Chemical composition, minerals concentration, total phenolic compounds, flavonoids content and antioxidant capacity in organic and conventional vegetables

The demand for organic vegetables is increasing worldwide, which has led to the growth of organic agriculture. However, information on chemical composition and antioxidant activity in vegetables grown organically under controlled conditions remains uncertain. For this study, 3 vegetables widely consumed in Brazil were cultivated in controlled organic and conventional cultivation systems: lettuce, coriander and tomato. Their chemical composition, mineral concentration, phenolic compound content, flavonoids and antioxidant activity (AA) were evaluated. The analyses of chemical and mineral composition revealed differences between the cultivation systems. Organic lettuce presented higher content of ashes, calcium and potassium. A higher content of phenolic compounds and flavonoids was observed in most organic vegetables. Using the 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, the organic tomato exhibited higher AA compared to conventional, while the ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) method showed higher AA for organic coriander and tomato than theirs conventional version. The correlation between bioactive compounds and AA was positive, higher and stronger for organic vegetables, considering phenolic compounds (including flavonoids) and DPPH or FRAP antioxidant activity. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) disclosed that organic lettuce and coriander were grouped according bioactive components. In general, organic vegetables showed better results for bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity.

A bioactive compound digested chia protein is capable of modulating NFκB mediated hepatic inflammation in mice fed a high-fat diet

The consumption of diets high in saturated fat can induce damages in liver morphology and function, which leads to increased inflammation, oxidative stress, and hepatic steatosis. Chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) is rich in protein, which provides bioactive peptides with potential benefits, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions. Then, this study aimed to analyze the effect of digested total protein (DTP) of chia on inflammation, oxidative stress, and morphological changes in liver of C57BL/6 mice fed a diet rich in saturated fat. Male C57BL/6 mice (n = 8/group), 8 weeks old, were fed standard diet (AIN), high-fat diet (HF), standard diet added digested protein (AIN + DTP) or high-fat diet added digested protein (HF + DTP) for 8 weeks. In animals fed a high-fat diet, chia DTP was able to reduce weight gain, food efficiency ratio and hepatosomatic index. In addition, it presented antioxidant capacity, which reduced catalase activity and lipid peroxidation. DTP was also able to reduce hepatic inflammation by reducing p65-NFκB expression and IL-1β expression and quantification. The APSPPVLGPP peptide present in chia DTP presented binding capacity with PPAR-α, which contributed to the reduction of hepatic fat accumulation evidenced by histological analysis. Thus, chia DTP improved hepatic inflammatory and histological parameters, being an effective food in reducing the liver damage caused by a high-fat diet.

Chia Phenolic Extract Appear to Improve Small Intestinal Functionality, Morphology, Bacterial Populations, and Inflammation Biomarkers In Vivo (Gallus gallus)

Phenolic compounds can act as a substrate for colonic resident microbiota. Once the metabolites are absorbed and distributed throughout the body, they can have diverse effects on the gut. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the intra-amniotic administration of a chia phenolic extract on intestinal inflammation, intestinal barrier, brush border membrane functionality, intestinal microbiota, and morphology in vivo (Gallus gallus model). Cornish-cross fertile broiler eggs, at 17 days of embryonic incubation, were separated into groups as follows: non-injected (NI; this group did not receive an injection); 18 MΩ H2O (H2O; injected with ultrapure water), and 10 mg/mL (1%) chia phenolic extract (CPE; injected with phenolic extract diluted in ultrapure water). Immediately after hatch (21 days), chickens were euthanized and their small intestine, cecum, and cecum content were collected and analyzed. The chia phenolic extract reduced the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and increased the sucrose isomaltase (SI) gene expression, reduced the Bifidobacterium and E. coli populations, reduced the Paneth cell diameter, increased depth crypt, and maintained villus height compared to the non-injected control group. Chia phenolic extract may be a promising beneficial compound for improving intestinal health, demonstrating positive changes in intestinal inflammation, functionality, microbiota, and morphology.

Sorghum flour BRS 305 hybrid has the potential to modulate the intestinal microbiota of rats fed with a high-fat high-fructose diet

AIM

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of dry heated whole sorghum BRS 305 hybrid flour on the gut microbiota modulation and gut health of rats fed with a high-fat high-fructose diet (HFHF).

METHODS

In phase I (8 weeks), 45-50 days, male Wistar rats, were separated into the AIN93-M group (n = 10; fed with normal diet) and HFHF group (n = 20; fed with diet rich in saturated and simple carbohydrate). In phase II (10 weeks), we maintained the AIN-93-M group, and the HFHF group was divided into the HFHF group (n = 10) and HFHF plus sorghum flour group (n = 10).

RESULTS

The consumption of sorghum flour increased the circular muscle layer and propionic acid when compared to the HFHF group. The sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene of the cecal microbiota presented no changes in the α-diversity and β-diversity between. However, the sorghum group exhibited higher relative abundance of Firmicutes and higher Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio compared to the other experimental groups, and lower abundance of Bacteroidetes, compared to the HFHF group. Despite, sorghum increased the abundance of the genera Roseburia and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group compared to the HFHF group. No differences were observed in total goblet cell number, crypt thickness and height, circular muscle layer, secretory IgA, and butyric acid between all groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The consumption of sorghum flour can modulate the gut microbiota composition, abundance of SCFA-producing bacteria, and intestinal morphology even with consumption of an HFHF diet.

Correction: Macauba (Acrocomia aculeata) kernel has good protein quality and improves the lipid profile and short chain fatty acids content in Wistar rats

Correction for 'Macauba (Acrocomia aculeata) kernel has good protein quality and improves the lipid profile and short chain fatty acids content in Wistar rats' by Fátima Ladeira Mendes Duarte et al., Food Funct., 2022, 13, 11342-11352, https://doi.org/10.1039/D2FO02047E.

Kombuchas from Green and Black Tea Modulate the Gut Microbiota and Improve the Intestinal Health of Wistar Rats Fed a High-Fat High-Fructose Diet

The Western diet can negatively affect the gut microbiota and is associated with metabolic disorders. Kombucha, a tea fermented by a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY), is known for its bioactive properties and has become popular in the last years. In this study, we evaluated the effects of regular kombucha consumption on the gut microbiota and on outcomes related to the intestinal health of Wistar rats fed a high-fat high-fructose diet. After eight weeks receiving a standard diet (AIN-93M) (n = 10) or a high-fat and high-fructose diet (HFHF) (n = 30) to induce metabolic disorders, the animals were subdivided into four groups: AIN-93M (n = 10); HFHF (n = 10); GTK (HFHF + green tea kombucha (n = 10); and BTK (HFHF + black tea kombucha; n = 10) for 10 weeks. Although body composition did not differ among the groups, the HFHF diet was associated with metabolic alterations, and stimulated the growth of gram-negative bacteria such as Proteobacteria and Bacteroides. Kombucha ingestion could somewhat modulate the gut microbiota, attenuating the effects of a Western diet by increasing propionate production and favoring the growth of beneficial bacteria, such as Adlercreutzia in the GTK group. Our results suggest that regular kombucha consumption may be beneficial to intestinal health, which can be mostly attributed to its high content and diversity of phenolic compounds.

Germinated Millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) Flour Improved the Gut Function and Its Microbiota Composition in Rats Fed with High-Fat High-Fructose Diet

Germinated millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) is a source of phenolic compounds that has potential prebiotic action. This study aims at evaluating the action of germinated pearl millet on gut function and its microbiota composition in Wistar rats fed with a high-fat high-fructose (HFHF) diet. In the first stage, lasting eight weeks, the experiment consisted of two groups: AIN-93M (n = 10) and HFHF group (n = 20). In the second stage, which lasted ten weeks, the animals of the AIN-93M group (n = 10) were kept, while the HFHF group was dismembered into HFHF (HFHF diet, n = 10) and HFHF + millet (HFHF added 28.6% of germinated millet flour, n = 10) groups. After the 18th week, the urine of the animals was collected for the analysis of lactulose and mannitol intestinal permeability by urinary excretion. The histomorphometry was analyzed on the proximal colon and the fecal pH, concentration of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), and sequencing of microbiota were performed in cecum content. The Mothur v.1.44.3 software was used for data analysis of sequencing. Alpha diversity was estimated by Chao1, Shannon, and Simpson indexes. Beta diversity was assessed by PCoA (Principal Coordinate Analysis). The functional predictive analysis was performed with PICRUSt2 software (version 2.1.2-b). Functional traits attributed to normalized OTU abundance were determined by the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). In the results, germinated millet flour reduced Oscillibacter genus and Desulfobacterota phylum, while increasing the Eggerthellaceae family. Furthermore, germinated millet flour: increased beta diversity, cecum weight, and cecum/body weight ratio; improved gut histological parameters by increasing the depth and thickness of the crypt and the goblet cell count (p < 0.05); reduced (p < 0.05) the fecal pH and mannitol urinary excretion; increased (p < 0.05) the propionate short-chain fatty acid concentration. Thus, germinated millet has the potential to improve the composition of gut microbiota and the intestinal function of rats fed with an HFHF diet.

Black corn (Zea mays L.) whole flour improved the antioxidant capacity and prevented adipogenesis in mice fed a high-fat diet

Black corn (Zea mays L.) is a source of anthocyanins, which have shown the ability to reduce metabolic disorders. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-adipogenic preventive effects of black corn. C57BL/6 mice were divided into 3 groups (n = 10): normal control (NC): AIN-93 M; high-fat diet (HF); HF + corn (20%) (HFC). Black corn improved the antioxidant status, through the superoxide dismutase hepatic levels and serum total antioxidant capacity. Animals fed an HFC diet showed decreased gene expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) and increased gene expression of adiponectin and lipoprotein lipase in the adipose tissue, which led to a less inflammatory infiltrate and decreased the adipocyte number and length. In the liver, black corn reduced the gene expression of SREBP-1c and acetyl CoA carboxilase 1. Therefore, black corn whole flour improved the antioxidant capacity, contributed to hepatic β-oxidation, and decreased adipogenesis in animals.

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) Flour and Oil Ameliorate Metabolic Disorders in the Liver of Rats Fed a High-Fat and High Fructose Diet

We hypothesized that the consumption of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) flour (CF) and chia oil (CO) improves metabolic disorders in the liver of Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus domestica) fed a high-fat and high-fructose (HFHF) diet. The animals were fed a HFHF diet (n = 30) or AIN93-M standard diet (n = 10) for eight weeks. After this period, the animals fed HFHF were divided into three groups (n = 10): HFHF diet, HFHF plus 14.7% of CF, and HFHF plus 4% of CO. Histological and biochemical analyses, gene expression, protein levels related to inflammation, and oxidative stress were evaluated in the liver. The HFHF diet caused lipogenesis, liver steatosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation in the animals. The CF and CO intake increased the liver total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase, decreased nitric oxide levels and liver steatosis. Furthermore, the CF and CO led to the upregulation of Cpt1a and Adipor2, respectively, whereas CF downregulated Srebf1. CO intake decreased blood glucose, triglycerides, and the animals’ body weight. Chia did not show effects on mitigating liver pro-inflammatory status, which it may indicate occurs later. The addition of chia into an unbalanced diet is a good and relevant strategy to reduce liver metabolic disorders caused by the high consumption of fructose and saturated fat.

Macauba (Acrocomia aculeata) kernel has good protein quality and improves the lipid profile and short chain fatty acids content in Wistar rats

Macauba kernel can be indicated as a complementary source for a healthy diet and as an ingredient in the elaboration of food products, and can contribute to the continued growth of the plant-based food market.