Application of Pomace Powder of Black Carrot as a Natural Food Ingredient in Yoghurt

Researchers and food manufacturers are investigating the use of fruit and vegetable by-products as nutrient-dense food ingredients in response to increasing consumer requests for healthier and more natural foods. Black carrot (Daucus carota L.), a root vegetable variety of deep purple carrot, is a valuable source of nutrients with excellent health benefits and nutraceutical effects. Black carrot pomace (BCP), a by-product of industrial juice extraction, is abundant in bioactive compounds, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and pigments such as anthocyanins. Value addition and sustainability are perspectives provided by using this underutilized agricultural by-product in food applications. With an emphasis on BCP powder's effects on phytochemical and physicochemical qualities, mineral and color characteristics, and sensory aspects, this study aims to assess the effects of adding BCP powder to yogurt formulations. The findings show that the addition of BCP powder improved the nutritional, and the color of the yogurts, providing a visually appealing product. Moreover, adding the BCP powder raised the amount of phytochemicals and the antioxidant activity in the final product's formulation. The manufacturing of such products can not only aid in promoting sustainable food production but also offer consumers a wider range of innovative food options with improved properties.

Sensory Nutrition and Bitterness and Astringency of Polyphenols

Recent studies have demonstrated that the interaction of dietary constituents with taste and olfactory receptors and nociceptors expressed in the oral cavity, nasal cavity and gastrointestinal tract regulate homeostasis through activation of the neuroendocrine system. Polyphenols, of which 8000 have been identified to date, represent the greatest diversity of secondary metabolites in plants, most of which are bitter and some of them astringent. Epidemiological studies have shown that polyphenol intake contributes to maintaining and improving cardiovascular, cognitive and sensory health. However, because polyphenols have very low bioavailability, the mechanisms of their beneficial effects are unknown. In this review, we focused on the taste of polyphenols from the perspective of sensory nutrition, summarized the results of previous studies on their relationship with bioregulation and discussed their future potential.

Progress on molecular modification and functional applications of anthocyanins

Anthocyanins have attracted a lot of attention in the fields of natural pigments, food packaging, and functional foods due to their color, antioxidant, and nutraceutical properties. However, the poor chemical stability and low bioavailability of anthocyanins currently limit their application in the food industry. Various methods can be used to modify the structure of anthocyanins and thus improve their stability and bioavailability characteristics under food processing, storage, and gastrointestinal conditions. This paper aims to review in vitro modification methods for altering the molecular structure of anthocyanins, as well as their resulting improved properties such as color, stability, solubility, and antioxidant properties, and functional applications as pigments, sensors and functional foods. In industrial production, by mixing co-pigments with anthocyanins in food systems, the color and stability of anthocyanins can be improved by using non-covalent co-pigmentation. By acylation of fatty acids and aromatic acids with anthocyanins before incorporation into food systems, the surface activity of anthocyanins can be activated and their antioxidant and bioactivity can be improved. Various other chemical modification methods, such as methylation, glycosylation, and the formation of pyranoanthocyanins, can also be utilized to tailor the molecular properties of anthocyanins expanding their range of applications in the food industry.

Impact of cyanidin 3-O-glucoside on rat micro-and systemic circulation, possibly thorough angiogenesis

Cyanidin 3-O-glucoside (C3G), an antioxidant, is one of the most abundant anthocyanin in plant foods. Intervention trials and subsequent meta-analyses have suggested that anthocyanins could reduce the risks of cardiovascular diseases. This study investigated hemodynamic alterations following a single intragastric dose of C3G by measuring blood flow in rat cremaster muscle arteriole for 60 min. Next, in excised aortas, we performed western blotting to measure the phosphorylation of Akt and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). A single oral dose of C3G significantly increased blood flow soon after ingestion, and it was maintained throughout the experimental period. In addition, aortic Akt phosphorylation increased. Then, we examined the impact of repeated oral administrations of C3G for 14 days. The mean blood pressure was significantly reduced at 7 and 14 days after treatment, with a slight increase in aortic eNOS expression. Immunohistochemical analyses of the soleus showed that the level of CD31, an angiogenesis-marker protein, was significantly increased with C3G. These results suggested that an oral dose of C3G increased blood flow, which promoted angiogenesis within skeletal muscle, and consequently, blood pressure was reduced.

Anthocyanins as Promising Molecules Affecting Energy Homeostasis, Inflammation, and Gut Microbiota in Type 2 Diabetes with Special Reference to Impact of Acylation

Anthocyanins, the red-orange to blue-violet colorants present in fruits, vegetables, and tubers, have antidiabetic properties expressed via modulating energy metabolism, inflammation, and gut microbiota. Acylation of the glycosyl moieties of anthocyanins alters the physicochemical properties of anthocyanins and improves their stability. Thus, acylated anthocyanins with probiotic-like property and lower bioavailability are likely to have different biological effects from nonacylated anthocyanins on diabetes. This work highlights recent findings on the antidiabetic effects of acylated anthocyanins from the perspectives of energy metabolism, inflammation, and gut microbiota compared to the nonacylated anthocyanins and particularly emphasizes the cellular and molecular mechanisms associated with the beneficial effects of these bioactive molecules, providing a new perspective to explore the different biological effects induced by structurally different anthocyanins. Acylated anthocyanins may have greater modulating effects on energy metabolism, inflammation, and gut microbiota in type 2 diabetes compared to nonacylated anthocyanins.

Unveiling Natural and Semisynthetic Acylated Flavonoids: Chemistry and Biological Actions in the Context of Molecular Docking

Acylated flavonoids are widely distributed natural metabolites in medicinal plants and foods with several health attributes. A large diversity of chemical structures of acylated flavonoids with interesting biological effects was reported from several plant species. Of these, 123 compounds with potential antimicrobial, antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory, anti-nociceptive, analgesic, and anti-complementary effects were selected from several databases including SCI-Finder, Scopus, Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, and others. Some selected reported biologically active flavonoids were docked in the active binding sites of some natural enzymes, namely acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, α-amylase, α-glucosidase, aldose reductase, and HIV integrase, in an attempt to underline the key interactions that might be responsible for their biological activities.

Acylation of Anthocyanins and Their Applications in the Food Industry: Mechanisms and Recent Research Advances

Anthocyanins are extensively used as natural non-toxic compounds in the food industry due to their unique biological properties. However, the instability of anthocyanins greatly affects their industrial application. Studies related to acylated anthocyanins with higher stability and increased solubility in organic solvents have shown that the acylation of anthocyanins can improve the stability and fat solubility of anthocyanins. However, relevant developments in research regarding the mechanisms of acylation and applications of acylated anthocyanins are scarcely reviewed. This review aims to provide an overview of the mechanisms of acylation and the applications of acylated anthocyanins in the food industry. In the review, acylation methods, including biosynthesis, semi-biosynthesis, and chemical and enzymatic acylation, are elaborated, physicochemical properties and biological activities of acylated anthocyanins are highlighted, and their application as colourants, functionalizing agents, intelligent indicators, and novel packaging materials in the food industry are summarized. The limitations encountered in the preparation of acylated anthocyanins and future prospects, their applications are also presented. Acylated anthocyanins present potential alternatives to anthocyanins in the food industry due to their functions and advantages as compared with non-acylated analogues. It is hoped that this review will offer further information on the effective synthesis and encourage commercialization of acylated anthocyanins in the food industry.

Current Knowledge on Intestinal Absorption of Anthocyanins

Anthocyanins are flavonoid compounds that are natural color pigments occurring in various colored plants, such as berry fruits, vegetables, and grapes. With the elucidation of their various physiological effects, anthocyanins have been identified as promising functional food ingredients. However, findings on the bioavailability of anthocyanins, which are present in various chemical structures in foods, are limited; their intestinal absorption behaviors, including their transport route(s), have not been fully explained. This perspective overviews the current knowledge and issues and discusses advanced techniques, such as in situ matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging, and future perspectives on the study of the bioavailability of anthocyanins.

Sources and relative stabilities of acylated and nonacylated anthocyanins in beverage systems

Anthocyanins are considered as the largest group of water-soluble pigments found in the vacuole of plant cells, displaying range of colors from pink, orange, red, purple and blue. They belong to flavonoids, a polyphenolic subgroup. Application of anthocyanins in food systems as natural food colourants is limited due to the lack of stability under different environmental conditions such as light, pH, heat etc. Anthocyanins esterified with one or more acid groups are referred as acylated anthocyanins. Based on the presence or absence of acyl group, anthocyanins are categorized as acylated and nonacylated anthocyanins. Acylated anthocyanins are further classified as mono, di, tri, tetra acylated anthocyanins according to the number of acyl groups present in the anthocyanin. This review classifies common anthocyanin sources into non-acylated, mono-, di-, tri- and tetra-acylated anthocyanins based on the major anthocyanins present in these sources. The relative stabilities of these anthocyanins with respect to thermal, pH and photo stress in beverage systems are specifically discussed. Common anthocyanin sources such as elderberry, blackberry, and blackcurrant mainly contain nonacylated anthocyanins. Red radish, purple corn, black carrot also mainly contain mono acylated anthocyanins. Red cabbage and purple sweet potato have both mono and diacylated anthocyanins. Poly acylated anthocyanins show relatively higher stability compared with nonacylated and monoacylated anthocyanins. Several techniques such as addition of sweeteners, co-pigmentation and acylation techniques could enhance the stability of nonacylated anthocyanins. Flowers are main sources of polyacylated anthocyanins having higher stability, yet they have not been commercially exploited for their anthocyanins.

Black carrot anthocyanins exhibit neuroprotective effects against MPP+ induced cell death and cytotoxicity via inhibition of oxidative stress mediated apoptosis

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common chronic neurodegenerative disease induced by the death of dopaminergic neurons. Anthocyanins are naturally found antioxidants and well-known for their preventive effects in neurodegenerative disorders. Black carrots (Daucus carota L. ssp. sativus var. atrorubens Alef.) are a rich source of anthocyanins predominantly including acylated cyanidin-based derivatives making them more stable. However, there have been no reports analysing the neuroprotective role of black carrot anthocyanins (BCA) on PD. In order to investigate the potential neuroprotective effect of BCA, human SH-SY5Y cells were treated with MPP+ (1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium) to induce PD associated cell death and cytotoxicity. Anthocyanins were extracted from black carrots and the composition was determined by HPLC-DAD. SH-SY5Y cells were co-incubated with BCA (2.5, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 µg/ml) and 0.5 mM MPP+ to determine the neuroprotective effect of BCA against MPP+ induced cell death and cytotoxicity. Results indicate that BCA concentrations did not have any adverse effect on cell viability. BCA revealed its cytoprotective effect, especially at higher concentrations (50, 100 µg/ml) by increasing metabolic activity and decreasing membrane damage. BCA exhibited antioxidant activity via scavenging MPP+ induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and protecting dopaminergic neurons from ROS mediated apoptosis. These results suggest a neuroprotective effect of BCA due to its high antioxidant and antiapoptotic activity, along with the absence of cytotoxicity. The elevated stability of BCA together with potential neuroprotective effects may shed light to future studies in order to elucidate the mechanism and further neuro-therapeutic potential of BCA which is promising as a neuroprotective agent.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10616-021-00500-4.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry-guided visualization analysis of intestinal absorption of acylated anthocyanins in Sprague-Dawley rats

It is unknown whether intestinal absorption of acylated anthocyanins occurs in their intact or metabolized form. In this study, with the aid of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) imaging, intestinal absorption of acylated anthocyanins was visually investigated. Anthocyanin extracts from purple carrots were orally administered to Sprague-Dawley rats. Acylated cyanidins were absorbed into portal and circulating blood systems in their intact form, and aglycon; cyanidin 3-O-(6-O-feruloyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl)-(1 → 6)-[β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 2)]-β-d-galactopyranoside (Cy3XFGG), and showed a high absorption of 39.3 ± 0.1 pmol/mL-plasma at 60 min after administration. MALDI-MS imaging analysis of the rat jejunum membranes showed that an organic anion transporting polypeptide (OATP) transporter was involved in Cy3XFGG transport, while deacylated anthocyanins were incorporated through both the glucose transporter 2 and OATP routes. In conclusion, acylated anthocyanin, Cy3XFGG, can be absorbed in its intact form through intestinal OATP.

Identification of a novel anthocyanin synthesis pathway in the fungus Aspergillus sydowii H-1

BACKGROUND

Anthocyanins are common substances with many agro-food industrial applications. However, anthocyanins are generally considered to be found only in natural plants. Our previous study isolated and purified the fungus Aspergillus sydowii H-1, which can produce purple pigments during fermentation. To understand the characteristics of this strain, a transcriptomic and metabolomic comparative analysis was performed with A. sydowii H-1 from the second and eighth days of fermentation, which confer different pigment production.

RESULTS

We found five anthocyanins with remarkably different production in A. sydowii H-1 on the eighth day of fermentation compared to the second day of fermentation. LC-MS/MS combined with other characteristics of anthocyanins suggested that the purple pigment contained anthocyanins. A total of 28 transcripts related to the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway was identified in A. sydowii H-1, and almost all of the identified genes displayed high correlations with the metabolome. Among them, the chalcone synthase gene (CHS) and cinnamate-4-hydroxylase gene (C4H) were only found using the de novo assembly method. Interestingly, the best hits of these two genes belonged to plant species. Finally, we also identified 530 lncRNAs in our datasets, and among them, three lncRNAs targeted the genes related to anthocyanin biosynthesis via cis-regulation, which provided clues for understanding the underlying mechanism of anthocyanin production in fungi.

CONCLUSION

We first reported that anthocyanin can be produced in fungus, A. sydowii H-1. Totally, 31 candidate transcripts were identified involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis, in which CHS and C4H, known as the key genes in anthocyanin biosynthesis, were only found in strain H1, which indicated that these two genes may contribute to anthocyanins producing in H-1. This discovery expanded our knowledges of the biosynthesis of anthocyanins and provided a direction for the production of anthocyanin.

The Multifunctional Benefits of Naturally Occurring Delphinidin and Its Glycosides

Delphinidin (Del) and its glycosides are water-soluble pigments, belonging to a subgroup of flavonoids. They are health-promoting candidates for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical uses, as indicated by exhibiting antioxidation, anti-inflammation, antimicroorganism, antidiabetes, antiobesity, cardiovascular protection, neuroprotection, and anticancer properties. Glycosylation modification of Del is associated with increased stability and reduced biological activity. Del and its glycosides can be the alternative inhibitors of CBRs, ERα/β, EGFR, BCRP, and SGLT-1, and virtual docking indicates that the sugar moiety may not effectively interact with the active sites of the targets. Structure-based characteristics confer the multifunctional properties of Del and its glycosides. Because of their health-promoting effects, Del and its glycosides are promising and have been developed as potential pharmaceuticals. However, more investigation on the underlying mechanisms of Del and its glycosides in mediating cellular processes with high specificity are still needed. The research progression of Del and its glycosides over the last 10 years is comprehensively reviewed in this article.

The Anti-inflammatory Effects of Dietary Anthocyanins against Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC), which is a major form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is a chronic relapsing disorder of the gastrointestinal tract affecting millions of people worldwide. Alternative natural therapies, including dietary changes, are being investigated to manage or treat UC since current treatment options have serious negative side effects. There is growing evidence from animal studies and human clinical trials that diets rich in anthocyanins, which are pigments in fruits and vegetables, protect against inflammation and increased gut permeability as well as improve colon health through their ability to alter bacterial metabolism and the microbial milieu within the intestines. In this review, the structure and bioactivity of anthocyanins, the role of inflammation and gut bacterial dysbiosis in UC pathogenesis, and their regulation by the dietary anthocyanins are discussed, which suggests the feasibility of dietary strategies for UC mitigation.