p-Akt/GLUT4 signal pathway. Therefore, TSP has the potential to prevent obesity-induced adipose inflammation and insulin resistance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Food Bioactives: Chemical Challenges and Bio-Opportunities)

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14 pages, 2431 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Gamma Irradiation on Fat Content, Fatty Acids, Antioxidants and Oxidative Stability of Almonds, and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Study of Treated Nuts

by Svetlana Momchilova, Adriana Kazakova, Sabina Taneva, Katerina Aleksieva, Ralitsa Mladenova, Yordanka Karakirova, Zhanina Petkova, Mariana Kamenova-Nacheva, Desislava Teneva and Petko Denev

Molecules 2023, 28(3), 1439; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules28031439 - 02 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1698

Abstract

Gamma irradiation has been applied as an efficient and inexpensive method for the sterilization of nuts for years. However, along with the benefits of such treatment, negative effects are possible because of the formation of reactive oxygen species with a toxic effect on important biologically active substances. Because of the scarce and contradictory information in the literature about gamma-irradiated almonds, the aim of our work was the examination of the lipid changes, antioxidant activity, and oxidative stability of almonds treated by 10 and 25 kGy gamma rays, as well as changes in intensity of the EPR spectra as an indicator for the stability of radiation-induced free radicals. The results revealed no significant differences in the EPR spectra of almonds treated at 10 and 25 kGy doses, neither in their intensity nor in kinetic behaviour. The EPR signals decayed exponentially over 250 days, with a decreasing of central line by 90%, with satellite lines by about 73%. No significant changes in the fat content, fatty acids composition, and acid value of irradiated almonds were observed. However, the amount of (alpha)tocopherols decreased from 292 to 175 mg/kg, whereas the conjugated dienes and trienes increased, K₂₃₂ from 1.3 to 3 and K₂₆₈ from 0.04 to 0.15, respectively, with the increasing of irradiation dose. The same was observed for total polyphenols in defatted almonds (1374 to 1520 mg/100 g), where in vitro antioxidant activity determined by ORAC and HORAC methods increased from 100 to 156 µmol TE/g and from 61 to 86 µmol GAE/g, respectively. The oxidative stability of oil decreased from 6 to 4 h at 120 °C and from 24.6 to 18.6 h at 100 °C (measured by Rancimat equipment). The kinetic parameters characterizing the oxidative stability of oil from 10 kGy irradiated almonds were studied before and after addition of different concentrations of ascorbyl palmitate as a synergist of tocopherols. Its effectiveness was concentration-dependent, and 0.75 mM ensured the same induction period as that of non-irradiated nut oil. Further enrichment with alpha-tocopherol in equimolar ratio with palmitate did not improve the oil stability. In conclusion, gamma irradiation is an appropriate method for the treatment of almonds without significant changes in fat content and fatty acids composition. The decreasing of oxidative stability after higher irradiation could be prevented by the addition of ascorbyl palmitate. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Food Bioactives: Chemical Challenges and Bio-Opportunities)

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16 pages, 4254 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preparation, Purification and Characterization of Antibacterial and ACE Inhibitory Peptides from Head Protein Hydrolysate of Kuruma Shrimp, Marsupenaeus japonicus

by Jie Zhou, Qiuyu Han, Tomoyuki Koyama and Shoichiro Ishizaki

Molecules 2023, 28(2), 894; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules28020894 - 16 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1825

Abstract

Kuruma shrimp (Marsupenaeus japonicus) heads, as the main by-product of the seafood processing industry, are rich in underutilized high-quality protein. After papain hydrolysis at 50 °C for 4 h, the protein hydrolysate of shrimp heads was found to show notable antibacterial and angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities. After purification using two stages of revered-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), the antibacterial peptide VTVP and the ACE inhibitory peptide ARL/I were successfully identified from most active fractions by LC–MS/MS. Peptide VTVP was a desirable hydrophobic peptide, with a MIC value in the range from 1.62 to 8.03 mM against all tested pathogens. Peptide ARL/I exhibited potent ACE inhibitory activity, with an IC50 value of 125.58 µM, and was found to be a competitive inhibitor based on the Lineweaver–Burk plot. Moreover, the result of the molecular docking simulation indicated that the interaction binding between ARL/I and ACE was mainly stabilized by hydrogen bonds, as well as forming a coordinate bond with the Zn²⁺ site. The purified peptides did not show hemolytic activity toward rabbit erythrocytes. To sum up, the bioactive peptides isolated from shrimp heads could be applicable for food or pharmaceutical areas as promising ingredients. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Food Bioactives: Chemical Challenges and Bio-Opportunities)

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14 pages, 2107 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Isolation and Characterization of Collagen and Collagen Peptides with Hyaluronidase Inhibition Activity Derived from the Skin of Marlin (Istiophoridae)

by Qiu-Yu Han, Tomoyuki Koyama, Shugo Watabe, Yuji Nagashima and Shoichiro Ishizaki

Molecules 2023, 28(2), 889; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules28020889 - 16 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2305

Abstract

Type I and V collagens are the major components of fibrillogenic proteins in fish skin, and their hydrolysis products possess hyaluronidase inhibitory activity. In this study, for the first time, type I and V collagens were isolated from the skin of shortbill spearfish and striped marlin. Type I (2α1[I]α2[I]) and type V (α1[V]α3[V]α2[V]) collagens composed of distinct α-peptide chains with comparable structures were investigated using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and UV spectrophotometric chromatography. After enzymatic digestion, the collagen peptides were purified by using ultrafiltration (30 KDa) and high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) to yield CPI-F3 and CPV-F4 fractions with strong hyaluronidase inhibition rates (42.17% and 30.09%, respectively). Based on the results of simulated gastrointestinal fluid, temperature, and pH stability assays, CPI-F3 and CPV-F4 exhibited stability in gastric fluid and showed no significant changes under the temperature range from 50 to 70 °C (p > 0.05). The results of this first research on the bioactivity of type V collagen peptides provide valuable information for the biomedical industry and show the potential for future bioactivity investigations of type V collagen and its peptides. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Food Bioactives: Chemical Challenges and Bio-Opportunities)

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13 pages, 1064 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In Vitro Bioaccessibility of Bioactive Compounds of Freeze-Dried Orange Juice Co-Product Formulated with Gum Arabic and Modified Starch

by Eva García-Martínez, María del Mar Camacho and Nuria Martínez-Navarrete

Molecules 2023, 28(2), 810; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules28020810 - 13 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1647

Abstract

The large amount of waste generated by the orange juice industry has sparked the interest of many researchers in incorporating recycling systems and following a much more sustainable circular economy model. This work proposes the valorization of the co-product generated in the orange juice extraction industry after freeze-drying for its subsequent reuse as a natural ingredient in the food industry. In addition, the possible protective effect of gum Arabic and corn starch esterified with octenyl succinic groups, in proportions optimised in previous studies 0.25 and 0.45 g/g orange co-product dry solutes, on the main bioactive compounds of orange peel during the freeze-drying process has been studied. The samples were characterised for their content of vitamin C (ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acids), flavonoids (hesperidin and narirutin), total phenols and total carotenoids, as well as their antioxidant capacity (DPPH and FRAP assays). In addition, samples were digested, mimicking the human enzymatic oral gastro-intestinal digestion process, and the bioaccessibility of the bioactive compounds was evaluated. It was observed that the addition of both biopolymers improved the stability of the hydrophilic compounds during freeze-drying. This conservative effect was more remarkable for higher biopolymer concentrations. However, no protective effect on carotenoid compounds was observed. This trend was reflected in the antioxidant activity of the different samples. In addition, the incorporation of biopolymers improved the bioaccessibility of the bioactive compounds studied. In conclusion, the results supported the feasibility of the freeze-dried orange juice co-product as a natural, sustainable source of health-promoting compounds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Food Bioactives: Chemical Challenges and Bio-Opportunities)

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10 pages, 5022 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Natural Products from Leaves of the Ancient Iranian Medicinal Plant Echium amoenum Fisch. & C. A. Mey.

by Mehdi Jafari Jamnani, Bjarte Holmelid, Anni Vedeler, Hoda Houshiar Parsian, Heidi Lie Andersen and Torgils Fossen

Molecules 2023, 28(1), 385; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules28010385 - 02 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1652

Abstract

For several millennia, leaves of Echium amoenum Fisch. & C. A. Mey., an important Iranian medicinal plant with nutritional value as nutraceutical, have been used as tea for the treatment of several conditions, including inflammation. The nutritional value of intake of E. amoenum tea has mainly been correlated to its rich content of mainly water-soluble antioxidants. Although the entire plant is utilized, only natural products of the flowers have previously been thoroughly investigated. The rare natural products bis(3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-1-methoxy-1-oxopropan-2-yl)-1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-6,7-dihydroxy-1,2-dihydronaphthalene-2,3-dicarboxylate, 4-Oxy-(E)-caffeoyl-2,3-dihydroxybutanoic acid methyl ester and 4-Oxy-(Z)-caffeoyl-2,3-dihydroxybutanoic acid methyl ester, in addition to the widely distributed compounds rosmarinic acid methyl ester and (E)-caffeic acid, were purified and characterized from leaves of Echium amoenum. The structures were determined by a combination of several 2D NMR spectroscopic techniques, circular dichroism spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry. The fact that bis(3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-1-methoxy-1-oxopropan-2-yl)-1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-6,7-dihydroxy-1,2-dihydronaphthalene-2,3-dicarboxylate belongs to a rare group of natural products which have previously been patented for their significant anti-inflammatory activity may rationalize the traditional treatment of inflammations with E. amoenum. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Food Bioactives: Chemical Challenges and Bio-Opportunities)

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25 pages, 3210 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Castanea sativa Mill. Leaf: UHPLC-HR MS/MS Analysis and Effects on In Vitro Rumen Fermentation and Methanogenesis

by Marialuisa Formato, Alessandro Vastolo, Simona Piccolella, Serena Calabrò, Monica Isabella Cutrignelli, Christian Zidorn and Severina Pacifico

Molecules 2022, 27(24), 8662; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27248662 - 07 Dec 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1411

Abstract

Castanea sativa Mill. (Fagaceae) is a deciduous tree grown for its wood and edible fruits. Chestnut processing produces residues (burs, shells, and leaves) exploitable for their diversity in bioactive compounds in animal nutrition. In fact, plant-specialized metabolites likely act as rumen modifiers. Thus, the recovery of residual plant parts as feed ingredients is an evaluable strategy. In this context, European chestnut leaves from northern Germany have been investigated, proving to be a good source of flavonoids as well as gallo- and ellagitannins. To this purpose, an alcoholic extract was obtained and an untargeted profiling carried out, mainly by means of ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HR MS/MS) techniques. To better unravel the polyphenol constituents, fractionation strategies were employed to obtain a lipophilic fraction and a polar one. This latter was highly responsive to total phenolic and flavonoid content analyses, as well as to antiradical (DPPH^● and ABTS^+●) and reducing activity (PFRAP) assays. The effect of the alcoholic extract and its fractions on rumen liquor was also evaluated in vitro in terms of fermentative parameter changes and impact on methanogenesis. The data acquired confirm that chestnut leaf extract and the fractions therefrom promote an increase in total volatile fatty acids, while decreasing acetate/propionate ratio and CH₄ production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Food Bioactives: Chemical Challenges and Bio-Opportunities)

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12 pages, 1592 KiB

Open AccessArticle

pH as a Key Factor for the Quality Assurance of the Preparation of Gastrodiae Rhizoma Formula Granules

by Shuting Xie, Ke Min, Hai Li, Ying Wang, Mincong Liu, Ming Ma, Desheng Zhou, Haijun Tu and Bo Chen

Molecules 2022, 27(22), 8091; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27228091 - 21 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1492

Abstract

Gastrodiae rhizoma (GR) formula granules and preparations have been used as a popular traditional Chinese medicine for clinical treatment since they have good pharmacological activity to treat nervous system diseases. Gastrodin and parishins have been the main active components in aqueous extracts for GR formula granules, but their pharmacological activities and metabolism are different. For quality control of the extracts, the extraction conditions should be investigated to accurately control the contents of two kinds of components. In this paper, the transfer rate of six index components (including gastrodin, p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, parishin A, parishin B, parishin C, and parishin E) obtained by HPLC were used as indicators to investigate the effect of pH on the GR extraction process. The results demonstrated that pH is a key factor for preventing transforming parishins into gastrodin and maintaining high content of parishins in the extracts. It can be concluded that the weak acid environment could improve the transfer rate of parishins, thus ensuring the gastrodin and parishins consistency between GR raw materials and its aqueous extracts. Therefore, pH is an essential condition for accurate quality control of the extracts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Food Bioactives: Chemical Challenges and Bio-Opportunities)

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17 pages, 2538 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Valorization of Phenolic and Carotenoid Compounds of Sechium edule (Jacq. Swartz) Leaves: Comparison between Conventional, Ultrasound- and Microwave-Assisted Extraction Approaches

by Elsa F. Vieira, Suene Souza, Manuela M. Moreira, Rebeca Cruz, Aline Boatto da Silva, Susana Casal and Cristina Delerue-Matos

Molecules 2022, 27(21), 7193; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27217193 - 24 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1510

Abstract

Chayote leaves are known for culinary and traditional medicine applications. This work intended to recover carotenoids and phenolic compounds from chayote leaves using the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). A Box–Behnken design was employed to investigate the impact of extraction time, temperature, and ultrasonic power on the recovery of total carotenoids, total phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activities. For comparative purposes, chayote leaf extracts were prepared by maceration (ME) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), using the same time and temperature conditions optimized by UAE. Extraction at 50 °C and 170 Watts for 30 min provided the optimal UAE conditions. UAE showed better extraction efficacy than ME and MAE. The HPLC analysis of the extracts showed that the xanthophyll class was the main class of carotenoids, which constituted 42–85% of the total carotenoid content, followed by β-carotene and tocopherol. Moreover, 26 compounds, classified as phenolic acids, flavonols, flavonoids and other polar compounds, were identified in the chayote leaf extracts. Flavonols accounted for 55% of the total compounds quantified (the major compound was myricetin) and phenolic acids represented around 35%, mostly represented by ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid and (+)-catechin. This study revealed the potential of UAE as an effective green extraction technique to recover bioactive compounds from chayote leaves, for food, and for pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Food Bioactives: Chemical Challenges and Bio-Opportunities)

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Review

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29 pages, 3978 KiB

Open AccessReview

Polyphenols for Livestock Feed: Sustainable Perspectives for Animal Husbandry?

by Marialuisa Formato, Giovanna Cimmino, Nabila Brahmi-Chendouh, Simona Piccolella and Severina Pacifico

Molecules 2022, 27(22), 7752; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27227752 - 10 Nov 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2148

Abstract

There is growing interest in specialized metabolites for fortification strategies in feed and/or as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial alternative for the containment of disorders/pathologies that can also badly impact human nutrition. In this context, the improvement of the diet of ruminant species with polyphenols and the influence of these compounds on animal performance, biohydrogenation processes, methanogenesis, and quality and quantity of milk have been extensively investigated through in vitro and in vivo studies. Often conflicting results emerge from a review of the literature of recent years. However, the data suggest pursuing a deepening of the role of phenols and polyphenols in ruminant feeding, paying greater attention to the chemistry of the single compound or to that of the mixture of compounds more commonly used for investigative purposes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of Food Bioactives: Chemical Challenges and Bio-Opportunities)

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