Postprandial Responses of Serum Cholesterol, Glucose and Plasma Antioxidant Activity, after Intake of an Innovative High Fat Mayonnaise-Based Appetizer, Enhanced with Olive Paste, in Healthy Volunteers.

Several Mediterranean functional foods and their process by-products may exert a beneficial role on hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and oxidative stress modulation, providing bioactive compounds with functional properties, contributing to possible chronic disease prevention (cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes mellitus, etc.). The purpose of the present interventional study was to investigate the postprandial responses of metabolic biomarkers, after the intake of an innovative mayonnaise-based appetizer, enhanced with olive paste, in healthy volunteers. In this cross-over design, randomized and single-blind, interventional−clinical trial, 10 healthy volunteers, aged 20−30 years old, after splitting into the control group and the Mediterranean group, consumed a pasta meal rich in fat and carbohydrates (150 g), containing a mayonnaise-based appetizer or the same appetizer, enhanced with 9% olive paste. After a 1-week washout period, the subjects consumed the meals in reverse. Differences between groups on postprandial responses of total plasma antioxidant capacity according to the FRAP method, serum total cholesterol, glucose, and uric acid levels, were determined before, 30 min, 1.5 h, and 3 h after consumption. The results showed that, in comparison to the control group, consumption of the enhanced appetizer resulted in a significantly decreased total serum cholesterol and glucose levels, and also led to a significant increase in plasma total antioxidant activity, 3 h after consumption (p < 0.05). Further investigation with large prospective studies is needed to validate the current results.

The Acute Effect of a Novel Miso-Type Sauce, Enhanced with a Carotenoid-Rich Extract from Fruit By-Products, on Postprandial Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation.

Several fruit by-products may exert a beneficial role on oxidative stress and inflammation modulation, providing essential bioactive components, such as polyphenols and carotenoids. Recently, the potential bioactivity of miso has been reported. The aim of this dietary intervention−clinical study was to evaluate the acute effect of a novel, functional miso-type sauce based on legumes, on postprandial biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation. In this randomized, cross-over design, intervention−clinical trial, 14 healthy volunteers, aged 20−30 years old, consumed a rice meal rich in fat and carbohydrates (258 g), containing a legume-based sauce. After a 1-week washout period, the same subjects consumed the same meal, containing the novel fermented miso-type sauce, enhanced with 50% carotenoid-rich, fruit peel extract. Differences in postprandial total plasma antioxidant capacity according to the FRAP method, serum lipids, glucose, uric acid levels, and antithrombotic activity in platelet-rich plasma were evaluated before, 30 min, 1.5 h, and 3 h after consumption. The results showed that, in comparison to the control group, consumption of the novel sauce resulted in a significantly increased total plasma antioxidant capacity 3 h after consumption (p < 0.05). In addition, we observed a significant attenuation of triglycerides concentration increase in the last 1.5 h in the functional group (p < 0.05). A significant decrease in serum aggregation was found at 30 min and 3 h after functional sauce intake in comparison with the baseline (p < 0.05). Finally, LDL-cholesterol concentrations were significantly reduced 3 h after the functional meal consumption, in comparison with baseline values (p < 0.05). The remaining biomarkers did not show statistically significant differences (p > 0.05). Further investigation is needed in order to validate the current results.

Postprandial Bioactivity of a Spread Cheese Enriched with Mountain Tea and Orange Peel Extract in Plasma Oxidative Stress Status, Serum Lipids and Glucose Levels: An Interventional Study in Healthy Adults.

Postprandial lipemia, glycemia and oxidative stress may affect the occurrence of cardiovascular disease. The purpose of the present intervention study was to investigate the effect of a spread cheese enriched with mountain tea (Sideritis sp.) and orange peel (Citrus sinensis) extract on postprandial metabolic biomarkers in healthy volunteers. In a cross-over design, 14 healthy subjects 20-30 years old were consumed either a meal rich in fat and carbohydrates (80 g white bread, 40 g butter and 30 g full fat spread cheese) or a meal with the spread cheese enriched with 6% mountain tea-orange peel extract. Differences in postprandial total plasma antioxidant capacity, resistance of plasma to oxidation, serum lipids, glucose and uric acid levels were evaluated at 0, 1.5 and 3 h after consumption. Plasma total antioxidant capacity was significantly increased 3 h after the consumption of the meal in the presence of the extract-enriched cheese, compared to the conventional cheese (p = 0.05). Plasma resistance to oxidation was increased at 30 min in the Functional meal compared with the Control meal. A tendency to decrease the postprandial rise in glucose and triglyceride levels, 1.5 h and 3 h, respectively, after the intake of the meal with the extract-enriched cheese was observed (p = 0.062). No significant changes in the concentrations of the remaining biomarkers studied were observed (p > 0.05). Further studies with a larger sample are needed in both healthy adults and patients with cardiovascular disease to draw safer conclusions about the postprandial effect of the extracts on metabolic biomarkers that predict cardiovascular risk.

Valorization of Fruits by-products to Unconventional Sources of Additives, Oil, Biomolecules and Innovative Functional Foods.

Owning to the increase in the world population as well as the consumer's awareness on the health benefits of consumption of fruits, the demand for both fresh and processed fruits has been increased. The by-product and waste streams generated from fruit processing industries are extremely diverse, owning mainly to different fruits varieties and the wide range of the processes employed towards the production of the end fruit-based products. Due to the increasing production and processing of fruits, disposal of waste and by-product streams has become a serious issue, since these materials are prone to microbial spoilage. Also, the inappropriate waste management practices pose severe environmental issues. Furthermore, the costs of drying and storage of fruit processing residues are economically limiting factors hindering their further exploitation. Therefore, fruit processing by-products such as peels, seeds and unused flesh are often utilized as fertilizers. On the other hand, plant residues contain biomolecules such as vitamins, proteins, minerals, antioxidants and aromatic oil. Recovery of bioactive compounds holds a great potential for their usage in food industry as functional ingredients and nutraceuticals or in pharmaceutical and in cosmetic applications. So, valorization of plant fruit processing by-products to high-value added compounds, constitute a promising alternative not only for addressing fruit residues management issues but also leading to the production of functional food products of high nutritional value, with several potential beneficial health effects. The aim of this paper is to highlight current trends in addressing environmental issues caused by the production of high volumes of specific categories of fruit processing waste streams by investigating their potential usage as natural raw materials for the recovery of valuable bioactive compounds (such as polyphenols, dietary fibers or aromatic oil). The extracted nutrients may be used in the industrial food sector for the production of functional foods, nutraceuticals or even as health promoting natural pharmaceutical ingredients or additives for the production of innovative enriched foods. Highlights: • Fruit processing by product streams are rich in bioactive compounds. • Integration of fruit by-products and waste streams to value added products such as additives, unconventional oil, bioactive compounds and novel functional products is a very interesting approach regarding fruit processing residues exploitation. • Recovering of biomolecules from fruit residues by non-thermal processes could lead to the efficient production of highly purified functional ingredients. • Negative-valued fruit processing residues could be recycled for the production of health promoting value added products.