Discrimination of genotype and geographical origin of black rice grown in Brazil by LC-MS analysis of phenolics

Geographical origin identification of Khao Dawk Mali 105 rice using combination of FT-NIR spectroscopy and machine learning algorithms

The mislabelled Khao Dawk Mali 105 rice coming from other geographical region outside the Thung Kula Rong Hai region is extremely profitable and difficult to detect; to prevent retail fraud (that adversely affects both the food industry and consumers), it is vital to identify geographical origin. Near infrared spectroscopy can be used to detect the specific content of organic moieties in agricultural and food products. The present study implemented the combinatorial method of FT-NIR spectroscopy with chemometrics to identify geographical origin of Khao Dawk Mali 105 rice. Rice samples were collected from 2 different region including the north and northeast of Thailand. NIR spectra data were collected in range of 12,500 - 4,000 cm-1 (800-2,500 nm). Five machine learning algorithms including linear discriminant analysis (LDA), partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), C-support vector classification (C-SVC), backpropagation neural networks (BPNN), hybrid principal component analysis-neural network (PC-NN) and K-nearest neighbors (KNN) were employed to classify NIR data of rice samples with full wavelength and selected wavelength by Extremely Randomized Trees (Extra trees) algorithm. Based on the findings, geographical origin of rice could be specified quickly, cheaply, and reliably using combination of NIRS and machine learning. All models creating by full wavelength and selected wavelength exhibited accuracy between 65 and 100 % for identifying geographical region of rice. It was proven that NIR spectroscopy may be used for the quick and non-destructive identification of geographical origin of Khao Dawk Mali 105 rice.

Purple rice starch in wheat: Effect on retrogradation dependent on addition amount

While individual starch types may not possess the ideal gelatinization and retrogradation properties for specific applications, the amalgamation of multiple starch varieties might bestow desirable physicochemical properties upon resulting starch-based products. This study explored the impact of incorporating purple rice starch (PRS), as a novel starch variant (up to 15 % PRS), on the gelatinization and retrogradation (within 14 days) of regular wheat starch (WS). Rheological and texture assessments demonstrated that the introduction of PRS diminished the viscoelasticity and hardness of fresh WS paste. Additionally, in the case of retrograded WS pastes stored at 4 °C for 1-14 days, the incorporation of 10 % or 15 % PRS effectively retarded the reduction in transparency and significantly reduced hardness, retrogradation degree, the ratio of absorbance at 1047/1017 cm-1, and relative crystallinity. Notably, 10 % PRS results in a more pronounced effect. Conversely, 5 % PRS induced an opposing impact on retrograded WS post-storage. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy revealed that as the proportion of PRS increased, the microstructure of gelatinized WS-PRS closely resembled that of pure PRS. In conclusion, the diverse effects of varying PRS proportions on WS alter the texture and characteristics of starch-based foods, underscoring the potential of starch blending for improved applications.

Black rice and its by-products: anthocyanin-rich extracts and their biological potential

Recently, growing demand for products enriched with natural compounds that support human health has been observed. Black rice, its by-products, and residues are known to have in their composition a large amount of these compounds with biological potential, mainly anthocyanins. These compounds have reported effects on anti-obesity, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anticancer, neuroprotective, and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, the extract from black rice or its by-products have great potential for application as ingredients in functional foods, supplements, or pharmacological formulations. This overview summarizes the methods employed for the extraction of anthocyanins from both black rice and its by-products. In addition, trends in applications of these extracts are also evaluated regarding their biological potential. Commonly, the extraction methods used to recover anthocyanins are conventional (maceration) and some emerging technologies (Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction - UAE, and Microwave-Assisted Extraction - MAE). Anthocyanin-rich extracts from black rice have presented a biological potential for human health. In vitro and in vivo assays (in mice) showed these compounds mainly with anti-cancer properties. However, more clinical trials are still needed to prove these potential biological effects. Extracts from black rice and its by-products have great potential in applying functional products with beneficial characteristics to humans and reducing agro-industrial residues.

Discrimination of the geographical origins of rice based on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Over the past few decades, several techniques have been applied to identify the geographical origins of rice products. In this study, the chemical characterization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was carefully conducted by analysing PAHs in rice samples collected from private sector planting areas located in Bali and Yogyakarta, Indonesia (i.e. ID; n = 20), west sides of Malaysia (i.e. MY; n = 20), Mandalay, Legend, Myingyan, Myanmar (i.e. MM; n = 20), northern parts of Lao PDR (i.e. LA; n = 20), central parts of Cambodia (i.e. KH; n = 20), northern parts of Vietnam (i.e. VN; n = 20), and Thailand (i.e. TH; n = 22). Percentage contributions show the exceedingly high abundance of 5-6 ring PAH congeners in rice samples collected from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam. Lao PDR rice samples were overwhelmed by 4-ring PAH congeners with the percentage contribution of 46% followed by 5-6 ring PAHs (33%) and 3-ring PAHs (21%). In addition, hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis can successfully categorize some rice samples based on its geographical origins.

Determining the geographical origin of flaxseed based on stable isotopes, fatty acids and antioxidant capacity

BACKGROUND

Flaxseed is an economically important oilseed crop whose geographic origin is of significant interest to producers and consumers because every region may exhibit particular quality characteristics. The lipid/fatty acid method of determining the geographic origin of flaxseed has not been found to be adequate.

RESULTS

To improve the discrimination rate and the geographical traceability of this crop, the chemical profiles of the flaxseed samples were characterized via lipids/fatty acids, stable isotopes, and antioxidant capacity. Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were also performed. A satisfactory discrimination rate of 98.6% was obtained after combining fatty acids, stable isotopes, and antioxidant capacity to trace the origin of flaxseed from five regions in northern China.

CONCLUSION

This study provides an effective method for distinguishing the geographic origin of flaxseed. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Shedding Light into the Connection between Chemical Components and Biological Effects of Extracts from Epilobium hirsutum: Is It a Potent Source of Bioactive Agents from Natural Treasure?

Epilobium hirsutum is extensively used as a traditional remedy in folk medicine, especially against prostate inflammation. Therefore, we evaluated the chemical profiles and biopharmaceutical potentials of different extracts of E. hirsutum aerial parts and roots. Metabolomic, antioxidant, and enzyme inhibitory profiles were investigated. Human prostate cancer PC3 cells were exposed to the extracts to evaluate antiproliferative effects. Gene expression and bioinformatics analyses were performed to investigate anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Oenothein B and myricetin were prominent compounds in the extracts. In scavenging/reducing assays, the methanol, infusion, and methanol/water extracts exhibited similar activities. We also observed the reduction of PC3 viability occurring following exposure to methanol and methanol/water extracts. According to bioinformatics analysis, myricetin was predicted to interact with COX-2 and TNFα. The interaction between TNFα and oxo-dihydroxy-octadecenoic acid was predicted as well. Intriguingly, the gene expression of COX-2 and TNFα was reduced in PC3 cells after exposure to methanol and methanol/water extracts. These effects were paralleled by the decreased gene expression of IL-8 and NFkB and the inhibition of PGE2 release. Therefore, the present findings suggest the potential use of E. hirsutum for the management of the burden of inflammation and oxidative stress occurring in lower urinary tract diseases, including prostatitis.

The Potential of High-Anthocyanin Purple Rice as a Functional Ingredient in Human Health

Purple rice is recognized as a source of natural anthocyanin compounds among health-conscious consumers who employ rice as their staple food. Anthocyanin is one of the major antioxidant compounds that protect against the reactive oxygen species (ROS) that cause cellular damage in plants and animals, including humans. The physiological role of anthocyanin in plants is not fully understood, but the benefits to human health are apparent against both chronic and non-chronic diseases. This review focuses on anthocyanin synthesis and accumulation in the whole plant of purple rice, from cultivation to the processed end products. The anthocyanin content in purple rice varies due to many factors, including genotype, cultivation, and management as well as post-harvest processing. The cultivation method strongly influences anthocyanin content in rice plants; water conditions, light quantity and quality, and available nutrients in the soil are important factors, while the low stability of anthocyanins means that they can be dramatically degraded under high-temperature conditions. The application of purple rice anthocyanins has been developed in both functional food and other purposes. To maximize the benefits of purple rice to human health, understanding the factors influencing anthocyanin synthesis and accumulation during the entire process from cultivation to product development can be a path for success.

Study on Three Sarcocapnos Species as Potential Sources of Bioactive Compounds: Relation between Phenolic Content and Bioactivity by Multivariate Analysis

In this work, we report the phenolic composition and bioactivity of the aerial parts of three species of Sarcocapnos (S. enneaphylla, S. pulcherrima, and S. saetabensis) to study their potential as sources of bioactive compounds to revalorize them and contribute to the conservation of these plant species. Samples were collected in different locations in the province of Jaén (southeast of Spain), and qualitative and quantitative analyses of phenolic compounds were performed by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array and mass spectrometry detection. S. enneaphylla presented the highest concentration of phenolic compounds (58 mg/g DE). The most abundant compound in S. enneaphylla and S. saetabensis was rutin (35 mg/g DE and 11.7 mg/g DE, respectively), whereas isorhamnetin-O-rutinoside was dominant in S. pulcherrima (11.5 mg/g DE). Several assays were performed to evaluate the potential bioactivity of the three species of Sarcocapnos. These assays included antioxidant and radical scavenging (ABTS and DPPH), reducing power (CUPRAC and FRAP), phosphomolybdenum and metal chelating, and enzyme inhibitory activity (acetylcholinesterase, amylase, butyrylcholinesterase, glucosidase, and tyrosinase). In general, all methanolic extracts presented the highest phenolic and flavonoid contents, as well as the highest radical scavenging, antioxidant, and enzyme inhibitory properties. This relationship between phenolics and bioactivity was confirmed by multivariate analysis.

Discrimination of the quality of Brazilian wheat genotypes and their use as whole-grains in human nutrition

Thirteen wheat genotypes were grown in four regions in Brazil: Cachoeira do Sul (CDS), Santo Augusto (STA), São Gabriel (SAG), and Vacaria (VAC). The principal component analysis explained between 88.3% and 99% of the growing location separation, depending on genotype. Among the 13 genotypes analyzed, TW ranged from 73.75 to 79.83 kg/hL. Final viscosity, gluten strength, extensibility, and falling number exhibited the highest influence on growing region discrimination. STA wheat was selected for the second stage of the study to evaluate the quality of cooked grains. The genotype TBIO Toruk had the longest cooking time of 36.92 min. For most of the studied genotypes, the yellowness reduced after cooking. Damaged grains exhibited values varying from 3.6% to 25.29%. At the end of in vitro digestion, the genotypes were divided into two groups: five genotypes had digestibility in the range of 51.93-58.13%, and eight presented 72.74-84.54% of starch hydrolysis.

Recent applications of chemometrics in one- and two-dimensional chromatography

The proliferation of increasingly more sophisticated analytical separation systems, often incorporating increasingly more powerful detection techniques, such as high-resolution mass spectrometry, causes an urgent need for highly efficient data-analysis and optimization strategies. This is especially true for comprehensive two-dimensional chromatography applied to the separation of very complex samples. In this contribution, the requirement for chemometric tools is explained and the latest developments in approaches for (pre-)processing and analyzing data arising from one- and two-dimensional chromatography systems are reviewed. The final part of this review focuses on the application of chemometrics for method development and optimization.

Comparison of in vitro antioxidative activities of crude methanolic extracts of three species of Passiflora from greenhouse using DPPH, ABTS and FRAP methods

Introduction:. It is well documented that many species from Passifloraceae family can provide edible and nutritious fruits while the leaves of cultivated plants are renewable and waste material. This biomass may be further used in various sectors, especially as a bioactive food additive and as source of innovative pharmaceuticals, cosmetics or feed additives. The biomaterials and green chemistry are new sectors bioeconomy according to the high-level horizontal strategies and bio-based industries in Europe. In recent years, attention has been paid to the biological activity and phytochemical profiles of extracts from different species of Passiflora. However, there is little comparative studies using the same procedures and techniques in the same laboratory conditions for study of plant material obtained from the similar greenhouse conditions.

Objective: This study was focused on the examination of antioxidative activities of low concentrations of crude extracts from leaves of Passiflora incarnata L., Passiflora caerulea L., and Passiflora alata Curtis.

Methods: The activity was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2’-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) methods. Results of study were supported by estimation of chemical composition with secondary metabolites profiling in extracts which were carried out previously for the same extracts from three Passiflora species. One-way ANOVA analysis revealed significant differences in the antioxidant activity of various concentrations of the extracts using the DPPH and ABTS radical models, and FRAP method.

Results: Measurement of antioxidant capacity (expressed as trolox equivalent, TE) showed that the most active was extract of P. caerulea > P. alata > P. incarnata. Phytochemical analysis for extracts of P. caerulea and P. incarnata showed greater similarities in metabolites content than P. alata. However, comparative statistical analysis of antioxidant activity showed that despite this phytochemical similarities, extract from P. alata leaves had higher activities than extract from leaves P. incarnata. Antioxidant effect of extract from P. alata can be explain by terpenoids presented in this extract. In this work, there have been discussed activities against Acanthamoeba castellanii strain, antibacterial and antifungal activities against selected clinical microorganisms (Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans, Micro-sporum gypseum), and anti-leukemic activities tested in human acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines for this extracts, which have been described in previous authors’ publications.

Conclusion: Our current and previous studies showed that the same crude extracts from leaves of P. alata, P. caerulea, P. incarnata exerted not only antioxidant potential in vitro but also few interesting properties such as antibacterial, antifungal, amoebostatic, amoebicidal activities, which indicate the possibility of using these extracts in both a healthy diet and natural cosmetics. Leaves of this species may become an interesting source of biomaterials which can exert health-promoting effects.