Rapid discrimination of Panax ginseng powder adulterated with various root plants by FT-IR spectroscopy coupled with multivariate analysis.

Panax ginseng powder adulterated with other root plants (arrowroot, bellflower, and lance asiabell) was discriminated using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, combined with multivariate analysis. Principal component analysis visually diagnosed the adulteration by showing two distinct clusters based on presence of adulteration. Wavenumber regions (1000 cm-1 and 3300 cm-1) selected from the loading plot associated with the vibration of OH and CH bond in ginsenoside and aromatic compounds. A quantitative model for the content of ginsenosides and specific aromatic compounds as indicators of pure ginseng powder, was developed based on partial least square regression analysis. The performance of the prediction model preprocessed with the Savizky-Golay 1st derivative was improved to R2 of 0.9650, 0.9635, and 0.9591 for Rb1, Rc, and ß-Panasinsene, respectively. Therefore, FT-IR technology makes it possible to rapidly authenticate pure ginseng product based on the ginsenoside contents and aroma compound.

Quality Characteristics of Rice-Based Ice Creams with Different Amylose Contents.

Ice cream consumption has increased over the years. In this study, we investigated the potential of using rice varieties with varying amylose contents for ice cream production. We analyzed the physical and chemical properties and sensory quality characteristics (appearance, taste, texture, chewiness, aroma, and rice flavor) of rice-based ice cream made from five varieties with low and high amylose levels. To make the ice cream, we ground rice into a fine powder and combined it with skim milk powder, butter, sugar, glycerin esters of fatty acids, locust bean gum, and water to form a gelatinized mixture. This mixture was then aged, frozen, and hardened. The ice cream's key quality characteristics, such as viscosity (2170-25,030 cP), hardness (4.27-49.55 N cm-2), and overrun (17.95-46.99%), showed a wide range. Ice cream made from Saemimyeon (high amylose content rice variety) exhibited the highest hardness value (49.55 N cm-2) among the varieties tested, but had relatively low viscosity (4030 cP), overrun (17.95%), and drip-through (0.75 g/min) values. These findings suggest that rice varieties with different amylose contents are suitable for making ice cream and have the potential to expand the rice processing market and increase its value.

Prediction of moisture content in steamed and dried purple sweet potato using hyperspectral imaging analysis.

Partial least squares regression (PLSR) modeling was performed to predict the moisture content in steamed, dried purple sweet potato based on spectral data obtained from hyperspectral imaging analysis. The PLSR model with a combination of multiplicative scatter correction, Savitzky-Golay, and first derivative exhibited the highest accuracy (RP 2 = 0.9754). The wavelengths found that strongly affected the PLSR model were 961.12, 1065.50, 1083.93, 1173.23, and 1233.89 nm. These wavelengths were associated with the O-H second overtone and the second overtone of C-H, C-H2, and C-H3. When PLSR modeling was performed using these selected wavelengths, the prediction accuracy of the PLSR model exhibited high accuracy (RP 2 = 0.9521). Therefore, the moisture content could be predicted with high accuracy using only five wavelengths rather than the full spectrum.

Dieckol is a natural positive allosteric modulator of GABAA-benzodiazepine receptors and enhances inhibitory synaptic activity in cultured neurons.

Phlorotannin supplement (PS) is a natural hypnotic substrate that modulates γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA)-benzodiazepine (BZD) receptors. However, there is a lack of functional data assessing the role of individual components of PS, such as Dieckol, as allosteric activators of GABAA receptors (GABAAR). Using the whole cell patch clamp technique, we demonstrated that PS functionally enhanced the activity of GABAA-BZD receptors in a heterologous system and in primary cultured neurons. Application of diazepam (DZP) or Dieckol (1) increased GABAAR-mediated inward current in HEK293T cells containing the α1 subunit in a dose-dependent manner, (2) which was blocked by co-treatment with the selective benzodiazepine site antagonist, flumazenil (FLZ); it also (3) increased the amplitude of GABAA-BZD receptors in primary cultured neurons, which was blocked by FLZ and (4) attenuated spontaneous activity in cultured neurons. These results indicate that PS and Dieckol act as positive allosteric activators of GABAA-BZD receptors, which might be the underlying mechanism of the sedative-hypnotic effect of PS. To our knowledge, this is the first study to directly link Dieckol-induced GABAAR activation via the BZD site binding and suppression of spontaneous neuronal activity in vitro.

Hyperspectral imaging technology for monitoring of moisture contents of dried persimmons during drying process.

The moisture content of persimmons during drying was monitored by hyperspectral imaging technology. All persimmons were dried using a hot-air dryer at 40 °C and divided into seven groups according to drying time: semi-dried persimmons (Cont), 1 day (DP-1), 2 days (DP-2), 3 days (DP-3), 4 days (DP-4), 5 days (DP-5), and 6 days (DP-6). Shortwave infrared hyperspectral spectra and moisture content of all persimmons were analyzed to develop a prediction model using partial least squares regression. There were obvious absorption bands: two at approximately 971 nm and 1452 nm were due to water absorption related to O-H stretching of the second and first overtones, respectively. The R-squared value of the optimal calibration model was 0.9673, and the accuracy of the moisture content measurement was 95%. These results indicate that hyperspectral imaging technology can be used to predict and monitor the moisture content of dried persimmons during drying.

Application of Non-Destructive Rapid Determination of Piperine in Piper nigrum L. (Black Pepper) Using NIR and Multivariate Statistical Analysis: A Promising Quality Control Tool.

Piperine is a bioactive alkaloid compound which provides a unique spicy flavor derived from plants of the Piper nigrum L. Black pepper (n = 160) collected from Vietnam was studied using non-destructive near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). The spectral acquisition ranged from 1100 to 2500 nm, and a chemometrics analysis program was performed to quantify the piperine contents. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was carried out to develop a chemometric model based on reference values. The black pepper samples were divided into two groups used for calibration (n = 120) and prediction (n = 40) sets. The optimum calibration model was developed by pretreatment of the spectra. The analyses results based on the prediction samples included a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.914, a root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) and a standard error of prediction (SEP) of about 0.220 g/100 g, and a ratio performance to deviation (RPD) value of 3.378 regarding the partial least square (PLS) regression model, and an R2 of 0.921, an RMSEP and SEP of 0.210 g/100 g, and an RPD of 3.571, with respect to the principal components (PC) regression model. These results indicate that NIRS can be applicable as a control, or as an alternative rapid and effective method to quantify piperine in P. nigrum L.

Feasibility of rapid piperine quantification in whole and black pepper using near infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics.

Piperine is a bioactive alkaloid that possesses various health benefits and is responsible for the pungent aroma of pepper. Piperine content in whole and ground black pepper (n = 132) was analyzed by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in the 950 to 1650 nm wavelength window. Chemometric modeling using partial least square regression was performed, and outliers were checked and removed during the preparation of the calibration curve by considering sample residual variance and sample leverage. Model accuracy was evaluated with a low root-mean-square error of cross-validation (RMSECV) and a high ratio performance to deviation (RPD). The optimal model had a coefficient of determination (R2 ) of 0.726, RMSECV of 0.289 g/100 g, and RPD of 1.744 for the whole black pepper. The results of R2 , RMSECV, and RPD for the ground black pepper were 0.850, 0.231 g/100 g, and 2.424, respectively. Therefore, based on the perspective of onsite process, the proposed NIRS method can be employed for selecting abnormal samples during the inspection of black pepper raw material and for quantifying piperine contents of final black pepper product. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Generally, the quality indicators of black pepper are graded solely based on their external appearance, quality, and size. This study discloses the development of a near-infrared spectroscopy-based fast and accurate nondestructive analytical method for the detection of piperine, a bioactive constituent of pepper, as a tool for the quality control of whole and ground black pepper.

Anti-Fatigue Effect of Prunus Mume Vinegar in High-Intensity Exercised Rats.

Nowadays, new types of vinegar have been developed using various raw materials and biotechnological processes. The fruit of Prunus mume has been extensively distributed in East Asia and used as a folk medication for fatigue. In this study, the Prunus mume vinegar (PV) was produced by a two-step fermentation and was evaluated for its anti-fatigue activity by C2C12 myoblasts and high-intensity exercised rats. The administration of PV significantly improved running endurance and glycogen accumulation in the liver and muscle of PV supplemented rats compared to sedentary and exercised control groups. In addition, PV supplementation elicited lower fatigue-related serum biomarkers, for instance, ammonia, inorganic phosphate, and lactate. PV administered rats exhibited higher lactate dehydrogenase activity and glutathione peroxidase activity, and lower creatine kinase activity and malondialdehyde levels. Furthermore, phenolic compounds in PV were identified using HPLC analysis. The phenolic acids analyzed in PV were protocatechuic acid, syringic acid, chlorogenic acid, and its derivates. These results indicate that the administration of PV with antioxidative property contributes to the improvement of fatigue recovery in exhausted rats. The findings of this study suggest that the PV containing various bioactive constituents can be used as a functional material against fatigue caused by high-intensity exercise.

Protective Effect of Prunus mume Fermented with Mixed Lactic Acid Bacteria in Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Colitis.

The fruit of Prunus mume (PM) is widely cultivated in East Asia, and it has been used as a folk medication for gastrointestinal disorders, e.g., diarrhea, stomach ache and ulceration. In this study, the pectinase-treated PM juice (PJ) was fermented with Lactobacillus strains containing fundamental organic acids and free amino acids. The PJ fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum and L. casei (FP) was investigated for its protective effect in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis mice model. The administration of FP reduced lipid peroxidation and histopathological colitis symptoms, e.g., shortening of the colon length, depletion of mucin, epithelial injury and ulceration, in colonic tissues. The FP-supplemented group showed the alleviation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Compared with the DSS control group, the supplementation of FP significantly reduced the levels of serum interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, IL-12 and IL-17 as well as colonic tumor necrosis factor-α, IFN-γ, IL-12 and IL-17. Furthermore, the DSS-induced TUNEL-positive area was significantly reduced by the FP supplementation. These results show that the supplementation of FP fermented with mixed lactic acid bacteria, L. plantarum and L. casei, elucidated the protective effect in DSS-induced colitis mice. Hence, this study suggests that FP can be utilized as a natural therapeutic agent for colitis and intestinal inflammation.

Estimating the Composition of Food Nutrients from Hyperspectral Signals Based on Deep Neural Networks.

There is an increasing demand for acquiring details of food nutrients especially among those who are sensitive to food intakes and weight changes. To meet this need, we propose a new approach based on deep learning that precisely estimates the composition of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats from hyperspectral signals of foods obtained by using low-cost spectrometers. Specifically, we develop a system consisting of multiple deep neural networks for estimating food nutrients followed by detecting and discarding estimation anomalies. Our comprehensive performance evaluation demonstrates that the proposed system can maximize estimation accuracy by automatically identifying wrong estimations. As such, if consolidated with the capability of reinforcement learning, it will likely be positioned as a promising means for personalized healthcare in terms of food safety.

A Standardized Phlorotannin Supplement Attenuates Caffeine-Induced Sleep Disruption in Mice.

In our previous studies, a standardized phlorotannin (brown seaweed polyphenol) supplement (PS) exhibited sleep-promoting effects via type A γ-aminobutyric acid-benzodiazepine receptors in mice. In addition, in human clinical trials, it decreased wake after sleep onset in adults with sleep disturbance. In this follow-up study, we investigated whether PS attenuates caffeine-induced sleep disruption in mice. The effects of PS were evaluated in a caffeine model by analyzing sleep architecture based on electroencephalogram and electromyogram findings, and were compared with the effects of a well-known sedative-hypnotic drug zolpidem (ZPD). As expected, oral administration of caffeine (25 mg/kg) significantly increased sleep latency and decreased the amount of non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS). In the caffeine + PS and caffeine + ZPD groups, PS (500 mg/kg) attenuated caffeine-induced sleep disruption, and its effects were comparable with those of ZPD (10 mg/kg). In particular, PS inhibited the arousal effects of caffeine without change in delta activity during NREMS, whereas ZPD produced a decrease in the delta activity. Considering global trends in coffee and energy drink consumption, our finding suggest that PS may be useful to relieve transitory insomnia symptoms caused by caffeine consumption, unlike the prescription drug ZPD.

Auriculasin sensitizes primary prostate cancer cells to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis through up-regulation of the DR5-dependent pathway.

Primary prostate cancer cells frequently develop resistance toward chemotherapy as well as most chemotherapeutics have been reported to induce undesirable cytotoxicity in normal cells. In this study, we performed sensitizing activity analysis of auriculasin (AC) to tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) in RC-58T/h/SA#4 primary prostate cancer cells without significant cytotoxicity in RWPE-1 prostate epithelial cells. Combined treatment with AC and TRAIL at optimal concentrations resulted in tumor-specific apoptotic cell death in RC-58T/h/SA#4 cells, characterized by DNA fragmentation, accumulation of apoptotic cell population, and nuclear condensation. Compared to single treatment with AC or TRAIL, co-treatment with AC and TRAIL significantly increased expression of Bax, cleaved PARP, AIF, endo G, and cytochrome c but decreased expression of phosphorylation of AKT and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), Bcl-2 and caspases-9, -8, -3, and -10. The sensitizing effect of AC to TRAIL was well correlated with inhibition of death receptor 5 (DR5) CHOP, and p53 expression. Moreover, pre-treatment with a chimeric blocking antibody for DR5 effectively reduced AC-TRAIL-induced cell death and apoptosis-related protein expression. These results suggest that non-toxic concentrations of AC sensitize TRAIL-resistant primary prostate cancer cells to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis via up-regulation of DR5 and downstream signaling pathways.

Effects of auriculasin on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced angiogenesis via regulation of VEGF receptor 2 signaling pathways in vitro and in vivo.

Angiogenesis plays an important role in various pathological conditions such as cancer via excessive delivery of oxygen and nutrients. Recent studies have demonstrated that understanding the molecular basis of natural agents in angiogenesis is critical for the development of promising cancer therapeutics. In this study, auriculasin, an active component from Flemingia philippinensis, was found to exert strong anti-angiogenesis activity. Treatment with auriculasin suppressed proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) by modulating expression of Bcl-2, Bcl-XL, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Further, auriculasin inhibited VEGF-induced chemotactic migration, invasion, and capillary-like structure formation of endothelial cells. In addition, auriculasin abrogated VEGF-induced vascular network formation around rat aortic rings as well as blocked accumulation of hemoglobin, endothelial cells and VEGF in the Matrigel plug of C57BL/6 mice. The inhibitory effect of auriculasin on angiogenesis was well correlated with inhibition of VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) activation as well as phosphorylation of intracellular downstream protein kinases of VEGFR2 containing Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), p-38, extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK), and Src. Taken together, this study reports that auriculasin potently inhibits angiogenesis by modulating VEGFR2-related signaling pathways, which further validates its great potential in clinical applications.

Auriculasin-induced ROS causes prostate cancer cell death via induction of apoptosis.

Recent studies have demonstrated that natural agents targeting the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that selectively kill, leaving normal cells undamaged, can suppress prostate cancer. Here, we show that auriculasin, derived from Flemingia philippinensis, induces significant cell death and apoptosis via ROS generation in prostate cancer cells. Auriculasin treatment resulted in selective apoptotic cell death in LNCaP prostate cancer cells, characterized by DNA fragmentation, accumulation of sub-G1 cell population, cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), regulation of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, increase of cytosolic apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) and endonuclease G (EndoG), in addition to inhibiting tumor growth in a xenograft mouse model. Interestingly, auriculasin-induced apoptosis did not result in caspase-3, -8, and -9 activations. We found that auriculasin treatment decreased phosphorylation of AKT/mTOR/p70s6k in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Further, cellular ROS levels increased in LNCaP cells treated with auriculasin and blocking ROS accumulation with ROS scavengers resulted in inhibition of auriculasin-induced PARP cleavage, AIF increase, upregulation of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and decrease in AKT/mTOR phosphorylation. Taken together, these data suggest that auriculasin targets ROS-mediated caspase-independent pathways and suppresses PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling, which leads to apoptosis and decreased tumor growth.

Quality comparison of dried slices processed from whole persimmons treated with different deastringency methods.

The effects of different deastringency treatments (untreated, carbon dioxide, warm water, or ethanol), before drying on the quality characteristics of dried fruit slices prepared from whole "Cheongdobansi" persimmons were evaluated. L* (lightness) and a* (redness) values of dried slices from warm water- and ethanol-treated groups were higher, respectively, compared to that of dried slices from other groups. Hardness was lower in dried slices from ethanol-treated fruits. Moisture, water activity, soluble solids, titratable acidity, and sensory properties (color, aroma, texture, sweetness, and overall acceptability) of the dried slices from astringency-removed fruits were higher when compared to those of the dried slices from non-treated persimmons. In particular, the dried slices from ethanol-treated fruits showed the highest values for these parameters. Moreover, soluble tannin and DPPH radical scavenging activity decreased by deastringency treatment. Results suggest that ethanol deastringency treatment before drying could be a useful method to improve most quality characteristics, except antioxidative activity, of dried persimmon slices.

Prediction of shelf-life and changes in the quality characteristics of semidried persimmons stored at different temperatures.

This study was performed to investigate changes in the quality characteristics and shelf-life of semidried persimmons stored at different temperatures using acceleration experiments. In order to estimate quality changes in the samples, we evaluated the physicochemical properties, microbiological changes, and sensory features of the samples periodically after storage at -20, -10, 0, and 10 °C. At all storage temperatures, CIE L * a * b * values decreased significantly. Based on the results of this study, regression equations are set up. L * had the highest correlation and were therefore used to determine quality factor. The activation energy, which was calculated using the Arrhenius equation, was found to be 12.98 kcal/mol, and the Q10-values were 3.81, 2.07, and 2.06 at -20 to -10 °C, -10 to 0 °C, and 0 to 10 °C, respectively. Therefore, the expected expiration dates of the semidried persimmons were estimated to be 203.83, 53.46, 22.00, and 8.71 days at -20, -10, 0, and 10 °C.

Qualitative properties of roasting defect beans and development of its classification methods by hyperspectral imaging technology.

Qualitative properties of roasting defect coffee beans and their classification methods were studied using hyperspectral imaging (HSI). The roasting defect beans were divided into 5 groups: medium roasting (Cont), under developed (RD-1), over roasting (RD-2), interior under developed (RD-3), and interior scorching (RD-4). The following qualitative properties were assayed: browning index (BI), moisture content (MC), chlorogenic acid (CA), trigonelline (TG), and caffeine (CF) content. Their HSI spectra (1000-1700nm) were also analysed to develop the classification methods of roasting defect beans. RD-2 showed the highest BI and the lowest MC, CA, and TG content. The accuracy of classification model of partial least-squares discriminant was 86.2%. The most powerful wavelength to classify the defective beans was approximately 1420nm (related to OH bond). The HSI reflectance values at 1420nm showed similar tendency with MC, enabling the use of this technology to classify the roasting defect beans.

Image analysis to evaluate the browning degree of banana (Musa spp.) peel.

Image analysis was applied to examine banana peel browning. The banana samples were divided into 3 treatment groups: no treatment and normal packaging (Cont); CO2 gas exchange packaging (CO); normal packaging with an ethylene generator (ET). We confirmed that the browning of banana peels developed more quickly in the CO group than the other groups based on sensory test and enzyme assay. The G (green) and CIE L(∗), a(∗), and b(∗) values obtained from the image analysis sharply increased or decreased in the CO group. And these colour values showed high correlation coefficients (>0.9) with the sensory test results. CIE L(∗)a(∗)b(∗) values using a colorimeter also showed high correlation coefficients but comparatively lower than those of image analysis. Based on this analysis, browning of the banana occurred more quickly for CO2 gas exchange packaging, and image analysis can be used to evaluate the browning of banana peels.

Isoegomaketone induces apoptosis in SK-MEL-2 human melanoma cells through mitochondrial apoptotic pathway via activating the PI3K/Akt pathway.

Isoegomaketone (IK) is a major biologically active component of Perilla frutescens. In this study, we investigated the contribution of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to IK-induced apoptosis in human melanoma SK-MEL-2 cells. We found that IK inhibited the proliferation of SK-MEL-2 human melanoma cells in a dose-dependent manner. IK also induced sub-G1 DNA accumulation, formation of apoptotic bodies, nuclear condensation, and a DNA ladder in SK-MEL-2 cells. IK also induced activation of caspase-3 and -9, whereas caspase­8 was unaffected. Further, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC, ROS scavenger) treatment to SK-MEL-2 cells significantly reduced IK-induced cell death. Pretreatment of NAC to SK-MEL-2 cells followed by 100 µM IK reduced the protein levels of Bax and cytochrome c as well as PARP cleavage, whereas the protein level of Bcl-2 increased. Moreover, IK inhibited the phosphorylation of AKT/mTOR protein and cell proliferation induced by LY294002, a PI3K inhibitor. In conclusion, IK-induced ROS generation regulates cell growth inhibition and it induces apoptosis through caspase­dependent and -independent pathways via modulation of PI3K/AKT signaling in SK-MEL-2 cells.

Browning control of fresh-cut lettuce by phytoncide treatment.

Phytoncide essential oil derived from pine leaves was applied for the control of enzymatic browning of fresh-cut lettuce. Changes in the browning characteristics of cut lettuce treated with phytoncide in an water or ethanol solution (1%, v/v) at 10°C were investigated for 12days at 4°C. Other samples dipped in distilled water or 95% ethanol were used as the controls. The samples treated with phytoncide in an ethanol solution showed significantly higher L* values and lower a* values, ΔE values, browning index, phenolic compounds, and enzyme activities (PPO, POD, PAL) related to browning. The samples dipped in distilled water showed the opposite tendency. On the basis of changes in the browning characteristics, anti-browning effects of each treatment, phytoncide in an ethanol solution was the most effective treatment applied. These results suggest that phytoncide treatment could be used as an effective method for controlling enzymatic browning in fresh-cut lettuce.