The Effect of Fresh Kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica) Addition and Processing Conditions on Selected Biological, Physical, and Chemical Properties of Extruded Snack Pellets

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the addition of fresh kale and processing conditions on extruded pellet antioxidant activity and selected physicochemical properties. The results of the applied DPPH, FRAP, and TPC methods indicated that, for both 60 and 100 rpm screw speeds, snack pellet antioxidant activity and phenolic content were strongly linked to the fresh kale content, and these properties increased with the addition of this plant. The amount of fresh kale and the applied processing variables (extruder screw speed and the moisture content of the raw material blends) were also found to significantly affect the water absorption index, water solubility index, fat absorption index, fatty acid profile, and basic chemical composition of the obtained extrudates. The sample with the highest phenolic content (72.8 μg GAE/g d.w.), the most advantageous chemical composition (protein, ash, fat, carbohydrates, and fiber content), and high antioxidant properties was produced at a fresh kale content of 30%, a 36% moisture content, and a 100 rpm screw speed. The following phenolic acids were identified in this sample: protocatechuic, 4-OH-benzoic, vanillic, syringic, salicylic, caffeic, coumaric, ferulic, and sinapic. Sinapic acid was the prevailing phenolic acid.

Effect of the Production Parameters and In Vitro Digestion on the Content of Polyphenolic Compounds, Phenolic Acids, and Antiradical Properties of Innovative Snacks Enriched with Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum L.) Leaves

A new type of corn snack has been created containing additions of wild garlic (Allium ursinum L.). This medicinal and dietary plant has a long tradition of use in folk medicine. However, studies on wild garlic composition and activity are fairly recent and scarce. This research aimed to investigate the influence of the screw speed and A. ursinum amounts on the antiradical properties as well as the content of polyphenolic compounds and individual phenolic acids of innovative snacks enriched with wild garlic leaves. The highest radical scavenging activity and content of polyphenols and phenolic acids were found in the snacks enriched with 4% wild garlic produced using screw speed 120 rpm. The obtained findings demonstrated that snacks enriched with wild garlic are a rich source of polyphenolic compounds. Since the concentration of such compounds is affected by many factors, e.g., plant material, presence of other compounds, and digestion, the second aim of this study was to determine radical scavenging activity, the content of polyphenols, and individual phenolic acids of snacks after in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Using an in vitro two-stage model, authors noted a significant difference between the concentration of polyphenolic compounds and the polyphenol content of the plant material before digestion.

Influence of Accelerated Solvent Extraction Conditions on the LC-ESI-MS/MS Polyphenolic Profile, Triterpenoid Content, and Antioxidant and Anti-lipoxygenase Activity of Rhododendron luteum Sweet Leaves

Evaluation of native plant resources and their efficient use is one of the current trends in phytochemistry. The main aim of the present study was to investigate the biological activities of different Rhododendron luteum Sweet leaf extracts obtained with the use of accelerated solvent extraction using different solvents and extraction temperatures. All extracts were subjected to bioactivity assays, which revealed considerable anti-lipoxygenase (23.07-90.13% lipoxygenase inhibition) and antiradical potential. All samples exhibited high 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH^•) (234.18-621.90 mg Trolox equivalents (TE)/g) and 2,2'-azino-bis-3(ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS^•+) (88.79-349.41 mg TE/g) scavenging activity, high antioxidant potential in the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assay (495.77-1011.59 mg TE/g), and moderate ion chelating (Fe2+) capacity. The chemical profile of each sample was determined using liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) and spectrophotometric procedures. Twenty-three compounds representing seven polyphenol subclasses were detected and quantified, including some phenolic acids and flavonoids that had not been previously reported for this plant material. It was shown that 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, protocatechuic acid, catechin, quercetin and its glycosides (hyperoside, isoquercetin, quercitrin), and pentacyclic triterpenes were the dominant secondary metabolites in R. luteum leaves. The antioxidant activity was found to be strongly related to different polyphenol groups and total triterpene content, while the anti-lipoxygenase potential was highly dependent on catechin.

Content of Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of New Gluten-Free Pasta with the Addition of Chestnut Flour

Chestnut fruit abounds in carbohydrates, proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, fiber, polyphenolic compounds, as well as vitamins and micronutrients, that are behind the health-promoting properties of this plant. The purpose of the discussed research was to obtain innovative gluten-free pasta from rice and field bean flour enriched with a various addition of chestnut flour. Regarding the studied pasta, the following were determined: the content of free phenolic acids, total polyphenols, and antioxidant properties. Chromatographic analysis (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS (high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry)) revealed a wide variety of phenolic acids. In a sample with 20% and higher content of chestnut flour, as many as 13 acids were detected. Isoferulic acid prevailed. The total content of free phenolic acids and total polyphenols increased along with the increasing chestnut content. Moreover, in most cases, the content of individual acids increased with the addition of chestnut flour. Besides, the antioxidant activity was positively correlated with the addition of chestnut fruit flour, the content of free phenolic acids, and total polyphenols. Our research has demonstrated that our innovative gluten-free pasta, with the addition of chestnut flour, has a potential to be a source of polyphenolic compounds, including free phenolic acids, that are valuable for human health.

The influence of Cistus incanus L. leaves on wheat pasta quality

Modern nutritional trends and looking for functional food and dedicated products for various consumers are a source of inspiration for scientists to develop new pro-health supplemented foods with high quality. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the selected properties of common wheat pasta fortified with dried Cistus incanus in amount from 1 to 5% as a replacement of wheat flour. Pasta was made with a spaghetti shape and dried. Supplemented pasta was tested for total phenolics content, the total activity against DPPH, the ability to neutralize free radicals to ABTS and the antioxidant capacity reduction power, using various extraction procedures. Selected physicochemical properties of pasta were evaluated: cooking time, cooking weight, cooking loss, hardness and color profile of dry and cooked pasta in CIE-Lab scale, as well as the sensory properties of supplemented products. The addition of C. incanus to fortify wheat pasta increased total phenolics content and antioxidant activity with some significant differences according to the extraction procedure used. Methanolic extraction was more efficient than buffer extraction. Increased addition of dry Cistus herb caused higher cooking weight, cooking loss and increased hardness of cooked pasta. Studies have shown that C. incanus addition had a slight effect on color change with the largest decrease in brightness, especially for cooked products. Finally, it was found that advisable application of C. incanus addition to achieve nutritionally improved composition of pasta should not exceed 3% due to the proper sensory characteristics.

Methodological approach to determine carlina oxide - a main volatile constituent of Carlina acaulis L. essential oil

In this work, a fast and low-cost voltammetric methodology for determination of carlina oxide in plant extracts was developed. The best results were obtained using a boron-doped diamond electrode (BDDE). The voltammetric measurements of carlina oxide were performed in a 0.1 mol/L solution of sulphuric acid. After 30 s of stirring the solution, differential pulse voltammograms (DPVs) were recorded from 0.5 to 1.8 V. The amplitude was 75 mV and the scan rate was 175 mV/s. Measurements were recorded in non-deaerated solutions. The background current was subtracted from each registered voltammogram; then they were cut from 0.5 to 1.5 V. The detection and quantification limits were 0.28 and 0.93 μg/L, respectively, and repeatability expressed as the relative standard deviation of 0.1 mg/L of carlina oxide was 1.9% (n = 5). The results were compared with those obtained using gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector and high performance liquid chromatography with a photodiode array detector.

Phenolic Acid Content and Antioxidant Properties of Extruded Corn Snacks Enriched with Kale

Prohealth food contains specific components which have positive influence on the health and well-being of the consumer. An important position among bioactive compounds occurs for polyphenols. Many results have indicated that an increased intake of phenolic compounds may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. The objective of the study was production of extruded corn snacks with addition (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8%) of kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. sabellica)-a polyphenol-rich plant. Afterwards, high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) and antioxidant activity analyses of snack extracts were performed. In the corn snacks enriched with kale, fifteen phenolic acids were indicated. These were protocatechuic, 4-OH-benzoic, vanillic, trans-caffeic, cis-caffeic, trans-p-coumaric, cis-p-coumaric, trans-ferulic, cis-ferulic, salicylic, gentisic, syringic, 3-OH-cinnamic, trans-sinapic, and cis-sinapic acids. Both the qualitative and quantitative content of polyphenols increased with the addition of B. oleracea. Data from spectrophotometric analyses of the samples showed high DPPH radical scavenging potential of snacks enriched with 4, 6, and 8% of kale. Snacks enriched with kale contain high level of phenolic acids and, therefore, have great potential to make a valuable source of natural antioxidants. High-temperature short-time extrusion-cooking process had no negative impact on polyphenol's activity.

Modeling Biometric Traits, Yield and Nutritional and Antioxidant Properties of Seeds of Three Soybean Cultivars Through the Application of Biostimulant Containing Seaweed and Amino Acids

In recent years, attempts have been made to use preparations that allow obtaining high and good quality yields, while reducing the application of pesticides and mineral fertilizers. These include biostimulants that are safe for the natural environment and contribute to the improvement of yield size and quality, especially after the occurrence of stressors. Their use is advisable in the case of crops sensitive to such biotic stress factors like low temperatures or drought. One of these is soybean which is a very important plant from the economic viewpoint. Field experiments were established in the years 2014-2016 in a random block design in four replicates on experimental plots of 10 m². Three soybean cultivars: Annushka, Mavka, and Atlanta were planted in the third decade of April. Fylloton biostimulant was used at 0.7% or 1% concentrations as single spraying (BBCH 13-15) or double spraying (BBCH 13-15, BBCH 61) in the vegetation period. The number of seeds per 1 m², seed yield, thousand seed weight, number of pods per plant, number of nodes in the main shoot, height of plants, and protein and fat contents in seeds were determined. The content of phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity and antioxidant effect of soybean seeds were assayed as well. Foliar treatment of soybean with Fylloton stimulated the growth and yield of plants without compromising their nutritional and nutraceutical properties. The double application of the higher concentration of Fylloton was favorable for the plant height, seed number and soybean yield. Moreover, the highest number of pods was obtained after single treatment of plants with the lower biostimulant concentration. There was also a positive effect of using this biostimulant on the content and activity of some bioactive compounds, such as phenolics and flavonoids, and on the reducing power.

The influence of common free radicals and antioxidants on development of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is one of the most important neurodegenerative disorders in the 21st century for the continually aging population. Despite an increasing number of patients, there are only few drugs to treat the disease. Numerous studies have shown several causes of the disorder, one of the most important being oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is connected with a disturbance between the levels of free radicals and antioxidants in organisms. Solutions to this problem are antioxidants, which counteract the negative impact of the reactive molecules. Unfortunately, the currently available drugs against AD do not exhibit activity toward these structures. Due to the fact that natural substances are extremely significant in new drug development, numerous studies are focused on substances which exhibit a few activities including antioxidants and other anti-AD behaviors. This review article presents the most important studies connected with the influence of free radicals on development of AD and antioxidants as potential drugs toward AD.