Antiproliferative Effect of Essential Oil Obtained from Oregano (Lippia palmeri S. Watson) Leaves Grown in Hydroponics and LED Light.

Nowadays, light-emitting diodes (LED) provide an alternative source to sunlight with specific intensity and wavelength that promotes plant growth. The features offered by LED could also stimulate the production of secondary metabolites of pharmaceutical interest. This work analyzed the cultivation of oregano (Lippia palmeri S. Watson) in a floating root hydroponic system supplemented by full-spectrum LED artificial light. Growth indicators like height, diameter, number of shoots, and leaf length and width were measured. The essential oil (EO) composition from the leaves of wild and hydroponic conditions found thymol (41.8 %) as the main product for the former and carvacrol (47 %) in hydroponics. The antiproliferative activity of EOs on human colorectal cancer HCT-15 shows that 6.4 µg/ml for hydroponic and 7.4 µg/ml for the wild plant reduce more than 50 % the cell viability. Overall, this study indicates that hydroponic conditions and full spectrum LED modifies the composition of the EO of L. palmeri on compared with the wild plant, which effectively induces cell growth inhibition in human colorectal cancer.

Use of Coffee Bean Bagasse Extracts in the Brewing of Craft Beers: Optimization and Antioxidant Capacity.

Coffee bean bagasse is one of the main by-products generated by industrial coffee production. This by-product is rich in bioactive compounds such as caffeine, caffeic and chlorogenic acid, and other phenols. The aims of this work are to optimize the extraction conditions of phenolic compounds present in coffee bean bagasse and incorporate them into stout-style craft beers, as well as to determine their effect on the phenol content and antioxidant capacity. The optimal conditions for extraction were 30% ethanol, 30 °C temperature, 17.5 mL of solvent per gram of dry sample, and 30 min of sonication time. These conditions presented a total phenol content of 115.42 ± 1.04 mg GAE/g dry weight (DW), in addition to an antioxidant capacity of 39.64 ± 2.65 µMol TE/g DW in DPPH• and 55.51 ± 6.66 µMol TE/g DW for FRAP. Caffeine, caffeic and chlorogenic acids, and other minor compounds were quantified using HPLC-DAD. The coffee bean bagasse extracts were added to the stout craft beer and increased the concentration of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of the beer. This work is the first report of the use of this by-product added to beers.

Physical, Barrier, Mechanical, and Biodegradability Properties of Modified Starch Films with Nut By-Products Extracts.

Starch-based films with phenolic extracts could replace the use of petroleum-based plastics. In this study, octenyl succinate starch (OSS) films with pecan nutshell extract (PSE) or hazelnut skin extract (HSE) were prepared. The water resistance, as well as the optical, physical, mechanical, and biodegradable properties of these films, were investigated. The PSE and HSE improved the water resistance (decreasing the solubility to 17% and increasing the contact angle to 96.80°) and UV-light barrier properties of the films. For PSE and HSE, as their concentrations increased, the film rigidity decreased since these extracts acted as plasticizers. Micrographs obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) depicted a homogeneous surface as a result of extracts dispersion through the polymeric matrix and the interactions between the phenolic compounds (PC) of the extracts and the OSS. The phenolic extracts from nut by-products and octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) starch could be used to develop films to replace the conventional plastics.

Simulated Gastrointestinal Digestion, Bioaccessibility and Antioxidant Capacity of Polyphenols from Red Chiltepin (Capsicum annuum L. Var. glabriusculum) Grown in Northwest Mexico.

Chiltepin, a wild chili mostly used in different traditional foods and traditional medicine in Northwest Mexico, represents a source of polyphenols. However, studies about the bioaccessibility of polyphenols as a parameter to measure the nutritional quality and bioefficacy of them in the fruit after consumption are scarce. Chiltepin showed phenolic acids and flavonoids contents between 387 and 65 µg/g, respectively. Nevertheless, these values decreased after the digestion process. Before digestion, gallic acid, 4-hydroxibenzoinc acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, quercetin and luteolin were the main polyphenols found in chiltepin by HPLC-DAD and confirmed by FIA-ESI-IT-MS/MS. Gallic and chlorogenic acids were non-detected in the gastric phase, while only p-coumaric acid (5.35 ± 3.89 µg/g), quercetin (5.91 ± 0.92 µg/g) and luteolin (2.86 ± 0.62 µg/g) were found in the intestinal phase. The bioaccessibility of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and total polyphenols after the intestinal phase was around 24, 17 and 23%, respectively. Overall, results indicated that release of polyphenols from chiltepin fruit might be affected by the food matrix and gastrointestinal conditions due to the low bioaccessibility values observed.

Analysis of octenylsuccinate rice and tapioca starches: Distribution of octenylsuccinic anhydride groups in starch granules.

Characterization of the fine structure of octenylsuccinic anhydride (OSA) starch would lead to a better understanding of functional properties. OSA rice and tapioca starches were analyzed using microscopy, liquid chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance. Chain length distribution of amylopectin changed significantly (P<0.05) after OSA esterification. Weight averaged degree of polymerization (DPw) decreased significantly (P<0.05) from 16.47 to 13.29 and from 14.87 to 12.47 in native and OSA rice and tapioca starches, respectively. The chain length distribution of pure amylopectin fractions suggested that OSA groups were not present in the amylopectin portion of the starch. (1)H NMR analysis of pure amylose and amylopectin fractions indicated that OSA substitution was present only in amylose fractions of rice and tapioca starches. Esterification with 3% OSA results in starch that has OSA substituted mainly on amylose chains or possibly on amylopectin chains that have been hydrolyzed from the amylopectin molecules during esterification.

Chemical composition, nutritional value and in vitro starch digestibility of roasted chickpeas.

BACKGROUND: Chickpea is considered a wholesome and nutritious food due to its nutritional properties and glycemic response. Such properties can be influenced by the thermal treatment used to cook this legume and produce a snack named leblebi. From the consumers' point of view, it is desirable to improve texture and palatability of the chickpea by the processing steps used to make leblebi. However, consumers are increasingly concerned with the nutritional value of snack foods. RESULTS: Nutritional components and digestibility properties of single and double heat-treated chickpea, single and double roasted leblebi and white leblebi were studied. High sodium, starch damage and soluble dietary fiber content were observed in white leblebi; while the other samples showed significantly (P < 0.05) higher insoluble dietary fiber content. Heat treatment and processing significantly (P < 0.05) altered the viscosity and starch properties of the samples. High resistant starch content (28.28% to 30.20%) and low estimated glycemic index (38.67 to 41.28) in heat-treated chickpeas and roasted leblebi were observed. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that heat-treated chickpea and roasted leblebi have good nutritional quality and low glycemic response. White leblebi had relatively high sodium content and glycemic response. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Chemical composition, digestibility and emulsification properties of octenyl succinic esters of various starches.

Octenyl succinate starches are commonly used as emulsifiers and texturizing agents in many food-systems. Rice, tapioca, corn, wheat and potato starches were modified with octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) at 3% level. Structural characterization, molecular weight, starch digestibility and physical properties of starch granule stabilized emulsions were studied for modified starches. Modified potato (0.022) and wheat (0.018) starches had the highest and lowest degrees of OSA substitution, respectively. For all starches, amylose and amylopectin molecular mass was significantly (P<0.05) lower for OSA starches. OSA modification may have hydrolyzed the small amylose and amylopectin chains, or caused rearrangement of the starch molecules. Although the starch modification improved emulsification properties, botanical source showed more influence on this parameter. Overall, botanical source had more influence on functional properties than degree of substitution. Further studies on OSA group distribution and fine molecular structure of amylopectin and relationship with functional properties will be important.

Analysis of deoxynivalenol and deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside in hard red spring wheat inoculated with Fusarium graminearum.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin affecting wheat quality. The formation of the "masked" mycotoxin deoxinyvalenol-3-glucoside (D3G) results from a defense mechanism the plant uses for detoxification. Both mycotoxins are important from a food safety point of view. The aim of this work was to analyze DON and D3G content in inoculated near-isogenic wheat lines grown at two locations in Minnesota, USA during three different years. Regression analysis showed positive correlation between DON content measured with LC and GC among wheat lines, locality and year. The relationship between DON and D3G showed a linear increase until a certain point, after which the DON content and the D3G increased. Wheat lines having higher susceptibility to Fusarium showed the opposite trend. ANOVA demonstrated that the line and location have a greater effect on variation of DON and D3G than do their interaction among years. The most important factor affecting DON and D3G was the growing location. In conclusion, the year, environmental conditions and location have an effect on the D3G/DON ratio in response to Fusarium infection.

Occurrence of deoxynivalenol and deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside in hard red spring wheat grown in the USA.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin found in wheat that is infected with Fusarium fungus. DON may also be converted to a type of "masked mycotoxin", named deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (D3G), as a result of detoxification of the plant. In this study, DON and D3G were measured using gas chromatographic (GC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) in wheat samples collected during 2011 and 2012 in the USA. Results indicate that the growing region had a significant effect on the DON and D3G (p < 0.0001). There was a positive correlation between both methods (GC and LC-MS) used for determination of DON content. DON showed a significant and positive correlation with D3G during 2011. Overall, DON production had an effect on D3G content and kernel damage, and was dependent on environmental conditions during Fusarium infection.

Analysis of starch in food systems by high-performance size exclusion chromatography.

Starch has unique physicochemical characteristics among food carbohydrates. Starch contributes to the physicochemical attributes of food products made from roots, legumes, cereals, and fruits. It occurs naturally as distinct particles, called granules. Most starch granules are a mixture of 2 sugar polymers: a highly branched polysaccharide named amylopectin and a basically linear polysaccharide named amylose. The starch contained in food products undergoes changes during processing, which causes changes in the starch molecular weight and amylose to amylopectin ratio. The objective of this study was to develop a new, simple, 1-step, and accurate method for simultaneous determination of amylose and amylopectin ratio as well as weight-averaged molecular weights of starch in food products. Starch from bread flour, canned peas, corn flake cereal, snack crackers, canned kidney beans, pasta, potato chips, and white bread was extracted by dissolving in KOH, urea, and precipitation with ethanol. Starch samples were solubilized and analyzed on a high-performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) system. To verify the identity of the peaks, fractions were collected and soluble starch and beta-glucan assays were performed additional to gas chromatography analysis. We found that all the fractions contain only glucose and soluble starch assay is correlated to the HPSEC fractionation. This new method can be used to determine amylose amylopectin ratio and weight-averaged molecular weight of starch from various food products using as low as 25 mg dry samples.

Effect of acetylation, oxidation and annealing on physicochemical properties of bean starch.

Black and Pinto bean starches were physically and chemically modified to investigate the effect of modification on digestibility and physicochemical properties of bean starch. The impact of acetylation, oxidation (ozonation) and annealing on the chemical composition, syneresis, swelling volume, pasting, thermal properties and digestibility of starches was evaluated. The physicochemical and estimated glycemic index (eGI) of the Black and Pinto bean starches treated with ozone were not significantly (P>0.05) different than that of their respective control starches. Annealed starches had improved thermal and pasting properties compared to native starches. Acetylated starches presented reduced syneresis, good pasting properties and lower eGI. Also, all modified starches had increased levels of resistant starch (RS). Therefore, the digestibility and physicochemical properties of bean starch were affected by the type of modification but there were no significant (P>0.05) differences between the Black and Pinto bean starches.

Effect of the cooking on physicochemical and starch digestibility properties of two varieties of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown under different water regimes.

Growing and cooking conditions influence the quality and nutritional value of beans. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of cooking on digestibility and physicochemical properties of two varieties of bean grown under different water regimes. Black 8025 and Pinto Durango varieties were grown in irrigated and temporal (rain fed) conditions in two locations of Guanajuato, Mexico. The pasting profiles of the cooked beans showed a significant decrease in viscosity. The enthalpy of the raw and cooked beans ranged from 2.75 to 3.95 and 0.62 to 0.97J/g, respectively. The percentage of rapidly digestible starch and slowly digestible starch increased, while the percentage of resistant starch was lower in cooked samples. Black 8025 beans had lower glycemic index than Pinto Durango, but no significant difference (P<0.05) was noted between water regimes. The variety of bean had a more pronounced effect on digestibility properties than the water regime.