Melon peel flour: utilization as a functional ingredient in bakery products.

Food by-products are a major concern with a direct impact on the economy, society, and environment. The valorisation of these by-products could be an advantageous approach to face the increase in food waste since it can compromise environmental health and food sustainability. On the other hand, this valorisation would allow the development of new food products with health benefits for the population. Cucumis melo L. is a highly consumed fruit all over the world since it has excellent sensory and nutritional qualities, being also a good source of bioactive compounds. However, its peel and seeds are usually discarded. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of melon peel flour as a functional ingredient for innovative food products. For that, two different formulations containing melon peel flour were developed (a biscuit and a muffin) by replacing a conventional flour (wheat flour) in different percentages (50% and 100%, respectively). The nutritional composition, total phenolic content, and antioxidant potential of the developed products were studied, showing a high content of fibre, high levels of phenolic compounds and good sensory acceptability. These results show that it is possible to enrich different foods with melon peel flour in order to improve their nutritional properties, contributing to improving public health, simultaneously valorising a usually rejected by-product, reducing food waste and the environmental impact.

The Health Effects of Low Glycemic Index and Low Glycemic Load Interventions on Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Literature Review of RCTs.

Diets with a low glycemic index (GI) and a low glycemic load (GL) can improve glycemic control, blood lipids, blood pressure and BMI in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (T2DM), but evidence regarding other aspects of cardiometabolic health is limited. We searched the literature for RCTs published from 2013 to 2023 and reviewed the evidence on low-GI/GL diets and their effects on different aspects of health in prediabetes and T2DM, aiming to build a report on all relevant outcomes included in the studies. We included 14 RCTs with 1055 participants, who were mostly middle-aged individuals with T2DM. Interventions were mostly low GI and lasted 1-36 months. Low-GI/GL foods and diets showed benefits in terms of short-term glycemic control, weight and adiposity. Longer-term trials would be necessary to determine whether these benefits persist over time and/or lead to lower CVD risk and mortality. Effects on lipid profile were inconsistent. Some studies also reported positive effects of low-GI/GL interventions on blood pressure, inflammatory biomarkers, renal function and gut microbiota composition. Future trials should focus on some of these novel outcome measures, which may provide important insights into the metabolic effects of low-GI diets on individuals with diabetes.

Oxalate in Foods: Extraction Conditions, Analytical Methods, Occurrence, and Health Implications.

Oxalate is an antinutrient present in a wide range of foods, with plant products, especially green leafy vegetables, being the main sources of dietary oxalates. This compound has been largely associated with hyperoxaluria, kidney stone formation, and, in more severe cases, systematic oxalosis. Due to its impact on human health, it is extremely important to control the amount of oxalate present in foods, particularly for patients with kidney stone issues. In this review, a summary and discussion of the current knowledge on oxalate analysis, its extraction conditions, specific features of analytical methods, reported occurrence in foods, and its health implications are presented. In addition, a brief conclusion and further perspectives on whether high-oxalate foods are truly problematic and can be seen as health threats are shown.

Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.: A Multi-Benefit Potential to Be Exploited.

Consumer interest in foods with enhanced nutritional quality has increased in recent years. The nutritional and bioactive characterization of fruits and their byproducts, as well as their use in the formulation of new food products, is advisable, contributing to decrease the global concerns related to food waste and food security. Moreover, the compounds present in these raw materials and the study of their biological properties can promote health and help to prevent some chronic diseases. Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. (prickly pear) is a plant that grows wild in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world, being a food source for ones and a potential for others, but not properly valued. This paper carries out an exhaustive review of the scientific literature on the nutritional composition and bioactive compounds of prickly pear and its constituents, as well as its main biological activities and applications. It is a good source of dietary fiber, vitamins and bioactive compounds. Many of its natural compounds have interesting biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic and antimicrobial. The antioxidant power of prickly pear makes it a good candidate as an ingredient of new food products with fascinating properties for health promotion and/or to be used as natural extracts for food, pharmaceutic or cosmetic applications. In addition, it could be a key player in food security in many arid and semi-arid regions of the world, where there are often no more plants.

An update on processed foods: Relationship between salt, saturated and trans fatty acids contents.

To update the current situation on salt, fat and fatty acid composition of processed foods, a study including a wide range of different food categories was conducted in Portugal. Different validated analytical techniques were used, and a PCA and correlation analysis were conducted to establish a trend between the different components in each food category. The highest salt content was found in snacks, fast-food, sauces and ready-to-eat meals, while the saturated fatty acids were higher (p < .05) in bakery products, cookies, biscuits and wafers, and snacks. The highest levels of trans fatty acids were found in the fast-food group, followed by the snacks, potato and potato-products and bakery products. A significant positive correlation (p < .05) was found between salt and fat content in ready-to-eat meals and in the potato and potato-products. The PCA analysis identified total fat, low trans fatty acids and high salt content as distinctive characteristics of some food categories.

Vitamin C evaluation in foods for infants and young children by a rapid and accurate analytical method.

The validation of a rapid, precise (RSD < 4.6%), reliable and sensitive (LOD = 0.026 µg/mL) liquid chromatography method for vitamin C quantification in foods (infant formulae, n = 4; follow-on formulae, n = 3; processed cereal based-foods, n = 7; and baby foods, n = 10) for infants and young children is described. Vitamin C content ranged from 1.50 to 144 mg/100 g. A comparison between the declared values and the measured concentrations, as well as the accordance of these values with the tolerances, was performed. For 50% of the analysed foods, the measured vitamin C content was higher than the declared value. However, all the analysed foods were in compliance with EU legislation concerning the maximum limits of vitamin C added to foods. The results obtained will be very useful for analytical laboratory control, risk assessment, establishment of maximum limits, development and implementation of guidelines regarding nutrient recommendations and estimation of vitamin C intake among infants and young children.

Multivariate characterization of salt and fat content, and the fatty acid profile of pastry and bakery products.

Bakery and pastry products are highly appreciated worldwide. Due to consumer demand, a wide diversity of this type of food is available all over the world. The aim of this study was to evaluate the content of salt, fat and fatty acids in the composition of 91 bakery and pastry products commercialised in Portugal. Moreover, a detailed comparison between commercial and supermarket brands of similar foods, as well as between foods with or without gluten was performed. The obtained results allowed us to conclude that most of the analysed foods have a high percentage of saturated fatty acids. Also, considerable amounts of salt were determined, while the trans fatty acid content in the analysed foods was in general low (<0.5%). Moreover, differences in the salt content higher than 6-fold between brands of the same type of foodstuff were observed, which should be considered at the moment of choice. This fact proves that it is possible to produce similar foods which are healthier with better nutritional quality. Since this type of food is highly appreciated by people of all ages, but mostly by children and young people, it is of utmost importance to implement strategies and establish goals, to improve their nutritional quality.