Monitoring of phytochemicals in fresh and fresh-cut vegetables: a comparison

Unleashing the power of chlorogenic acid: exploring its potential in nutrition delivery and the food industry

In the contemporary era, heightened emphasis on health and safety has emerged as a paramount concern among individuals with food. The concepts of "natural" and "green" have progressively asserted dominance in the food consumption market. Consequently, through continuous exploration and development, an escalating array of natural bioactive ingredients is finding application in both nutrition delivery and the broader food industry. Chlorogenic acid (CGA), a polyphenolic compound widely distributed in various plants in nature, has garnered significant attention. Abundant research underscores CGA's robust biological activity, showcasing notable preventive and therapeutic efficacy across diverse diseases. This article commences with a comprehensive overview, summarizing the dietary sources and primary biological activities of CGA. These encompass antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-cancer, and neuroprotective activities. Next, a comprehensive overview of the current research on nutrient delivery systems incorporating CGA is provided. This exploration encompasses nanoparticle, liposome, hydrogel, and emulsion delivery systems. Additionally, the article explores the latest applications of CGA in the food industry. Serving as a cutting-edge theoretical foundation, this paper contributes to the design and development of CGA in the realms of nutrition delivery and the food industry. Finally, the article presents informed speculations and considerations for the future development of CGA.

Phototreatment (below 1100 nm) improving quality attributes of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables: A review

The emerging area of phototreatment technology has shown a significant potential to enhance the quality of fresh-cut fruit and vegetable products (FFVP). This review critically evaluates relevant literatures to address the potential for phototreatment technology (Red, blue, green, ultraviolet and pulsed light) applied to FFVP, outline the key to the success of phototreatment processing, and discuss the corresponding problems for phototreatment processing along with research and development needs. Base on photothermal, photophysical and photochemical process, phototreatment displays a great potential to maintain quality attributes of FFVP. The operating parameters of light, the surface properties and matrix components of the targeted material and the equipment design affect the quality of the fresh-cut products. To adapt current phototreatment technology to industrial FFVP processing, it is necessary to offset some limitations, especially control of harmful substances (For example, nitrite and furan) produced by phototreatment, comparison between different phototreatment technologies, and establishment of mathematical models/databases.

Peeling Affects the Nutritional Properties of Carrot Genotypes

Peeling may result in changes in carrot’s nutritional properties; therefore, the present study focused on its effect on the retention of principal nutrients (minerals, sugars, organic acids) and antioxidants (carotenoids and phenols) in the peeled roots of two landraces (‘Carota a punta lunga’—CPL and ‘Carota a punta tonda’—CPT) and a hybrid cultivar (‘Presto’) grown in the area of the “Salterns of Margherita di Savoia” area (Puglia region). The peel had a higher concentration of cations (+92%), organic acids (+103%), carotenoids (+42%), and phenolic acids (seven times) than root flesh. For each chemical class, the most abundant components were K, malic acid, ß-carotene, and chlorogenic acid, respectively. The two landraces stand out for the accumulation of the phenolic acids and ß-carotene, whereas the peel of ‘Presto’ was distinguished by the concentration of Ca and ascorbic and pyruvic acids. The root flesh had a greater accumulation of simple sugars, nitrate (mainly in CPL), oxalic acid, and in particular in the flesh of ‘Presto’, of Na and Cl. For local varieties, peel removal seems to impact the nutritional and antioxidative properties of carrots more consistently compared to the advanced cultivar, since it represents on average 21% and 59% of the total carotenoids and phenols, respectively, of the intact roots.

Microbial inactivation in fresh and minimally processed foods by intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment

The purposes of this study were to evaluate the inactivation effects of intense pulsed light (IPL) on indigenous and inoculated microorganisms in fresh and minimally processed foods and the industrial applicability of this nonthermal sterilization method. The samples were treated with IPL by varying the treatment time and voltage. The inactivation effect tended to increase as the treatment conditions increased. Further, indigenous microorganisms showed a lower inactivation level than inoculated microorganisms, E. coli ATCC 25922, due to the variability of indigenous microorganisms and their properties. Chopped garlic showed a higher E. coli inactivation effect (2.65 log reduction after 0.185 J/cm2 of IPL) than peeled garlic (1.21 log reduction) due to its larger surface area. The manila clam showed a lower E. coli inactivation (0.93 log reduction) effect than squid (1.84 log reduction) due to its rougher surface. After the IPL treatment, there was no significant difference in temperature, moisture content, and color.

Accumulation of Phenolic Acids during Storage over Differently Handled Fresh Carrots

Carrots contain a significant content of phenolic compounds, mainly phenolic acids. Technological processing of carrots inflicts wounding stress and induces accumulation of these compounds, especially caffeic acid derivatives, in the periderm tissue. In this study, the effect of minimal processing (polishing, washing, peeling, and grating) on the retention of soluble phenolic acids in carrots was monitored during cold storage. Storage for up to 4 weeks and 24 h was used for whole and grated carrot samples, respectively. Total phenolic acid levels found in differently processed carrots varied greatly at the beginning of the storage period and on dry weight basis they ranged from 228 ± 67.9 mg/kg (grated carrot) to 996 ± 177 mg/kg (machine washed). In each case, processing followed by storage induced phenolic acid accumulation in the carrots. At the end of the experiment (4 weeks at +8 °C), untreated and machine-washed carrots contained ca. 4-fold more phenolic acids than at day 0. Similarly, polished carrots contained 9-fold and peeled carrots 31-fold more phenolic acids than at day 0. The phenolic acid content in grated carrot doubled after 24 h storage at +4 °C. Individual phenolic acids were characterized by high resolution mass spectrometry. MS data strongly suggest the presence of daucic acid conjugates of phenolic acids in carrot. Storage time did not have statistically similar effect on all compounds and generally in a way that dicaffeoyldaucic acid had the highest increase. This research provides important information for primary production, packaging, catering, the fresh-cut industry and consumers regarding the selection of healthier minimally processed carrots.

Chlorogenic acid: A comprehensive review of the dietary sources, processing effects, bioavailability, beneficial properties, mechanisms of action, and future directions

Chlorogenic acids (CGAs), a group of hydroxycinnamates, are generally abundant in everyday foods and beverages, most prominently in certain coffee drinks. Among them, the chlorogenic acid (CGA), also termed as 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (5-CQA), is one of the most abundant, highly functional polyphenolic compounds in the human diet. The evidence of its health benefits obtained from clinical studies, as well as basic research, indicates an inverse correlation between 5-CQA consumption and a lower risk of metabolic syndromes and chronic diseases. This review focuses on the beneficial properties for health and mechanisms of action of 5-CQA, starting with its history, isomers, dietary sources, processing effects, preparation methods, pharmacological safety evaluation, and bioavailability. It also provides the possible molecular mechanistic bases to explain the health beneficial effects of 5-CQA including neuroprotective, cardiovascular protective, gastrointestinal protective, renoprotective, hepatoprotective, glucose and lipid metabolism regulatory, and anticarcinogenic effects. The information summarized here could aid in the basic and clinical research on 5-CQA as a natural dietary additive, potential drug candidate, as well as a natural health promoter.

Effect of pre-storage removal of different parts of the scape top on the biochemical changes of two garlic cultivars during controlled atmosphere storage

BACKGROUND

This study highlights the effect of removing different plant parts on the biochemical changes in the garlic scape of cultivars G064 and G025 during controlled atmosphere storage (O₂ = 2%-5%, CO₂ = 3%-6%) at temperature = 0 ± 0.5 °C, Relative Humidity (RH) RH = 85%-95%, for 168 day. Total polyphenols (TP), total flavonoids (TF), the concentration of allicin, ethylene production and the antioxidant potential were evaluated and analyzed by using four different assays. Statistically significant differences were observed between different treatments.

RESULTS

Total polyphenols, allicin concentration, and ethylene production were the highest in G064, while the total flavonoid concentration was the highest in G025. Removing the top resulted in the highest levels of total polyphenols, total flavonoids, allicin, and ethylene in both cultivars. The antioxidant capacity was also significantly higher when the top was removed than with other treatments in both cultivars. 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (HRSC), ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and metal-chelating capacity (MCC) were higher in cultivar G064 compared to G025.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the results suggest that the removing the tops of the scapes of G025 and G064 is the best treatment to maintain these biochemical changes. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Preferentially enhancing anti-cancer isothiocyanates over glucosinolates in broccoli sprouts: How NaCl and salicylic acid affect their formation

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) sprouts contain glucosinolates (GLs) that when hydrolysed yield health promoting isothiocyanates such as sulforaphane (SF). SF content can be increased by salt (NaCl) stress, although high salt concentrations negatively impact plant growth. Salicylic acid (SA) treatments can attenuate the negative effects of salt on growth. To test whether sprout isothiocyanate content could be elevated without sprout growth being compromised, broccoli seed were germinated and grown for seven days in salt (0, 80 and 160 mM) alone and in combination with 100 μM SA. Increasing concentrations of salt lowered transcript accumulation of GL biosynthetic genes which was reflected in lowered content of Gluconapin, 4-methoxyglucobrassicin and neoglucobrassicin glucosinolates. Other glucosinolates such as glucoraphanin did not alter significantly. Salt (160 mM) increased transcript abundance of the GL hydrolytic gene MYROSINASE (BoMYO) and its cofactor EPITHIOSPECIFIER MODIFIER1 (BoESM1) whose encoded product directs MYROSINASE to produce isothiocyanate rather than nitrile forms. SF content was increased 6-fold by the 160 mM salt treatment, but the salt treatment reduced percentage seed germination, slowed seed germination, and reduced sprout hypocotyl elongation. This growth inhibition was prevented if 100 μM SA was included with the salt treatment. These findings suggest that the increase in SF production by salt occurs in part because of increased transcript abundance of genes in the hydrolytic pathway, which occurs independently of the negative impact of salt on sprout growth.

Comparison of Sodium Acid Sulfate and UV-C Treatment on Browning and Storage Quality of Fresh-Cut Potatoes

Fresh-cut vegetables, such as potato chips, get brown quickly and can easily be infected by bacterium during storage. Sodium acid sulfate (SAS) and UV-C treatments are regarded as effective methods for food preservation. In this study, the effects of SAS, UV-C treatment, and their combination on fresh-cut potatoes during storage were evaluated. Compared with the control, all of the treatments were effective in inhibiting the bacterial growth during the whole storage period. Also, both SAS and SAS + UV-C treatments significantly decreased browning and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity and increased the firmness and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, while the UV-C treatment has no good effects on protecting such storage qualities in fresh-cut potatoes. However, when compared with SAS treatment, the combination of SAS and UV-C treatment did not promote the effect in protecting the storage abilities. Thus, it was concluded that SAS is a better treatment in extending shelf life and controlling the quality of fresh-cut potatoes during storage compared to UV-C treatment.

Systematic Study of the Content of Phytochemicals in Fresh and Fresh-Cut Vegetables

Vegetables and fruits have beneficial properties for human health, because of the presence of phytochemicals, but their concentration can fluctuate throughout the year. A systematic study of the phytochemical content in tomato, eggplant, carrot, broccoli and grape (fresh and fresh-cut) has been performed at different seasons, using liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. It was observed that phenolic acids (the predominant group in carrot, eggplant and tomato) were found at higher concentrations in fresh carrot than in fresh-cut carrot. However, in the case of eggplant, they were detected at a higher content in fresh-cut than in fresh samples. Regarding tomato, the differences in the content of phenolic acids between fresh and fresh-cut were lower than in other matrices, except in winter sampling, where this family was detected at the highest concentration in fresh tomato. In grape, the flavonols content (predominant group) was higher in fresh grape than in fresh-cut during all samplings. The content of glucosinolates was lower in fresh-cut broccoli than in fresh samples in winter and spring sampling, although this trend changes in summer and autumn. In summary, phytochemical concentration did show significant differences during one-year monitoring, and the families of phytochemicals presented different behaviors depending on the matrix studied.

Diet in the pathogenesis and treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases

Some of the most common symptoms of the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD, which include ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease) are abdominal pain, diarrhea, and weight loss. It is therefore not surprising that clinicians and patients have wondered whether dietary patterns influence the onset or course of IBD. The question of what to eat is among the most commonly asked by patients, and among the most difficult to answer for clinicians. There are substantial variations in dietary behaviors of patients and recommendations for them, although clinicians do not routinely endorse specific diets for patients with IBD. Dietary clinical trials have been limited by their inability to include a placebo control, contamination of study groups, and inclusion of patients receiving medical therapies. Additional challenges include accuracy of information on dietary intake, complex interactions between foods consumed, and differences in food metabolism among individuals. We review the roles of diet in the etiology and management of IBD based on plausible mechanisms and clinical evidence. Researchers have learned much about the effects of diet on the mucosal immune system, epithelial function, and the intestinal microbiome; these findings could have significant practical implications. Controlled studies of patients receiving enteral nutrition and observations made from patients on exclusion diets have shown that components of whole foods can have deleterious effects for patients with IBD. Additionally, studies in animal models suggested that certain nutrients can reduce intestinal inflammation. In the future, engineered diets that restrict deleterious components but supplement beneficial nutrients could be used to modify the luminal intestinal environment of patients with IBD; these might be used alone or in combination with immunosuppressive agents, or as salvage therapy for patients who do not respond or lose responsiveness to medical therapies. Stricter diets might be required to induce remission, and more sustainable exclusion diets could be used to maintain long-term remission.

Reducing capacity, chlorogenic acid content and biological activity in a collection of scarlet (Solanum aethiopicum) and Gboma (S. macrocarpon) eggplants

Scarlet (Solanum aethiopicum) and gboma (S. macrocarpon) eggplants are important vegetables in Sub-Saharan Africa. Few studies have been made on these crops regarding the diversity of phenolic content and their biological activity. We have studied the reducing activity, the chlorogenic acid and other phenolic acid contents in a collection of 56 accessions of scarlet eggplant, including the four cultivated groups (Aculeatum, Gilo, Kumba, Shum) and the weedy intermediate S. aethiopicum-S. anguivi types, as well as in eight accessions of gboma eggplant, including the cultivated S. macrocarpon and its wild ancestor, S. dasyphyllum. A sample of the accessions evaluated in this collection has been tested for inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) using macrophage cell cultures. The results show that there is a great diversity in both crops for reducing activity, chlorogenic acid content and chlorogenic acid peak area (% of total phenolic acids). Heritability (H²) for these traits was intermediate to high in both crops. In all samples, chlorogenic acid was the major phenolic acid and accounted for more than 50% of the chromatogram peak area. Considerable differences were found among and within groups for these traits, but the greatest values for total phenolics and chlorogenic acid content were found in S. dasyphyllum. In most groups, reducing activity was positively correlated (with values of up to 0.904 in the Aculeatum group) with chlorogenic acid content. Inhibition of NO was greatest in samples having a high chlorogenic acid content. The results show that both crops are a relevant source of chlorogenic acid and other phenolic acids. The high diversity found also indicates that there are good prospects for breeding new scarlet and gboma eggplant cultivars with improved content in phenolics and bioactive properties.

Phenolic profile evolution of different ready-to-eat baby-leaf vegetables during storage

Ready-to-eat baby-leaf vegetables market has been growing and offering to consumers convenient, healthy and appealing products, which may contain interesting bioactive compounds. In this work, the composition and the evolution of the phenolic compounds from different baby-leaf vegetables during refrigerated storage was studied. The phenolic compounds were extracted using pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and the phenolic profile of each sample was analyzed and quantified by using LC-MS and LC-DAD methods, respectively, at the beginning and at the end of a 10-day storage period. The baby-leaf vegetables studied included green lettuce, ruby red lettuce, swiss chard, spinach, pea shoots, watercress, garden cress, mizuna, red mustard, wild rocket and spearmint samples and a total of 203 phenolic compounds were tentatively identified and quantified. The main naturally phenolic compounds identified correspond to glycosylated flavonoids, with exception of green lettuce and spearmint leaves which had a higher content of hydroxycinnamic acids. Quantification of the main compounds showed a 10-fold higher content of total phenolic content of ruby red lettuce (483mgg(-1)) in relation to the other samples, being the lowest values found in the garden cress (12.8mgg(-1)) and wild rocket leaves (8.1mgg(-1)). The total phenolic content only showed a significant change (p<0.05) after storage in the green lettuce (+17.5%), mizuna (+7.8%), red mustard (-23.7%) and spearmint (-13.8%) leaves. Within the different classes of phenolic compounds monitored, the flavonols showed more stable contents than the hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids, although the behavior of each compound varied strongly among samples.