Effects of popping on nutrient contents of amaranth seed.

Amaranth seeds can be popped by heating. The traditional method of popping in a skillet is simple, but it is difficult to control the heating time and temperature. To overcome these disadvantages, we developed a fluidized bed continuous processing system based on hot air heating for producing popped amaranth seeds in bulk. Using this system, we evaluated the effects of heat treatment at 260 °C for 15 s on the contents of B-group vitamins and essential and trace elements in amaranth seeds. The results showed that the treatment did not affect the content of B-group vitamins, and the recovery for essential and trace elements was 97-196%. This popping system is useful for processing amaranth seeds in terms of the product quality and nutrition.

AMPK synergizes with the combined treatment of 1'-acetoxychavicol acetate and sodium butyrate to upregulate phase II detoxifying enzyme activities.

SCOPE: Phase II enzymes play important roles in detoxifying xenobiotics. We previously reported that both 1'-acetoxychavicol acetate (ACA) and sodium butyrate individually increased phase II enzyme activities. Here, we determined the combined action of ACA and sodium butyrate on phase II enzyme activities in intestinal epithelial cells (IEC 6). METHODS AND RESULTS: ACA and sodium butyrate synergistically increased phase II enzyme activities. Protein levels of intranuclear transcription factor NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) were increased by ACA or sodium butyrate treatment, but treatment with both did not produce a synergistic effect. Intranuclear p53 protein levels were increased by ACA but decreased by sodium butyrate alone or combined treatment with ACA and sodium butyrate. In contrast, p53 acetylation was promoted by sodium butyrate and the ACA and sodium butyrate combination. Inhibition of AMPK activity decreased phase II enzyme activities that were upregulated by treatment with ACA plus sodium butyrate or other phytochemicals, including kaempferol, quercetin, and epigallocatechin-3-gallate. Combined treatment with ACA and sodium butyrate increased phosphorylated AMPK levels. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that ACA and sodium butyrate synergistically contribute to xenobiotics metabolism. The combined ACA and sodium butyrate treatment synergistically upregulated phase II enzyme activities through AMPK activation and p53 acetylation.

The enhancement of phase 2 enzyme activities by sodium butyrate in normal intestinal epithelial cells is associated with Nrf2 and p53.

Dietary fiber fermentation by the colonic bacterial flora produces short-chain fatty acids, acetate, propionate and butyrate. Among them, butyrate is considered to be the major energy substrate for colonocytes and, at least in rats, seems to protect against colonic carcinogenesis. In this study, we examined the effect and the mechanisms of short-chain fatty acids on the activity of phase 2 enzymes. Sodium butyrate increased phase 2 enzyme activities in normal rat small intestine epithelial cells, Glutathione S-transferase and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO) in a dose-dependent manner(;) however, other short-chain fatty acids did not increase them. The mechanism of the induction of phase 2 enzymes with sodium butyrate sodium butyrate, but not other short-chain fatty acids was related to the increase of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) nuclear translocation and the decrease in the levels of nuclear fraction p53. Sodium butyrate also caused enhancement of Nrf2 mRNA levels and suppression of p53 mRNA levels. Sodium butyrate enhances the activities of phase 2 enzymes via an increase in the Nrf2 protein levels in the nucleus and a decrease in the mRNA and protein levels of p53.

Interrelationships among seed yield, total protein and amino acid composition of ten quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) cultivars from two different agroecological regions.

BACKGROUND: Quinoa is a good source of protein and can be used as a nutritional ingredient in food products. This study analyses how much growing region and/or seasonal climate might affect grain yield and nutritional quality of quinoa seeds. RESULTS: Seeds of ten quinoa cultivars from the Andean highlands (Bolivia/Argentina site) and Argentinean Northwest (Encalilla site) were analysed for seed yield, protein content and amino acid composition. Grain yields of five cultivars growing at Encalilla were higher, and four were lower, compared with data from the Bolivia/Argentina site. Protein contents ranged from 91.5 to 155.3 and from 96.2 to 154.6 g kg(-1) dry mass for Encalilla and Bolivia/Argentina seeds respectively, while essential amino acid concentrations ranged from 179.9 to 357.2 and from 233.7 to 374.5 g kg(-1) protein respectively. Significant positive correlations were found between the content of essential amino acids and protein percentage. CONCLUSION: It appears that there are clear variations in seed yield, total protein content and amino acid composition among cultivars from the two sites. Essential amino acid composition was more affected than grain yield and protein level. The study revealed that both environmental and climatic factors influence the nutritional composition of quinoa cultivars growing in different agroecological regions.

Effect of 1,5-anhydro-D-fructose on the inhibition of adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

1,5-Anhydro-D-fructose (1,5-AF) is a monosaccharide that shares a structural similarity to glucose. 1,5-AF is found in fungi, algae, Escherichia coli and rat liver and is produced by the degradation of starch and glycogen, which is catalyzed by the enzyme alpha-1,4-glucan lyase. However, the physiological role of 1,5-AF in mammalian tissues is not well understood. Here, we investigated the anti-obesity potential of 1,5-AF on adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. 1,5-AF caused a significant decrease in GPDH activity in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and mature adipocytes without eliciting cytotoxicity, and inhibited cellular lipid accumulation through down-regulation of transcription factors such as PPARgamma and C/EBPalpha. 1,5-AF also induced dose-dependent phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a cellular energy sensor. However, the total AMPK protein content remained unchanged. Furthermore, 1,5-AF increased the levels of reactive oxygen species, an important upstream signal for AMPK activation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Our results show that 1,5-AF exerts anti-obesity action in vitro and suggest that 1,5-AF is potentially a novel preventative agent for obesity and other metabolic diseases.

Cholesterol-lowering effect of kori-tofu protein and its high-molecular-weight fraction content.

The serum total cholesterol concentration was significantly lower in the kori-tofu feeding group than in the soy protein isolate (SPI) group, except on the 28th day of the experiment. The high-molecular-weight fraction (HMF) content of the kori-tofu protein was significantly higher than that of SPI. This difference in the HMF content may have influenced the cholesterol-lowering effect of the protein.

Comparison of glutathione reductase activity and the intracellular glutathione reducing effects of 13 derivatives of 1'-acetoxychavicol acetate in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells.

In a previous study, we showed that (1'S)-acetoxychavicol acetate ((S)-ACA) caused a rapid decrease in glutathione (GSH) levels less than 15 min after exposure. (S)-ACA-induced cell death was reversed by the addition of N-acetylcysteine. In the current study, we investigated the inhibitory activities of 13 derivatives of (S)-ACA on tumor cell viability, intracellular GSH level and GR activity. Correlations were found among a decrease in cell viability, intracellular GSH levels and the activity of GR in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells treated with the various ACA analogues. A test of the 13 derivatives revealed that the structural factors regulating activity were as follows: (1) the para or 1'-position of acetoxyl group (or other acyl group) was essential, (2) the presence of a C2'-C3' double or triple bond was essential, and (3) the S configuration of the 1'-acetoxyl group was preferable.

Ecdysteroids act as inhibitors of calf skin collagenase and oxidative stress.

Three new phytoecdysteroids have been isolated from the seeds of Chenopodium quinoa and structurally identified as 20,26-dihydroxy, 28-methyl ecdysone, 20,26-dihydroxy, 24(28)-dehydro ecdysone, and 20-hydroxyecdysone 22-glycolate using serial chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. Both previously reported compounds and newly identified phytoecdysteroids were evaluated for their inhibitory effect on calf skin collagenase, as this enzyme is involved in aging skin diseases. Their effectiveness on scavenging 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals, as well as in chelating the iron metal ions was also investigated. All isolated compounds demonstrated a higher potency to inhibit this matrix metalloproteinase and to chelate the iron ion, both with respect to the number of carbonyl groups bearing their carbon skeleton, suggesting that their mechanism of action involves their ability to coordinate both ions (either the zinc ion of the catalytic domain of collagenase or the iron ion), acting as an electron donor. The DPPH-scavenging ability was hydroxyl dependent. Satisfactory results obtained from the enzyme in vitro experiment were further supported by the gel electrophoresis. These results indicate that ecdysteroids might be considered as potent chemical agents to prevent or delay both collagenase-related skin damages and oxidative stress.

Effect of moisture content on the expansion volume of popped Amaranth seeds by hot air and superheated steam using a fluidized bed system.

The effect of the initial moisture content (X(0)) of amaranth seeds on expansion volume after popping was examined in hot air and superheated steam (SHS), using a fluidized bed system (FBS). The moisturized seeds were prepared under various vapor pressures due to various saturated salt solutions. In hot air, the maximum expansion volume was shown by seeds having X(0) of 0.16 at 260 degrees C for 15 sec, reaching 8.7-fold of the pre-popped seeds. Heating by SHS decreased the volume slightly. Thus, popping of amaranth seeds is influenced not only by the moisture content of the seeds, but also by moisture in the heat media.

Distribution of minerals in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) seeds.

The distribution of minerals in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) seed was examined using energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX) in combination with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Phosphorus, K, and Mg coincided in localization in embryonic tissue. Since phytin globoids have been known to localize in protein bodies in embryonic cells of quinoa seed, it is thought that P is attributed to phytic acid and that K and Mg form to phytate. Calcium and K were present in the pericarp, where the cell wall is thickly developed, suggesting that these minerals are associated with pectin. Sulfur occurred in embryonic tissues, which would be derived from sulfur amino acid residues of storage proteins concentrated in the tissues. Abrasion of quinoa seeds resulted particularly in decrease in Ca content.