In Vitro Bioaccessibility of Carotenoids and Vitamin E in Rosehip Products and Tomato Paste As Affected by Pectin Contents and Food Processing

Pectin conformation influences the bioaccessibility of cherry laurel polyphenols and gut microbiota distribution following in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and fermentation

Interactions between dietary fiber and phenolic compounds in foods can influence their gastrointestinal fate. This study aimed to examine the effect of four types of pectin on the polyphenols of cherry laurel puree and human gut microbiota during a simulated in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and large intestine fermentation. Results revealed that the combined addition of different pectins and pectinase to cherry laurel puree significantly affected the content and bioaccessibility of phenolics. The addition of pectins and pectinase distinctively impacted the phenolic subclasses in both raw and post-digested/fermented cherry laurel puree, suggesting differential interactions due to structural features. Both pectins and pectinase modulated the composition of fecal microbiota after in vitro fermentation, increasing bacterial diversity following pectinase treatment. The combined addition of pectins followed by pectinase had differential impacts on polyphenol bioaccessibility and gut microbiome diversity, hence having a potential outcome in terms of human health.

High-Pressure Homogenization for Enhanced Bioactive Recovery from Tomato Processing By-Products and Improved Lycopene Bioaccessibility during In Vitro Digestion

The principles of industrial ecology have emerged as pivotal drivers of eco-innovation, aiming to realize a "zero-waste" society where waste materials are repurposed as valuable resources. In this context, High-Pressure Homogenization (HPH) presents a promising, easily scalable micronization technology, capable of enhancing the extractability and bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds found in tomato processing by-products, which are notably abundant waste streams in the Mediterranean region. This study focuses on optimizing HPH treatment parameters to intensify the recovery of bioactive compounds from tomato pomace. Additionally, it investigates the multifaceted impacts of HPH on various aspects, including color, particle size distribution, microscopic characteristics, surface properties, bioactivity, and lycopene bioaccessibility through in vitro digestion simulations. The results demonstrate that the application of HPH under optimized conditions (80 MPa, 25 °C, 10 passes) induces a remarkable 8-fold reduction in mean particle size, reduced surface tension, improved physical stability, uniform color, increased total phenolic content (+31%), antioxidant activity (+30%), dietary fiber content (+9%), and lycopene bioaccessibility during the intestinal digestion phase compared to untreated samples. These encouraging outcomes support the proposition of integrating HPH technology into an environmentally friendly industrial process for the full valorization of tomato processing residues. By utilizing water as the sole solvent, this approach aims to yield a functional ingredient characterized by greater nutritional and health-promoting values.

Stability and Bioaccessibility of Phenolic Compounds in Rosehip Extracts during In Vitro Digestion

Rosehips, particularly dog rose fruits (Rosa canina L.), are a great source of antioxidant compounds, mainly phenolics. However, their health benefits directly depend on the bioaccessibility of these compounds affected by gastrointestinal digestion. Thus, the purpose of this research was to study the impact of gastrointestinal and colonic in vitro digestions on the concentration of total and individual bioaccessible phenolic compounds from a hydroalcoholic extract of rosehips (Rosa canina) and also their antioxidant capacity. A total of 34 phenolic compounds were detected in the extracts using UPLC-MS/MS. Ellagic acid, taxifolin, and catechin were the most abundant compounds in the free fraction, while gallic and p-coumaric acids were the main compounds in the bound phenolic fraction. Gastric digestion negatively affected the content of free phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity measured using the DPPH radical method. However, there was an enhancement of antioxidant properties in terms of phenolic content and antioxidant activity (DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl): 18.01 ± 4.22 mmol Trolox Equivalent (TE)/g; FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power): 7.84 ± 1.83 mmol TE/g) after the intestinal stage. The most bioaccessible phenolic compounds were flavonols (73.3%) and flavan-3-ols (71.4%). However, the bioaccessibility of phenolic acids was 3%, probably indicating that most of the phenolic acids were still bound to other components of the extract. Ellagic acid is an exception since it presented a high bioaccessibility (93%) as it was mainly found in the free fraction of the extract. Total phenolic content decreased after in vitro colonic digestion, probably due to chemical transformations of the phenolic compounds by gut microbiota. These results demonstrated that rosehip extracts have a great potential to be used as a functional ingredient.

Nutraceutical delivery systems to improve the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of lycopene: A review

Lycopene is a promising biological functional component with various biological activities and excellent pharmacological activities. However, its low water solubility and stability lead to low oral bioavailability, which limits its edible and medicinal research. Then, it is necessary to explore effective methods to protect lycopene from destruction and further exploit its potential benefits. The absorption of lycopene in vivo is affected by solubility, stability, isomer type, emulsifying ability, difficulty in forming micelles in vivo, and interaction with food components. Emulsions, pickering emulsions, micelles, liposomes, bigels, beasds, solid dispersions, microcapsules, nanoparticles, electrospinning and other drug delivery systems can be used as good strategies to improve the stability and bioavailability of lycopene. In this paper, the absorption process of lycopene in vivo and the factors affecting its bioavailability were discussed, and the preparation strategies for improving the stability, bioavailability, and health benefits of lycopene were reviewed, to provide some clues and references for the full utilization of lycopene in the field of health. However, there are still various unresolved mysteries regarding the metabolism of lycopene. The safety and in vivo studies of various preparations should be further explored, and the above technologies also face the challenge of industrial production.

The Anti-Cancer Activity of Lycopene: A Systematic Review of Human and Animal Studies

Lycopene is a nutraceutical with health-promoting and anti-cancer activities, but due to a lack of evidence, there are no recommendations regarding its use and dosage. This review aimed to evaluate the benefits of lycopene supplementation in cancer prevention and treatment based on the results of in vivo studies. We identified 72 human and animal studies that were then analysed for endpoints such as cancer incidence, improvement in treatment outcomes, and the mechanisms of lycopene action. We concluded that the results of most of the reviewed in vivo studies confirmed the anti-cancer activities of lycopene. Most of the studies concerned prostate cancer, reflecting the number of in vitro studies. The reported mechanisms of lycopene action in vivo included regulation of oxidative and inflammatory processes, induction of apoptosis, and inhibition of cell division, angiogenesis, and metastasis formation. The predominance of particular mechanisms seemed to depend on tumour organ localisation and the local storage capacity of lycopene. Finally, there is a need to look for predictive factors to identify a population that may benefit from lycopene supplementation. The potential candidates appear to be race, single nucleotide polymorphisms in carotene-cleaving enzymes, some genetic abbreviations, and insulin-like growth factor-dependent and inflammatory diseases.

Effects of cell wall polysaccharides on the bioaccessibility of carotenoids, polyphenols, and minerals: an overview

Carotenoids, polyphenols, and minerals (CPMs) are representative bioactive compounds and micronutrients in plant-based foods, showing many potentially positive bioactivities. Bioaccessibility is a prerequisite for bioactivities of CPMs. Cell wall polysaccharides (CWPs) are major structural components of plant cell wall, and they have been proven to affect the bioaccessibility of CPMs in different ways. This review summarizes recent literatures about the effects of CWPs on the bioaccessibility of CPMs and discusses the potential mechanisms. Based on the current findings, CWPs can inhibit the bioaccessibility of CPMs in gastrointestinal tract. The effects of CWPs on the bioaccessibility of polyphenols and minerals mainly attributes to bind between them, while CWPs affect the bioaccessibility of carotenoids by changing the digestive environment. Further, this review overviews the factors (environmental conditions, CWPs properties and CPMs characteristics) affecting the interactions between CWPs and CWPs. This review may help to better design healthy and nutritious foods precisely.

Effect of cooking duration on carotenoid content, digestion and potential absorption efficiencies among refined semolina and whole wheat pasta products

The bioaccessibility of carotenoids varies among different foods due to factors such as food matrix composition and type or extent of processing. Hence it is important to understand the extent to which these factors influence carotenoid bioaccessibility after the consumption and digestion of food. This study evaluated the carotenoid content, micellization efficiency, digestive stability, antioxidant activity and bioaccessibility of carotenoids as impacted by wheat cultivar and cooking duration among whole wheat flour (WWF) and refined semolina (RS) pasta. WWF and RS pasta were processed from three durum wheat cultivars (AAC Spitfire, CDC Precision, and Transcend) and cooked to al dente (Al), fully cooked (FCT) or overcooked (OC). The study showed that the wheat cultivar and cooking duration were significant functions of bioaccessible lutein in RS samples while only the cultivar influenced the bioaccessibility of zeaxanthin and lutein in WWF samples. In both WWF and RS, the effect of the cultivar on the bioaccessibility of lutein and zeaxanthin was similar and was as follows: Transcend > CDC Precision > AAC Spitfire. Cooking to Al significantly caused an increment in bioaccessible lutein in RS samples regardless of the wheat cultivar. This influence of cooking duration (Al > FCT > OC) was inversely related to the lutein concentrations in undigested pasta (OC = FCT > Al). DPPH scavenging activity among WWF samples was about 2-fold greater or more than that of RS samples regardless of the cultivar or cooking duration before and after digestion. Our data suggest that the effect of wheat cultivar and cooking duration modulates the bioaccessibility and antioxidant activity of RS and WWF pasta products.

Effect of dietary fiber addition on the content and in vitro bioaccessibility of antioxidants in red raspberry puree

The aim of the present study was to understand how the addition of pectin (2.5% and 5%) affected the content and bioaccessibility of phenolics in red raspberry puree. The results showed that the concentration of antioxidants in red raspberry puree was reduced with the addition of pectin. Similarly, addition of pectin to red raspberry puree significantly reduced the total phenolic content (15-20%), total antioxidant capacity (18-70%), and total monomeric anthocyanin (25-30%) after in vitro digestion. On the other hand, significant decreases in the bioaccessible amount of cyanidin (41%), cyanidin-3-glucoside (14%), cyanidin-3-rutinoside (17%), pelargonidin 3-glucoside (16%), and peonidin (28%) were observed after the addition of pectin (5% (w/w)) compared to the control (p < 0.05) as analyzed with the HPLC method. According to the LC-MS/MS analysis of red raspberry samples, five flavonoids (rutin, quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin, and phlorizin) and six phenolic acids (gallic acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, sinapic acid, p-coumaric acid, and ferulic acid) were detected. The effect of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion varied depending on the type of the phenolic compounds. Sinapic acid and phlorizin were not detected at all in the intestinal phase, indicating that they were completely degraded during digestion. The percentage bioaccessibility of gallic acid (49-88%), rutin (6-16%), and quercetin (23-33%) was decreased proportionally with the increase in the pectin content in red raspberry purees (p < 0.05). On the other hand, only 5% pectin addition to red raspberry puree resulted with a significant decrease in the amount of bioaccessible caffeic acid (8% to 5%), kaempferol (24% to 13%), ferulic acid (26% to 10%), and myricetin (91% to 57%) (p < 0.05). Overall, the present study highlighted that incorporation of pectin to red raspberry puree reduced the amount of bioaccessible polyphenols.

The Influence of Temperature, Storage Conditions, pH, and Ionic Strength on the Antioxidant Activity and Color Parameters of Rowan Berry Extracts

Recent trends in the food industry combined with novel methods in agriculture could transform rowan into a valuable raw material with potential technological applications. Thus, the aim of this research was to investigate the content of bioactive compounds in its fruits and to assess the color and antioxidant stability of the extracts prepared from such fruits during various thermal treatments and at different pH and ionic strength values. Various spectrophotometric methods, HPLC, and capillary electrophoresis were used to quantify the concentrations of bioactive compounds—polyphenols, carotenoids, organic acids, and to assess antioxidant activity and color. The results show that rowan berries contain circa 1.34–1.47 g/100 g of polyphenols among which include catechin, epicatechin, ferulic acid methyl ester, procyanidin B1, etc.; ca 21.65 mg/100 g of carotenoids including zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, all-trans-β-carotene, and various organic acids such as malic, citric, and succinic, which result in a high antioxidant activity of 5.8 mmol TE/100 g. Results also showed that antioxidant activity exhibited high stability when the extract was subjected to various thermal treatments, pHs, and ionic strengths, while color was mainly impacted negatively when a temperature of 100 °C was employed. This data confirms the technological potential of this traditional, yet often overlooked species.

Evaluation of Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Herbal Aqueous Extracts and Their Chemical Characterization

Plant extracts are gaining more attention as therapeutic agents against inflammation. In this study, four different widely used herbals were selected, such as holy basil leaf, sesame seed, long pepper, and cubeb pepper. We have evaluated the anti-inflammatory action of an aqueous extract from these herbs and tested their effects on monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs). MDMs were pre-treated with these extracts individually for 2 h, followed by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation for 24 h and pro-inflammatory gene expression was analyzed. Also, we studied the effect of these extracts on the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by enzymatic (Myeloperoxidase) and non-enzymatic (copper) reactions. All extracts attenuated LPS-induced inflammation and also were able to inhibit the oxidation of LDL. These beneficial actions of extracts led us to identify molecules present in the extracts. A liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometric analysis was performed to identify the chemical composition of extracts. Wide range of molecules were identified across all the extracts, short-chain organic acids, phenolic acids and derivatives, piperine and its structural homologues, eugenol, rosmarinic acid, flavonoids and their glucosides, and others. This study opens a door for future studies on non-pharmacological natural therapeutics that will be useful for consumers and producers, as well as industries utilizing bioactive compounds.

Gastrointestinal Fate of Fluid and Gelled Nutraceutical Emulsions: Impact on Proteolysis, Lipolysis, and Quercetin Bioaccessibility

Fluid and gelled nutraceutical emulsions were formulated from quercetin-loaded caseinate-stabilized emulsions by the addition of gellan gum with or without acidification with glucono-δ-lactone. Gellan gum addition increased the viscosity or gel strength of the fluid and gelled emulsions, respectively. The behavior of the nutraceutical emulsions in a simulated gastrointestinal tract depended upon their initial composition. Fluid emulsions containing different gellan gum levels (0-0.2%) had similar protein and lipid hydrolysis rates as well as similar quercetin bioaccessibility (∼51%). Conversely, proteolysis, lipolysis, and quercetin bioaccessibility decreased with an increasing gellan gum level in the gelled emulsions. In comparison to gelled emulsions, fluid emulsions were digested more rapidly and led to higher quercetin bioaccessibility. There was a good correlation between quercetin bioaccessibility and the lipolysis rate. These findings are useful for designing nutraceutical-loaded emulsions that can be used in a wide range of food products with different rheological properties.