Characterization and Prebiotic Effect of the Resistant Starch from Purple Sweet Potato

Food Allergy, Nutrition, Psychology, and Health

This article explores food allergy and the nascent field of nutritional psychiatry. Individuals with food allergy experience lower levels of "food freedom" than their nonallergic counterparts, which can create cognitive, emotional, social, nutritional, and financial burdens. Patterns of food avoidance may influence neuroinflammatory states and the gut microbiome; these changes may be associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms. Food restriction may promote disruption of the microbiome neuroimmune axis, which has been linked to various allergic diseases. Targeted psychological counseling strategies can provide benefit. Food allergy and restricted diets may impact dietary health benefits.

Recent developments in enzymatic preparation, physicochemical properties, bioactivity, and application of resistant starch type III from staple food grains

Resistant starch (RS) was classified into five types and referred to the starch that cannot be digested and absorbed by the small intestine of healthy human beings. Among them, RS3 has received a lot of attention from researchers because of its good functional properties and greater application prospects. Meanwhile, the enzymatic method is widely used in the preparation of RS3 because of its high efficiency and environmental protection. α-Amylase and pullulanase as the main enzymes can effectively improve the yield of RS3. The physical properties of RS3 have an excellent potential for application in improving food crispness, texture and producing low glycemic index (GI) foods. It is more valuable because it has biological activities such as inducing apoptosis in tumor cells, lowering intestinal pH, and regulating blood glucose, etc. This paper summarized the current research progress of RS3 from different staple food grains, including current applications of enzymes commonly used in the preparation of RS3, physical properties and biological activities of RS3, and the application of RS3 in different areas to provide a theoretical basis for future research on RS3 as well as further development and applications based on the market requirement.

Effects of crosslinking with sodium trimetaphosphate on structural, physicochemical, rheological and in vitro digestibility properties of purple sweet potato starch

Purple sweet potato starch (PSPS) was modified using different amounts of sodium trimetaphosphate (0, 3-12%). Phosphorus content, crosslinking (CL), and substitution levels increased after modification. CL led to gradual agglomeration with each other through adhesion, compared to 0% STMP. X-ray diffraction did not change, but crystalline properties, swelling index, and peak viscosity increased, and solubility and glycaemic index decreased after crosslinking. Crosslinking increased, leading to a decrease of greater significance at 3% CL. Resistant starch was increased from 60.51 to 83.32%. G' and G'' values for crosslinking starch samples varied from 3086.00-5507.50 Pa and 513.92-800.30 Pa, respectively, after sweep test. The flow behavior index < 1 indicates that CL starch pastes are shear-thin. Positive and negative correlations were observed between gelatinized starch enthalpy and RS and between SDS and GI, respectively. The results lay the groundwork to comprehend the properties and relationships of CLPSPS and promote its possible use in foods.

Anti-Obesity Effects of SPY Fermented with Lactobacillus rhamnosus BST-L.601 via Suppression of Adipogenesis and Lipogenesis in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice

In this research, the potential anti-obesity efficacy of Lactobacillus rhamnosus BST-L.601 and its fermented product (named SPY) with mashed sweet potato paste were investigated using 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and high-fat diet (HD)-induced obese mice. SPY (0-0.5 mg/mL) dose-dependently and significantly reduced lipid accumulation and TG content and the expression of adipogenic markers (C/EBPα, PPAR-γ, and aP2) and fatty acid synthetic pathway proteins (ACC and FAS) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, demonstrating that SPY suppresses adipocyte differentiation and lipogenesis. Oral administration of SPY (4 × 10⁷ CFU/kg body weight) to HD-induced obese mice for 12 weeks significantly reduced the body and liver weight, the size of adipocytes, and the weight of epididymal, visceral, and subcutaneous fat tissues. SPY was more effective in decreasing body weight gain in HD mice than in treatment with BST-L.601 alone. Administration of SPY or BST-L.601 also reduced the serum level of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol and leptin secretion at a similar level. These results revealed that both SPY and BST-L.601 effectively suppress HD-induced adipogenesis and lipogenesis, suggesting that these materials would be useful in the functional foods industry to ameliorate and/or prevent obesity.

Rapid screening of sixty potato cultivars for starch profiles to address a consumer glycemic dilemma

Potatoes are a dietary staple consumed by a significant portion of the world, providing valuable carbohydrates and vitamins. However, most commercially produced potatoes have a high content of highly branched amylopectin starch, which generally results in a high glycemic index (GI). Consumption of foods with high levels of amylopectin elicit a rapid spike in blood glucose levels, which is undesirable for individuals who are pre-diabetic, diabetic, or obese. Some cultivars of potatoes with lower amylopectin levels have previously been identified and are commercially available in niche markets in some countries, but they are relatively unavailable in the United States and Latin America. The high glycemic index of widely available potatoes presents a problematic "consumer's dilemma" for individuals and families that may not be able to afford a better-balanced, more favorable diet. Some native communities in the Andes (Bolivia, Chile, and Peru) reportedly embrace a tradition of providing low glycemic tubers to people with obesity or diabetes to help people mitigate what is now understood as the negative effects of high blood sugar and obesity. These cultivars are not widely available on a global market. This study examines 60 potato cultivars to identify potatoes with low amylopectin. Three independent analyses of potato starch were used: microscopic examination of granule structure, water absorption, and spectrophotometric analysis of iodine complexes to identify potato cultivars with low amylopectin Differences among cultivars tested were detected by all three types of analyses. The most promising cultivars are Huckleberry Gold, Muru, Multa, Green Mountain, and an October Blue x Colorado Rose cross. Further work is necessary to document the ability of these low amylopectin cultivars to reduce blood glucose spike levels in human subjects.

Modulation of gut microbiota by rice starch enzymatically modified using amylosucrase from Deinococcus geothermalis

Amylosucrase can increase the amount of resistant starch (RS) in starch by transferring glucose from sucrose to amylopectin. Here, rice starch was modified using amylosucrase from Deinococcus geothermalis (DgAS). DgAS-modified rice starch (DMRS) increased the side-chain length of amylopectin and appeared in the form of B-type crystals. In vitro digestion analyses revealed that DMRS had a higher RS contents and lower digestion rate than native rice starch. When high-fat diet (HFD)-induced C57BL/6 mice were orally administered DMRS, body weight and white fat tissues of DMRS-fed HFD mice were not significantly different. However, serum leptin and glucose levels were significantly decreased and serum glucagon like peptide-1was increased in these mice. The cecal microbiome in DMRS-fed HFD mice was identified to investigate the role of DMRS in gut microbiota regulation. DMRS supplementation increased the relative abundance of Bacteroides, Faecalibaculum, and Ruminococcus in mouse gut microbiota.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-022-01238-1.

Effect of resistant starch types as a prebiotic

Since the role of intestinal microbiota in metabolism was understood, the importance of dietary components such as fibres and prebiotics, which affect the modulation of microbiota, has been increasing day by day. While all prebiotic components are considered dietary fibre, not every dietary fibre is considered a prebiotic. While fructooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, inulin, and galactans are considered prebiotics, other fermentable carbohydrates are considered candidate prebiotic components based on in vitro and preclinical studies. Resistant starch, one of such carbohydrates, is considered a potential prebiotic component when it is made resistant to digestion naturally or chemically. In this review, both in vitro and in vivo studies in which the prebiotic capacity of type II, type III, and type IV resistant starch isolated from food and produced commercially was assessed were analyzed. According to the results of current studies, certain types of resistant starch are thought to have a high prebiotic capacity, and they may be candidate prebiotic components although positive results have not been achieved in all studies. KEY POINTS: • Resistant starch is undigested in the small intestine and is fermented in the large intestine. • Resistant starch fermentation positively affects the growth of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. • Resistant starch can be considered a prebiotic ingredient.

Resistant starch from sweet potatoes: Recent advancements and applications in the food sector

In tropical and subtropical areas, tuber and root crops are staple foods and a key source of energy. Sweet potato (SP) is currently regarded as one of the world's top ten foods because of its diverse sizes, shapes, color, and health benefits. The resistant starch (RS) content of SP is substantial. It is predicted to become the cheapest item in the food industry due to its extensive variety, food stability, emulsifier and fat substitution capabilities, and as filler. As a result, interest in SP-sourced RS has recently increased. Due to their unique nutritional and functional qualities, novelty has become a popular research focus in recent years. This review will summarize the current understanding of SP starch components and their impact on the technological and physicochemical properties of produced starch for commercial viability. The importance of sweet potato RS in addressing future RS demand sustainability is emphasized. SPs are a viable alternative to tubers as a sustainable raw material for RS production. It has an advantage over tubers because of its intrinsic nutritional value and climatic endurance. Thermal, chemical, and enzymatic treatments are effective RS manufacturing procedures. The adaptability of sweet potato RS allows for a wide range of food applications.

Study on structural characteristics, physicochemical properties, and in vitro digestibility of Kudzu-resistant starch prepared by different methods

Three different methods, including autoclaving, autoclaving-debranching, and purification, were used to prepare Kudzu-resistant starch (KRS) from Kudzu starch (KS). The physicochemical properties, such as thermodynamic properties, pasting properties, solubility, swelling, and coagulability, as well as the in vitro digestive characteristics of the three kinds of KRS were studied. The results showed that the morphology of starch granules of KRS prepared by autoclave, autoclave enzymatic hydrolysis, and purification methods was changed and the relative crystallinity was significantly decreased compared with the original starch. X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that KRS exists in the form of C and C+V crystalline form. There was a significant increase in the pasting temperature and a remarkable decrease in the peak viscosity and the expansion degree of the KRS prepared by all three methods. The solubility of the resistant starch (RS) obtained by autoclaving-debranching and that by purification were both increased compared to that of native KS, while the solubility of the RS obtained by autoclaving was decreased. Meanwhile, the retrogradation of the three RS was also improved to varying degrees. The contents of RS in the samples were: P-KRS (71%) > DA-KRS (43%) > A-KRS (42%) > KS (9%). Simulated human in vitro digestion experiments showed that RS has stronger antidigestibility properties than native starch. Among them, the RS prepared by the purification method has stronger antidigestive properties, and it is predicted that it may have a better potential value in regulating blood glucose. These results indicated that the processing properties of KRS, especially the digestibility, are significantly improved and can be used as a new functional food ingredient, which deserves thorough study.

Effect of Pullulanase Debranching Time Combined with Autoclaving on the Structural, Physicochemical Properties, and In Vitro Digestibility of Purple Sweet Potato Starch

The effects of pullulanase debranching combined with autoclaving (PDA) at various debranching times (0 h, 5 h, 10 h, 15 h, 20 h, and 25 h) and 121 °C/20 min of autoclave treatment on the structural and physicochemical characteristics of purple sweet potato (Jinshu No.17) starch were investigated. The results indicated that the native starch (NS) was polygonal, round, and bell-shaped with smooth surfaces. After debranching treatment, the surface of the starch samples became rough and irregular. The molecular weight became smaller after treatments. X-ray diffraction C-type pattern was transformed into a B-type structure in treated samples with increased relative crystallinity. ¹³C NMR indicated an increased propensity for double helix formation and new shift at C1, 3, 5 region compared to NS. The apparent amylose content was 21.53% in the NS. As the swelling power decreased, the percentage of soluble solids increased and different thermal properties were observed. A higher yield of the resistant starch (RS) was observed in all treated starch except PDA 25 h. The findings of our study reveal that a combination of pullulanase debranching time (15 h) and autoclaving (121 °C for 20 min) is a great technique that can be used to produce a higher amount of resistant starch in the Jinshu No.17 starch.

Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) Phenotypes: From Agroindustry to Health Effects

Sweet potato (SP; Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) is an edible tuber native to America and the sixth most important food crop worldwide. China leads its production in a global market of USD 45 trillion. SP domesticated varieties differ in specific phenotypic/genotypic traits, yet all of them are rich in sugars, slow digestible/resistant starch, vitamins, minerals, bioactive proteins and lipids, carotenoids, polyphenols, ascorbic acid, alkaloids, coumarins, and saponins, in a genotype-dependent manner. Individually or synergistically, SP’s phytochemicals help to prevent many illnesses, including certain types of cancers and cardiovascular disorders. These and other topics, including the production and market diversification of raw SP and its products, and SP’s starch as a functional ingredient, are briefly discussed in this review.

Sizes, Components, Crystalline Structure, and Thermal Properties of Starches from Sweet Potato Varieties Originating from Different Countries

Sweet potato is a root tuber crop and an important starch source. There are hundreds of sweet potato varieties planted widely in the world. Starches from varieties with different genotype types and originating from different countries have not been compared for their physicochemical properties. In the research, starches from 44 sweet potato varieties originating from 15 countries but planted in the same growing conditions were investigated for their physicochemical properties to reveal the similarities and differences in varieties. The results showed that the 44 starches had granule size (D[4,3]) from 8.01 to 15.30 μm. Starches had different iodine absorption properties with OD680 from 0.259 to 0.382 and OD620/550 from 1.142 to 1.237. The 44 starches had apparent amylose content from 19.2% to 29.2% and true amylose content from 14.2% to 20.2%. The starches exhibited A-, C_A-, C_C-, or C_B-type X-ray diffraction patterns. The thermograms of 44 starches exhibited one-, two-, or three-peak curves, leading to a significantly different gelatinization temperature range from 13.1 to 29.2 °C. The significantly different starch properties divide the 44 sweet potato varieties into different groups due to their different genotype backgrounds. The research offers references for the utilization of sweet potato germplasm.

Pressure moisture treatment and hydro-thermal treatment of starch

Starch is often subjected to denaturation treatment to improve its useful properties and eliminate its shortcomings. Various methods have been developed to produce modified starches with different properties and for a variety of uses. Because physically modified starch can be produced without chemical substances or biological agents, the modification method is very simple and inexpensive, and the resulting material can be used as clean label starch. Among these physical modification technologies, heat moisture treatment (HMT) is a universally valid technology, but little is known about pressure moisture treatment (PMT)-related technology. Physical modification of starch using PMT results in new functions and value-added characteristics required by industry, and PMT has the potential to produce starch with new functions. In this paper, PMT-related technologies for physically modified starch, the difference between PMT and the hydro-thermal treatment, and clean label starch manufacturing using HMT and PMT were investigated.

Assessment of the prebiotic potential of seed coats from green gram (Vigna radiata) and black gram (Vigna mungo)

Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients which beneficially affect the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of intestinal bacteria. In the present work, an attempt is made to show the in-vitro prebiotic ability of husks of the pulses, Green Gram (Vigna radiata) and Black Gram (Vigna mungo), using the known standard probiotic strains: Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 8014 and Pediococcus acidilactici ATCC 8042. The husks are found to be resistant to in-vitro gastrointestinal digestion, and thus contain non-digestible constituents, and support the growth of beneficial microorganisms commonly present in the gastrointestinal tract. Pediococcus sp. showed growth up to 80% relative to inulin for the husks. The study also demonstrates the antioxidant activity of husks that can be an additional health benefit. Thus, the husks could be considered as potential prebiotic candidates. This work is the foremost of its kind to demonstrate the prebiotic activities of Green Gram and Black Gram husks.

Efficiency of Resistant Starch and Dextrins as Prebiotics: A Review of the Existing Evidence and Clinical Trials

In well-developed countries, people have started to pay additional attention to preserving healthy dietary habits, as it has become common knowledge that neglecting them may easily lead to severe health impairments, namely obesity, malnutrition, several cardiovascular diseases, type-2 diabetes, cancers, hypertensions, and inflammations. Various types of functional foods were developed that are enriched with vitamins, probiotics, prebiotics, and dietary fibers in order to develop a healthy balanced diet and to improve the general health of consumers. Numerous kinds of fiber are easily found in nature, but they often have a noticeable undesired impact on the sensory features of foods or on the digestive system. This led to development of modified dietary fibers, which have little to no impact on taste of foods they are added to. At the same time, they possess all the benefits similar to those of prebiotics, such as regulating gastrointestinal microbiota composition, increasing satiety, and improving the metabolic parameters of a human. In the following review, the evidence supporting prebiotic properties of modified starches, particularly resistant starches and their derivatives, resistant dextrins, was assessed and deliberated, which allowed drawing an interesting conclusion on the subject.

Effects of treatment methods on the formation of resistant starch in purple sweet potato

In order to determine the mechanisms underlying resistant starch formation, three treatments were used to prepare resistant starch from purple sweet potato. The resistant starch yield, amylose content, chain length distribution, thermal properties, and crystal structure were determined, and the results were compared with those of unmodified starch. Autoclaving, pullulanase, and pullulanase-autoclaving treatments significantly increased the resistant starch yield, amylose content, shorter amylopectin branch content, and gelatinisation temperatures of native purple sweet potato starch. Resistant starch prepared via pullulanase-autoclaving combination treatment exhibited the highest gelatinisation enthalpy value and the greatest degree of overall thermal stability. X-ray diffraction patterns and Fourier-transform infrared spectra analysis demonstrated that all three treatments transformed the starch crystalline structure from C-type to B-type, and no new groups were generated during the modification process; all the processes were only physical modifications.

Effects of digested flours from four different sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) root varieties on the composition and metabolic activity of human colonic microbiota in vitro

This study evaluated the effects of flours from four different sweet potato root (SPR) varieties, being two with white peel and two with purple peel, on the composition and metabolic activity of human colonic microbiota in vitro. The capability of these SPR flours (20 g/L) to cause alterations in relative abundance of different bacterial groups found as part of human colonic microbiota, as well as in lactic acid and short-chain fatty acid production was evaluated during 48 hr of an in vitro colonic fermentation. The SPR flours were submitted to a simulated gastrointestinal digestion prior to use in experiments. The four SPR flours increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus/Enterococcus (range: 0.49-4.48%) and Bifidobacterium (range: 0.32-3.27%) and decreased the relative abundance of Bacteroides/Prevotella (range: 0.29-7.49%), Clostridium histolyticum (range: 0.15-2.08%), and Eubacterium rectale/Clostridium coccoides (range: 0.28-3.86%) during the 48 hr of colonic fermentation. The four SPRF flours had positive prebiotic indexes (> 0.38) after 24 and 48 hr of colonic fermentation, reinforcing the occurrence of selective stimulatory effects on colonic microbiota. An increased metabolic activity of human colonic microbiota was caused by tested SPR flours, which was evidenced by decreased pH (range: 3.20-3.83) and increased lactic acid and short chain fatty acid production during the 48 hr of colonic fermentation. The four examined SPR flours were capable of causing positive alterations in composition and driving the metabolic activity of human colonic microbiota during in vitro colonic fermentation, which should be linked to their prebiotic properties. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The four examined sweet potato root flours (SPRF) caused beneficial alterations in composition besides of driving the metabolic activity of human colonic microbiota in vitro. These results characterize the examined SPRF as candidates for use as prebiotic ingredients by food industry for formulation of value-added functional foods or dietary supplements.

Food and Food Groups in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): The Design of the Groningen Anti-Inflammatory Diet (GrAID)

Diet plays a pivotal role in the onset and course of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Patients are keen to know what to eat to reduce symptoms and flares, but dietary guidelines are lacking. To advice patients, an overview of the current evidence on food (group) level is needed. This narrative review studies the effects of food (groups) on the onset and course of IBD and if not available the effects in healthy subjects or animal and in vitro IBD models. Based on this evidence the Groningen anti-inflammatory diet (GrAID) was designed and compared on food (group) level to other existing IBD diets. Although on several foods conflicting results were found, this review provides patients a good overview. Based on this evidence, the GrAID consists of lean meat, eggs, fish, plain dairy (such as milk, yoghurt, kefir and hard cheeses), fruit, vegetables, legumes, wheat, coffee, tea and honey. Red meat, other dairy products and sugar should be limited. Canned and processed foods, alcohol and sweetened beverages should be avoided. This comprehensive review focuses on anti-inflammatory properties of foods providing IBD patients with the best evidence on which foods they should eat or avoid to reduce flares. This was used to design the GrAID.

Physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibility of hydrothermal treated Chinese yam (Dioscorea opposita Thunb.) starch and flour

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of hydrothermal treatments (heat-moisture treatment (HMT) and annealing (ANN)) on the physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibility of yam starch and yam flour. Hydrothermal treatments decreased the pasting properties of yam starch and yam flour. Compared with yam starch, HMT significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the pasting viscosities of yam flour. Both HMT and ANN caused an increase of the gelatinization temperatures (T_o, T_p, and T_c) and a decrease of enthalpy (△H). The increasement in ratio of 1047/1022 cm^-1 and 995/1022 cm^-1 suggested that HMT and ANN resulted in an increase in short-range order. The crystalline pattern of all samples was still A-type, and HMT yam starch exhibited higher crystallinity (26.20%). The most significant inhibition of in vitro digestibility was found in HMT yam flour, with slowly digestible starch and resistant starch contents increasing by 3.73% and 4.40%, respectively. Hydrothermal treatments made the no-starch ingredients in yam flour agglomerate and adhere to starch granules. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that the starch being coated or embedded by protein was a possible reason for the differences in physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibility between yam starch and yam flour.

Effect of Preparation and Freezing Methods on the Concentration of Resistant Starch, Antinutritional Factors and FODMAPs in Beans

Background:

During frozen storage, the properties of vegetables are greatly influenced by storage conditions, especially temperature and time, even at low temperatures, suffering important quality attributes modification as a result of the action of biochemical activity, chemical and physical phenomena. The effect of freezing on common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and cowpea bean (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) processed under domestic processing conditions was evaluated to investigate the contents of resistant starch, oligosaccharides (raffinose and stachyose), phytate levels, protein digestibility and the inhibitory trypsin activity.

Methods:

The beans were cooked after different pre-soaking treatments and frozen (-20°C) for one, two and three weeks respectively.

Results:

A reduction was observed in the content of resistant starch by the use of the pre-soaking treatments; however, it increased significantly after freezing the samples from the treatments in which the soaking water was maintained and in which the cooked beans were frozen for 7 days. In the case of oligosaccharide content (raffinose and stachyose), cowpea beans had higher levels than the common beans, with changes in their values after 7 days of freezing. In the treatments in which the soaking water was discarded before cooking, raffinose and stachyose showed variable levels. In cowpea, the treatment in which the soaking water was not used in cooking showed a reduction in the content of phytate at 14 days of freezing, with inhibition of trypsin at 21 days compared with the initial time. Digestibility in all treatments was improved after freezing.

Conclusion:

The increase in resistant starch content, removal of phytate and trypsin inhibitors, and bean flatulence factors were significant in cooked beans after freezing between 14 and 21 days.

In vitro Prebiotic Effects of Bamboo Shoots and Potato Peel Extracts on the Proliferation of Lactic Acid Bacteria Under Simulated GIT Conditions

The present study explored the possible prebiotic application of potato peel and bamboo shoot extracts for the proliferation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from diverse niches and their tolerance ability to simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) conditions was also examined. Initially, the complete 16S rDNA sequencing of selected isolates revealed them as Lactobacillus paracasei (6), Staphylococcus simulans (2), and Streptococcus thermophilus (1). Higher cell densities and rapid pH change were obtained from cultured media supplemented with BS (2%) and PP (2%) as a carbon source. Their higher tolerance and the lowest reducing sugar abilities were obtained for BS at pH 2.5 and 9.0, while at pH 3.5 and 8.0 for PP. The isolates were screened for additional functional and technological properties to harvest the most appropriate starter. The selected isolates harbored promising functional properties such as amylase presence, cell surface hydrophobicity, autoaggregation, proteolytic and lipolytic activity, antifungal action, as well as exopolysaccharide production. On the basis of these attributes, microencapsulated strain K3 was found resistant to gastrointestinal conditions after 2 h, resulting in significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved survival compared to non-capsulated strain. The current approach presents an interesting economical strategy to modulate LAB through supplementation of plant-derived carbon sources as well as to enhance their survival under GIT.

Photo-fermentation of purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) using probiotic bacteria and LED lights to yield functionalized bioactive compounds

The purpose of this study was to examine if fermentation of purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) powder (PSP) by Lactobacillus brevis under green, red, blue, white light-emitting diode (LED) illumination or sunlight might yield functionalized products with good antibacterial, antioxidant activity, and/or cytotoxic activity. The Purple sweet potato (PSP) powder fermented with probiotic bacteria L. brevis under white LED light (1.9 ± 1.80/1.6 ± 0.52), blue LED light (1.4 ± 1.32/1.8 ± 0.83), or sunlight (1.2 ± 1.26/1.5 ± 1.83) for Propionibacterium acne and Staphylococcus epidermidis displayed good to moderate antibacterial activity based on minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) red, blue, white LED lights and sunlight (80 µg/mL) for P. acne and S. epidermidis, minimum bactericidal concentration red, blue LED lights and sunlight shows (46/48, 61/70, 50/48 µg/mL) for P. acne and S. epidermidis. Antioxidant activity for dark, white, blue and green LED lights for ABTS and white, blue and green Led for DPPH assay resulted in lower activity. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was performed to determine the functional groups in the non-fermented (control) and fermented products of PSP powders obtained using different light sources. Sunlight, white, and blue LED light-fermented extracts contained alcohol, acid, and phenol groups, as well as aliphatic amines. The results of this study clearly indicate that fermentation of purple sweet potato with probiotic bacteria under various LED light sources can yield compounds that can be used in cosmetic and value-added food products.

Prebiotic effects of resistant starch from purple yam (Dioscorea alata L.) on the tolerance and proliferation ability of Bifidobacterium adolescentis in vitro

The in vitro prebiotic effects of resistant starch (RS), prepared by different treatments from purple yam, on Bifidobacterium adolescentis (bifidobacteria for short), were investigated. Tolerance tests indicated that bifidobacteria in PDS (prepared by debranching combined with autoclaving) and PDS.H (PDS further treated by double enzyme hydrolysis) media adapted better to simulated upper gastrointestinal conditions (at pH 1.5-3.0 and 0.3% and 1.0% bile acid) than those in GLU (glucose) and DAS (prepared by autoclaving) media. PDS.H, which had the highest digestion resistibility, exhibited significant effects on the OD600 nm value (1.544) and the pH value (4.21) when the carbohydrate concentration was 20 g L-1. Additionally, the exponential growth phase of bifidobacteria was 2 h in the PDS or PDS.H media, whereas it was 4 h in the GLU or DAS media. A higher content of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) was obtained in the PDS.H medium. Analysis of the structural features of RS and fermented RS indicated that PDS, especially PDS.H, had a rougher surface and higher crystallinity than DAS. Fermented RS in a simulated large bowel environment showed an eroded surface and decreased crystallinity. All of these findings suggest that RS with a rough surface and perfect crystalline structure could protect bifidobacteria from gastrointestinal conditions and enhance the proliferation of bifidobacteria.

Comparison of structural features and in vitro digestibility of purple yam (Dioscorea alata L.) resistant starches by autoclaving and multi-enzyme hydrolysis

Resistant starches (RS) were prepared from purple yam by dual autoclaving-retrogradation (DAS), and pullulanase debranching treatment (PDS). DAS and PDS were then hydrolyzed by α-amylase and amyloglucosidase to obtain DAS.H and PDS.H. Differences in structural characteristics and in vitro digestibility among the four samples were investigated. The results showed that granules of RS had a rough surface and irregular shape. DAS had the lowest amylose content (29.52%), whereas PDS.H had the highest amylose content (41.96%). The order of crystallinity of the RS was: PDS.H (31.23%) > DAS.H (30.16%) > PDS (21.23%) > DAS (15.30%). Analysis by in vitro digestibility indicated a decreased hydrolysis index and glycemic index due to lower swelling power and water-binding capacity, and a well-ordered double helix structure and more crystallization in PDS.H than in the other RS samples. These results suggest that pullulanase debranching combined with α-amylase and amyloglucosidase hydrolysis may produce better RS with improved crystalline structure and higher digestion resistibility.

Influence of Diet on the Course of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

BACKGROUND

While the importance of diet in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is generally recognized, influence of food on the course of IBD is little understood.

AIM

The purpose of this study was to assess the association between food intake and course of disease in patients with IBD.

METHODS

We performed a cross-sectional study on 103 adult patients (50 with active disease and 53 in remission, divided by their calprotectin level), who completed a food frequency questionnaire on their intake of several foods over 1 year. Diet, as assessed using a 146-item self-administered food frequency questionnaire, was correlated with objective evidence of disease based on fecal calprotectin levels.

RESULTS

Legumes and potato were inversely associated with disease relapse (p value for trend 0.023) with patients in the highest quartile for legume and potato consumption carrying a 79% lower risk of active disease (adjusted OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.57-0.81). A positive association emerged between meat intake and disease relapse, the highest quartile for meat consumption coinciding with a higher risk of active disease (OR 3.61, 95% CI 1.15-11.38), though this was not significant in the adjusted analysis. No statistically significant associations were found between disease relapse and the intake of vegetables, cereals, dairy products, or fish.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest a potentially protective role of legumes and potato and a detrimental influence of meat in maintaining clinical remission in IBD patients. These findings have important public health implications, but further interventional studies will be needed to demonstrate these associations.

Physicochemical Characterization and Biological Activities of the Triterpenic Mixture α,β-Amyrenone

α-Amyrenone and β-amyrenone are triterpenoid isomers that occur naturally in very low concentrations in several oleoresins from Brazilian Amazon species of Protium (Burseraceae). This mixture can also be synthesized by oxidation of α,β-amyrins, obtained as major compounds from the same oleoresins. Using a very simple, high yield procedure, and using a readily commercially available mixture of α,β-amyrins as substrate, the binary compound α,β-amyrenone was synthesized and submitted to physico-chemical characterization using different techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H and ¹³C), mass spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry and derivative thermogravimetry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Biological effects were also evaluated by studying the inhibition of enzymes involved in the carbohydrate and lipid absorption process, such as α-amylase, α-glucosidase, lipase, and their inhibitory concentration values of 50% of activity (IC₅₀) were also determined. α,β-Amyrenone significantly inhibited α-glucosidase (96.5% ± 0.52%) at a concentration of 1.6 g/mL. α,β-Amyrenone, at a concentration of 100 µg/mL, showed an inhibition rate on lipase with an IC₅₀ value of 82.99% ± 1.51%. The substances have thus shown in vitro inhibitory effects on the enzymes lipase, α-glucosidase, and α-amylase. These findings demonstrate the potential of α,β-amyrenone for the development of drugs in the treatment of chronic metabolic diseases.