Extraction and purification of ferulic acid from flax shives, wheat and corn bran by alkaline hydrolysis and pressurised solvents

Ferulic Acid Protects Hyperglycemia-Induced Kidney Damage by Regulating Oxidative Insult, Inflammation and Autophagy

Oxidative insult, inflammation, apoptosis and autophagy play a pivotal role in the etiology of diabetic nephropathy, a global health concern. Ferulic acid, a phytochemical, is reported to protect against varied diseased conditions. However, the ameliorative role and mechanisms of ferulic acid in averting STZ-mediated nephrotoxicity largely remains unknown. For in vivo study, a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (50 mg kg-1 body wt.) was administered in experimental rats to induce diabetes. The diabetic rats exhibited a rise in blood glucose level as well as kidney to body weight ratio, a decrease in serum insulin level, severe kidney tissue damage and dysfunction. Elevation of intracellular ROS level, altered mitochondrial membrane potential and cellular redox balance impairment shown the participation of oxidative stress in hyperglycemia-triggered renal injury. Treatment with ferulic acid (50 mg kg-1 body wt., orally for 8 weeks), post-diabetic induction, could markedly ameliorate kidney injury, renal cell apoptosis, inflammation and defective autophagy in the kidneys. The underlying mechanism for such protection involved the modulation of AGEs, MAPKs (p38, JNK, and ERK 1/2), NF-κB mediated inflammatory pathways, mitochondria-dependent and -independent apoptosis as well as autophagy induction. In cultured NRK-52E cells, ferulic acid (at an optimum dose of 75 μM) could counter excessive ROS generation, induce autophagy and inhibit apoptotic death of cells under high glucose environment. Blockade of autophagy could significantly eradicate the protective effect of ferulic acid in high glucose-mediated cell death. Together, the study confirmed that ferulic acid, exhibiting hypoglycemic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic activities and role in autophagy, could circumvent oxidative stress-mediated renal cell damage.

Hop Compounds: Extraction Techniques, Chemical Analyses, Antioxidative, Antimicrobial, and Anticarcinogenic Effects

Hop plants comprise a variety of natural compounds greatly differing in their structure and properties. A wide range of methods have been developed for their isolation and chemical analysis, as well as for determining their antioxidative, antimicrobial, and antigenotoxic potentials. This contribution provides an overview of extraction and fractionation techniques of the most important hop compounds known for their health-promoting features. Although hops remain the principal ingredient for providing the taste, stability, and antimicrobial protection of beer, they have found applications in the pharmaceutical and other food industries as well. This review focuses on numerous health-promoting effects of hops raging from antioxidative, sedative, and anti-inflammatory potentials, over anticarcinogenic features to estrogenic activity. Therefore, hops should be exploited for the prevention and even healing of several prevalent diseases like cardiovascular disorders and various cancer types. New ideas for future studies on hops are finally presented: computational investigations of chemical reactivities of hop compounds, nanoencapsulation, and synergistic effects leading to a higher bioavailability of biologically active substances as well as the application of waste hop biomass from breweries for the production of high-added-value products in accordance with the biorefinery concept.

Effects of ultraviolet C, controlled atmosphere, and ultrasound pretreatment on free ferulic acid in canned sweet corn kernels

Because canned sweet corn kernel (CSCK) products are subject to high market competitiveness, producing them with a higher content of free ferulic acid (FFA), a functional ingredient, using non-thermal and green technologies may be an alternative solution for Thai exporters. This study aimed to investigate the effects of pre-canning ultraviolet C (UVC), controlled atmosphere (CA), and ultrasound treatments on the FFA content, texture, and colour of CSCKs. UVC irradiation (0, 1.94 and 4.01 kJ/m²) was tested in combination with storing corn under CA at %O₂:%CO₂:%N₂ ratios of 21:0.03:78, 3:10:87, and 3:15:82 before canning. Based on the FFA content, two UVC-CA pretreatments were selected for the ensuing experiment. The effects of the selected UVC-CAs in combination with 0, 10, or 20 min of 35 kHz ultrasound before canning were measured. The FFA content, moisture, texture, and colour of the CSCKs treated with the nine UVC-CA combinations were not significantly different. Corn irradiated with 1.94 kJ/m² UVC and stored under 3:15:82 %O₂:%CO₂:%N₂ before canning exhibited the highest FFA content, followed by corn treated with no UVC and stored at 3:15:82 %O₂:%CO₂:%N₂. Corn treated with ultrasound combined with the two selected UVC-CA treatments showed no differences in FFA content, moisture, texture, or colour. Corn kernels treated with UVC-CA-ultrasound had a higher FFA content than untreated kernels. UVC-CA-ultrasound pretreatment showed a trend of increasing CSCK FFA content with no change in physical properties. Thus, UVC-CA-ultrasound pretreatment appears to be an alternative process that might add value to CSCKs by increasing FFA content.

Growth-inhibitory activity of phenolic compounds applied in an emulsifiable concentrate - ferulic acid as a natural pesticide against Botrytis cinerea

Phenolic compounds are part of the protection system of plants against all kinds of pests and are therefore considered a natural alternative to conventional plant protection agents. Five phenolic compounds (phlorizin, resveratrol, ferulic acid, 5-n-alkylresorcinols, and quercetin) were used as active ingredients in the preparation of a bioactive emulsion and screened for their ability to inhibit the growth of four phytopathogenic fungi - Aspergillus niger, Botrytis cinerea, Penicillium expansum, and Fusarium culmorum. By using design of experiments, several interactions between the phenols were determined, however, ferulic acid was identified as highly effective against the growth of Botrytis cinerea. The growth-inhibitory effect of this emulsion was enhanced by adapting the ferulic acid concentration (0.085%, m/v) with the help of response surface methodology. Subsequent tests confirmed the activity against the growth of nine fungicide-resistant Botrytis cinerea isolates and showed promising results against the infection of injured and contaminated grapes.

Composition and Nutrient Value Proposition of Brewers Spent Grain

Brewer's spent grain (BSG), a major brewing industry byproduct, is generated in large quantities annually. This review summarizes research into the composition and preservation of BSG, different extraction techniques for BSG proteins and phenolic acids, and the bioactivities of these phenolic components. Moreover, this article also highlights BSG integration into foodstuff for human consumption and animal feed supplements. BSG is considered a rich source of fiber, protein, and phenolic compounds. The phenolic acids present in BSG are hydroxycinnamic acids (ferulic, p-coumaric, and caffeic acids), which have many biofunctions, such as antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antiatherogenic, and antiinflammatory activities. Previously, attempts have been made to integrate BSG into human food, such as ready-to-eat snacks, cookies and bread, to increase fiber and protein contents. The addition of BSG to animal feed leads to increased milk yields, higher fat contents in milk, and is a good source of essential amino acids. Therefore, many studies have concluded that integrating the biofunctional compounds in BSG into human food and animal feed has various health benefits.

Analysis of polyphenols in brewer's spent grain and its comparison with corn silage and cereal brans commonly used for animal nutrition

Brewer's spent grain (BSG) could be tested as an alternative source of polyphenols in animal nutrition. Proper extraction and analytical methods are critical for quantification. Thus, extraction for BSG, corn silage, and brans of rice, corn, and wheat were studied for the highest yield of polyphenols. A method for 18 phenolic monomers by HPLC-DAD was developed, validated, and applied to samples. An aqueous solution of NaOH (0.75% w/v) using integral samples for extraction resulted in the highest values for colorimetric measurements in all analyzed sources. Method by maceration showed the highest phenolic yield when applied in corn silage and BSG. However, for brans the best method was microwave assisted. Results from HPLC-DAD analysis clearly showed that native structures of phenolic compounds were simplified to its monomers allowing quantification and sample discrimination. BSG had the highest concentration of polyphenols and could be a promising and innovative source for animal feed studies.

Binary Solvent Extraction of Tocols, γ-Oryzanol, and Ferulic Acid from Rice Bran Using Alkaline Treatment Combined with Ultrasonication

Alkaline treatment (Alk) combined with ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) (Alk+UAE) was examined as a means of extracting tocols and γ-oryzanol from rice bran into an organic phase while simultaneously recovering ferulic acid into an aqueous phase. The tocols and γ-oryzanol/ferulic acid yields were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence and UV detection. The effects of extraction conditions were evaluated by varying the Alk treatment temperature and extraction duration. The maximum yields of tocols and γ-oryzanol were obtained at 25 °C over a time span of 30 min. When the temperature was increased to 80 °C, the yield of ferulic acid increased dramatically, whereas the recovery of γ-oryzanol slightly decreased. Employing the Alk+UAE procedure, the recovered concentrations of tocols, γ-oryzanol, and ferulic acid were in the ranges of 146-518, 1591-3629, and 352-970 μg/g, respectively. These results are in good agreement with those reported for rice bran samples from Thailand.

Structural, antioxidant, and emulsifying activities of fucoidan from Saccharina japonica using pressurized liquid extraction

Pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) was utilized to extract sulfated polysaccharides (fucoidan) from brown seaweed Saccharina japonica. Various conditions of temperature (80-200°C), pressure (5-100bar), and solvents (water, 0.1% sodium hydroxide, 0.1% formic acid, 70% ethanol, 50% ethanol, and 25% ethanol) were assessed; the best crude fucoidan (CF) yield was 8.23%, obtained from 140°C and 50bar (sodium hydroxide). Compositional analysis, FT-IR, molecular weight, monosaccharides, TGA, UV-vis, XRD, and elemental analysis confirm that extracted polysaccharides revealed the features of fucoidan. Fucose was the main monosaccharide present in CF obtained by various solvent systems. All CF showed antioxidant activities as measured by DPPH radical and ABTS(+) radical scavenging. CF demonstrates good emulsion-stabilizing capacities, especially with vegetable oils. This study demonstrates that PLE is an efficacious method for enhancing the yield of polysaccharides from S. japonica and that it could be a potential source of natural antioxidants and emulsifiers.

Designing and preparation of ferulic acid surface-imprinted material and its molecular recognition characteristics

Ferulic acid (FA) is a phenolic acid with a styrene-type structure, which has many important bioactive and pharmacological functions.

Review on technological and scientific aspects of feruloyl esterases: A versatile enzyme for biorefining of biomass

With increasing focus on sustainable energy, bio-refining from lignocellulosic biomass has become a thrust area of research. With most of the works being focused on biofuels, significant efforts are also being directed towards other value added products. Feruloyl esterases (EC. 3.1.1.73) can be used as a tool for bio-refining of lignocellulosic material for the recovery and purification of ferulic acid and related hydroxycinnamic acids ubiquitously found in the plant cell wall. More and more genes coding for feruloyl esterases have been mined out from various sources to allow efficient enzymatic release of ferulic acid and allied hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) from plant-based biomass. A sum up on enzymatic extraction of HCAs and its recovery from less explored agro residual by-products is still a missing link and this review brushes up the achieved landmarks so far in this direction and also covers a detailed patent search on this biomass refining enzyme.

Characteristics and antioxidant of Ulva intestinalis sulphated polysaccharides extracted with different solvents

Ulva intestinalis, a tubular green seaweed, is a rich source of nutrient, especially sulphated polysaccharides. Sulphated polysaccharides from U. intestinalis were extracted with distilled water, 0.1N HCl, and 0.1N NaOH at 80°C for 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24h to study the effect of the extraction solvent and time on their chemical composition and antioxidant activity. Different types of solvents and extraction time had a significant influence on the chemical characteristics and antioxidant activity (p<0.05). Monosaccharide composition and FT-IR spectra analyses revealed that sulphated polysaccharides from all solvent extractions have a typical sugar backbone (glucose, rhamnose, and sulphate attached at C-2 or C-3 of rhamnose). Sulphated polysaccharides extracted with acid exhibited greater antioxidant activity than did those extracted with distilled water and alkali. The results indicated that solvent extraction could be an efficacious method for enhancing antioxidant activity by distinct molecular weight and chemical characteristic of sulphated polysaccharides.

Coencapsulation of Ferulic and Gallic acid in hp-b-cyclodextrin

The complexes formed by two polyphenols, trans-Ferulic acid (FA) and Gallic acid (GA) with 2-hydroxypropyl-b-cyclodextrin (HPβCD), by the spray-drying method, were studied. Encapsulation-efficiencies (EE) of the complexes prepared were evaluated by HPLC. In the case of co-encapsulation, the EE of GA was lowered, whereas that of FA was almost stable, indicating a possible antagonistic relationship between the two phenols for the HPβCD cavity. The physicochemical characterization of the complexes was carried out by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). SEM observations revealed that the coencapsulated phenolic complex resulted in a more rounded shape outer surfaces of HPβCD than when encapsulated separately. FT-IR and DSC data indicated that the two polyphenols exhibit a possible interaction in the coencapsulated complex. The complexes showed no loss of their ability to scavenge DPPH radical relatively to the single agent at the concentrations used.

Undesirable Enzymatic Browning in Crustaceans: Causative Effects and Its Inhibition by Phenolic Compounds

Undesirable enzymatic browning mediated by polyphenol oxidase (E.C. 1.14.18.1) on the surface of seafood from crustaceans have been a great concern to food processors, causing quality losses of seafood products. Seafoods especially from crustaceans are worldwide consumed due to their delicacy and nutritional value. However, black spot formation (melanosis) is the major problem occurring in crustaceans during postmortem handling and refrigerated storage induce deleterious changes in organoleptic properties and, therefore, decreases commercial value. Polyphenoloxidase (PPO), the copper-containing metalloprotein involved in oxidation of phenol to quinone is the major biochemical reaction of melanosis formation. This enzymatic mechanism causes unappealing blackening in postharvest crustaceans. To alleviate the melanosis formation in crustaceans, use of phenolic compounds from plant extract can serve as antimelanotics and appears to be a good alternative to the conventional sulfites which are associated with health-related disorders. In this review, we focuses on the unique features about the structure, distribution, and properties of PPO as well as mechanism of melanosis formation and provide a comprehensive deeper insight on the factors affecting melanosis formation and its inhibition by various antimelanotics including newly discovered plant phenolic compounds.

Potential applications of ferulic acid from natural sources

Ferulic acid (FA), a ubiquitous natural phenolic phytochemical present in seeds, leaves, bothin its free form and covalently conjugated to the plant cell wall polysaccharides, glycoproteins,polyamines, lignin and hydroxy fatty acids. FA plays a vital role in providing the rigidity to the cell wall and formation of other important organic compounds like coniferyl alcohol, vanillin, sinapic, diferulic acid and curcumin. FA exhibits wide variety of biological activities such as antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, antiallergic, hepatoprotective, anticarcinogenic, antithrombotic, increase sperm viability, antiviral and vasodilatory actions, metal chelation, modulation of enzyme activity, activation of transcriptional factors, gene expression and signal transduction.

Cloning and characterization of the first GH10 and GH11 xylanases from Rhizopus oryzae

The only available genome sequence for Rhizopus oryzae strain 99-880 was annotated to not encode any β-1,4-endoxylanase encoding genes of the glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 10 or 11. Here, we report the identification and cloning of two such members in R. oryzae strain NRRL 29086. Strain 29086 was one of several selected fungi grown on wheat or triticale bran and screened for xylanase activity among other hydrolytic actions. Its high activity (138 U/ml) in the culture supernatant led to the identification of two activity-stained proteins, designated Xyn-1 and Xyn-2 of respective molecular masses 32,000 and 22,000. These proteins were purified to electrophoretic homogeneity and characterized. The specific activities of Xyn-1 and Xyn-2 towards birchwood xylan were 605 and 7,710 U/mg, respectively. Kinetic data showed that the lower molecular weight Xyn-2 had a higher affinity (K m=3.2 ± 0.2 g/l) towards birchwood xylan than Xyn-1 by about 4-fold. The melting temperature (T m) of the two proteins, estimated to be in the range of 49.5-53.7 °C indicated that they are rather thermostable proteins. N-terminal and internal peptide sequences were obtained by chemical digestion of the purified xylanases to facilitate cloning, expression in Escherichia coli, and sequencing of the respective gene. The cloned Rhizopus xylanases were used to demonstrate release of xylose from flax shives-derived hemicellulose as model feedstock. Overall, this study expands the catalytic toolbox of GH10 and 11 family proteins that have applications in various industrial and bioproducts settings.

Fibrous Agricultural Biomass as a Potential Source for Bioconversion to Vanillic Acid

This study was conducted to assess the potential of six fibrous agricultural residues, namely, oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber (OPEFBF), coconut coir fiber (CCF), pineapple peel (PP), pineapple crown leaves (PCL), kenaf bast fiber (KBF), and kenaf core fiber (KCF), as a source of ferulic acid and phenolic compounds for bioconversion into vanillic acid. The raw samples were pretreated with organosolv (NaOH-glycerol) and alkaline treatment (NaOH), to produce phenol-rich black liquor. The finding showed that the highest amount of phenolic compounds and ferulic acid was produced from CCF and PP, respectively. This study also found that organosolv treatment was the superior method for phenolic compound extraction, whereas alkaline treatment was the selective method for lignin extraction. Vanillic acid production byAspergillus nigerI-1472 was only observed when the fermentation broth was fed with liquors from PP and PCL, possibly due to the higher levels of ferulic acid in those samples.

Identification and quantification of soluble free, soluble conjugated, and insoluble bound phenolic acids in durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) and derived products by RP-HPLC on a semimicro separation scale

A straightforward semimicro separation scale RP-HPLC method was developed for the identification and quantification of phenolic acids (PAs) occurring as soluble free, soluble conjugated, and insoluble bound compounds, which were independently extracted from wholemeal of durum wheat and from its derived products coarse bran, semolina, and dried pasta. A narrow bore column and a semimicro photodiode array detector (PDA) cell, in conjunction with a single quadrupole mass spectrometer, equipped with an electrospray ionization source (ESI-MS), were employed. The method was validated in terms of linearity of calibration graphs, limits of detection, limits of quantification, repeatability, and accuracy, which was evaluated by a recovery study. In each sample (wholemeal, coarse bran, semolina, and dried pasta), the total amounts of the three different forms of PAs were in the order bound > conjugated > free, with bound PAs accounting for 61.0-83.6% of the total PAs. Ferulic acid was the most abundant PA in both soluble free and insoluble bound forms, whereas sinapic acid predominated in the conjugated ones. The highest PA content, calculated as the sum of total PAs quantified in the three forms, was found in coarse bran, followed by wholemeal, semolina, and dried pasta.

Bound phenolics in foods, a review

Among phytochemicals, phenolic compounds have been extensively researched due to their diverse health benefits. Phenolic compounds occur mostly as soluble conjugates and insoluble forms, covalently bound to sugar moieties or cell wall structural components. Absorption mechanisms for bound phenolic compounds in the gastrointestinal tract greatly depend on the liberation of sugar moieties. Food processes such as fermentation, malting, thermoplastic extrusion or enzymatic, alkaline and acid hydrolyses occasionally assisted with microwave or ultrasound have potential to release phenolics associated to cell walls. Different kinds of wet chemistry methodologies to release and detect bound phenolic have been developed. These include harsh heat treatments, chemical modifications or biocatalysis. New protocols for processing and determining phenolics in food matrices must be devised in order to release bound phenolics and for quality control in the growing functional food industry.

Integration of a phenolic-acid recovery step in the CaCCO process for efficient fermentable-sugar recovery from rice straw

An advanced sugar-platform bioprocess for lignocellulosic feedstocks by adding a phenolic-acid (PA: p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid) recovery step to the CaCCO process was designed. For efficient PA extraction, pretreatment was 95°C for 2h, producing a yield of 7.30 g/kg-dry rice straw (65.2% of total ester-linked PAs) with insignificant effects on saccharification. PAs were readily recovered in solution during the repeated washings of solids, and the glucose yield, after 72-h saccharification of the washed solids, was significantly improved from 65.9% to 70.3-72.7%, suggesting the removal of potential enzyme inhibitors. The promotion of xylose yield was insignificant, probably due to 13.1-17.8% loss of xylose residues after washing(s). This new bioprocess, termed the SRB (simultaneous recovery of by-products)-CaCCO process, would effectively produce fermentable sugars and other valuables from feedstocks, strengthening the platform in both economic and environmental terms.

Simple and Rapid Determination of Ferulic Acid Levels in Food and Cosmetic Samples Using Paper-Based Platforms

Ferulic acid is an important phenolic antioxidant found in or added to diet supplements, beverages, and cosmetic creams. Two designs of paper-based platforms for the fast, simple and inexpensive evaluation of ferulic acid contents in food and pharmaceutical cosmetics were evaluated. The first, a paper-based electrochemical device, was developed for ferulic acid detection in uncomplicated matrix samples and was created by the photolithographic method. The second, a paper-based colorimetric device was preceded by thin layer chromatography (TLC) for the separation and detection of ferulic acid in complex samples using a silica plate stationary phase and an 85:15:1 (v/v/v) chloroform: methanol: formic acid mobile phase. After separation, ferulic acid containing section of the TLC plate was attached onto the patterned paper containing the colorimetric reagent and eluted with ethanol. The resulting color change was photographed and quantitatively converted to intensity. Under the optimal conditions, the limit of detection of ferulic acid was found to be 1 ppm and 7 ppm (S/N = 3) for first and second designs, respectively, with good agreement with the standard HPLC-UV detection method. Therefore, these methods can be used for the simple, rapid, inexpensive and sensitive quantification of ferulic acid in a variety of samples.

Effect of steam explosion treatment on barley bran phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity

A steam explosion pretreatment process followed by methanol extraction has been applied for releasing and extracting phenolic compounds, as well as other effective components, from barley bran. The steam explosion treatment was performed at different temperatures ranging from 210 to 250 °C, with a residence time of 30 s. The effect of residence time was also studied in the range 10 s to 120 s at 220 °C. The extracts were evaluated for their total soluble phenolic content (TSPC) including total free phenolic acids (TFPC) and total soluble conjugates (TSC), identified phenolic acids, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and total methanol extracts (TME). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with a photodiode array detector (PDA) was used in this study for the analysis of p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid in barley bran before and after steam explosion. Our results indicate that TSPC and TAC increased with residence time. They also increased dramatically with temperature up to 220 °C. After steam explosion at 220 °C for 120 s, the TSPC reached 1686.4 gallic acid equivalents mg/100 g dry weight, which was about 9-fold higher than that of the untreated sample. The TSPC and TAC obtained were highly positively correlated (r = 0.918-0.993), which meant that the increase of TAC for the steam explosion pretreated barley bran extracts was due, at least in part, to the increase of TSPC in the methanol soluble fraction. Also, under optimum conditions, the WSC in aqueous solution was 5 times as much as that of the untreated sample, which demonstrated that steam explosion also hydrolyzes carbohydrates into water-soluble sugars. It can be concluded that a proper and reasonable steam explosion pretreatment could be applied to release the bound phenolic compounds and enhance the antioxidant capacity of barley bran extracts.

Pressurized liquid extraction as a green approach in food and herbal plants extraction: A review

Pressurized liquid extraction is a "green" technology for the extraction of nutraceuticals from foods and herbal plants. This review discusses the extraction principles and the optimization of the extraction parameters that improves the extraction efficiency. The use of different solvent mixtures and other extraction additives to enhance the efficiency of the extraction are discussed. Dynamic mode of extraction in Pressurized liquid extraction, and the use of combined and hyphenated sample preparation and analytical techniques are presented. This work discusses how different studies used Pressurized liquid extraction to enrich phenolic compounds, lignans, carotenoids, oils and lipids, essential oils and other nutraceuticals from foods and herbal plants.

Profiles of phenolic compounds in modern and old common wheat varieties determined by liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry

The health-promoting properties of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) have been largely attributed to the presence of unique phytochemicals of whole grains. The aim of this study was to profile the phenolic content of 16 old and 6 modern Italian wheat varieties, cropped in the same location and growing season. High variability was observed among the investigated wheat genotypes, both in the free and bound phenolic extracts. The total polyphenol content ranged from 885.5 to 1715.9 μmol GAE/100 g of grain and, on average, the bound fraction contributed for 72.0% to the total phenolic content. As regards the flavonoid content, the free fraction ranged from 50.7 to 106.1 μmol CE/100 g of grain and the bound fraction from 78.3 to 148.9 μmol CE/100 g of grain. Moreover, the interpretation of the mass spectra allowed the characterization of 34 phenolic compounds (104 including isomer forms) belonging to the phenolic acid, flavonoid, coumarin, stilbene, proanthocyanidin and lignan chemical classes. HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS analysis highlighted remarkable differences in the phytochemical fingerprints of old and modern wheat varieties. Six ancient wheat genotypes (Bianco Nostrale, Frassineto, Gentil Rosso, Gentil Rosso Mutico, Marzuolo d'Aqui, Verna) showed phenolic profiles with a number of total compounds and isomer forms much higher than that identified in the modern cultivars. The present findings confirm that ancient wheat may represent a valuable source of biodiversity, especially as regards phenolic compounds. The investigated old wheat genotypes may be successfully used in breeding programs for developing bread wheat varieties with added value in terms of health-promoting phytochemicals.

Utilisation of corn (Zea mays) bran and corn fiber in the production of food components

The milling of corn for the production of food constituents results in a number of low-value co-products. Two of the major co-products produced by this operation are corn bran and corn fiber, which currently have low commercial value. This review focuses on current and prospective research surrounding the utilization of corn fiber and corn bran in the production of potentially higher-value food components. Corn bran and corn fiber contain potentially useful components that may be harvested through physical, chemical or enzymatic means for the production of food ingredients or additives, including corn fiber oil, corn fiber gum, cellulosic fiber gels, xylo-oligosaccharides and ferulic acid. Components of corn bran and corn fiber may also be converted to food chemicals such as vanillin and xylitol. Commercialization of processes for the isolation or production of food products from corn bran or corn fiber has been met with numerous technical challenges, therefore further research that improves the production of these components from corn bran or corn fiber is needed.

Extraction of phenolic acids by alkaline hydrolysis from the solid residue obtained after prehydrolysis of trimming vine shoots

Contents of hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids were determined in trimming vine shoots after sequential treatments of prehydrolysis and alkaline hydrolysis. These treatments allow the complete use of the main fractions involved: cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. The alkaline hydrolysis was studied using a factorial design where reaction time (in the range 30-120 min), temperature (50-130 degrees C), and NaOH concentration (4-12 wt % of solution) were the independent variables. The interrelationship between dependent and operational variables was well fitted (R(2) > 0.90) to models including linear, interaction and quadratic terms. Ferulic acid was the most abundant hydroxycinnamate with concentrations ranging from 25.7 to 141.0 mg/L followed by p-coumaric acid (15.5-31.5 mg/L). Gallic acid was the hydroxybenzoic acid released in higher concentration (in the range 2.5-164.6 mg/L). Because of their properties and low toxicity, these compounds are widely used in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Additionally, ferulic acid is used as feedstock for the biotechnological production of flavorings and aroma compounds, including vanillin and vinylguaiacol, or as a constituent in the preparation of foods and skin protection agents, or as a cross-linking agent for the elaboration of food gels. Consequently, ferulic acid solutions can be obtained from renewable plant cell wall materials as a prospective pathway.