Impact of mild oven cooking treatments on carotenoids and tocopherols of cheddar and depurple cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. Botrytis)

The effect of steam and sous-vide oven procedures on liposoluble antioxidants of colored cauliflower (orange and purple) was assessed for the first time and compared with domestic practice (boiling). In raw samples, the total carotenoid content was 10-fold higher in Cheddar than in Depurple (20.9 \ub1 2.1 vs. 2.3 \ub1 0.5 mg/kg dry weight), whereas the level of tocopherols was similar (28.5 \ub1 4.4 vs. 33 \ub1 5.2 mg/kg dry weight). The Cheddar liposoluble antioxidant matter contained violaxanthin, neoxanthin, \u3b1-carotene and \u3b4-tocopherol, not detected in Depurple. All tests increased the bioactive compounds extractability with steam oven and sous-vide displaying similar effects, lower than boiling. In boiled Cheddar cauliflower, the total carotenoids and tocopherols contents increased with cooking time until they were 13-fold and 6-fold more than in raw cauliflower, respectively. Conversely, in the Depurple variety, contents increased by half with respect to the orange variety. However, from a nutritional point of view, no differences were revealed among the three different cooking treatments in terms of vitamin A and E levels expressed in \u3bcg/100 g of fresh vegetable because of the higher water content of boiled samples that must be considered when evaluating the effect of thermal treatment on cauliflower nutritional traits

Sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.) leaves and flowers: Bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity and hypoglycaemic potential

Sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.) leaves and flowers from Italian wild and cultivated populations were herein investigated for their content of carotenoids and tocopherols using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with the photodiode array and fluorimeter detectors to assess their functional value. Moreover, aqueous extracts were prepared to explore in vitro bioactivities never tested in this halophyte herb. Thus, chlorogenic acid-enriched sea fennel extracts were evaluated for their major bioactive compounds, antioxidant potential, pancreatic lipase, and carbohydrate hydrolase inhibitors. Neoxanthin, violaxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, β-carotene, and α- and γ-tocopherols were identified. C. maritimum can be considered a high source of lutein, vitamin A, and vitamin E up to 19.1, 1.85 and 52.81 mg/100 g of dried leaves, respectively. Despite a low TPC content, a promising ABTS+. radical scavenging activity (CON-L-WT, IC50 value of 3.83 μg/mL) and the highest FRAP value were observed in the wild leaves extract of Conero Park of Marche Region. The water extract from the wild Sicilian leaves was the most active against pancreatic lipase. The evidence herein suggests that sea fennel extract might be potentially used in the formulation of nutraceuticals for the prevention of diseases associated with oxidative stress and hyperglycemic conditions

Is coffee powder extract a possible functional ingredient useful in food and nutraceutical industries?

The present study aimed to assess the phytochemical content and in vitro bioactivity of ethanolic extracts of Arabica (A) and/or Robusta (R) coffee powder having different geographical origins. For this purpose, total phenols (TPC) and flavonoids (TFC) content as well as a- and b-tocopherol were quantified. The antioxidant activity was assessed by using a multi-target approach in which the radical scavenging potential, the protection from lipid peroxidation, and the involvement of the iron-reducing mechanism were applied. The carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes’ (a-amylase and a-glucosidase) inhibitory activities were also assessed. Arabica coffee sample (C2-A) showed the highest TPC, TFC, and a-tocopherol content with values of 63.1 mg chlorogenic acid equivalents (CAE)/g dry powder, 16.2 mg of quercetin (QE) equivalents/g dry powder, and 5.6 mg/100 g dry powder, respectively. Relative Antioxidant Capacity Index (RACI), used to statistically integrate results from 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing ability power (FRAP), and protection of lipid peroxidation assays, evidenced that sample C4-R derived from Robusta from Guatemala showed the highest antioxidant potential with a value of –0.61. Arabica from Puerto Rico was the most active against a-amylase, whereas the blend Arabica/Robusta sample (C5-A60R40) showed the highest inhibitory activity against a-glucosidase with IC50 values of 120.2 and 134.6 mg/mL, respectively. The results show how the qualitative-quantitative composition of the extracts is strongly associated not only with the variety but also with the geographical origin of the samples

Growth rate affects the responses of the green alga Tetraselmis suecica to external perturbations

We hypothesized that the duration of the perturbation relative to the reproduction rate influences the response mode to external perturbations and the degree of (organic) compositional homeostasis. Our findings are consistent with this hypothesis. When different growth rates were imposed to cells of the same species, the degree of compositional homeostasis following an external perturbation was significantly higher in the cells with slower growth rate. The ability to maintain a constant composition was however vinculated by the availability of sufficient energy. Acclimation to environmental changes involves a modification of the expressed proteome and metabolome. The reproductive advantage associated with the higher fitness that acclimation provides to the new conditions more than compensates for the costs of acclimation. To exploit such an advantage, however, the duration of the perturbation must be sufficiently long relative to the growth rate. Otherwise, a selective pressure may exist in favour of responses that minimize changes in carbon allocation and resource use and do not require reversal of the acclimation after the perturbation ceases (compositional homeostasis). We hypothesize that the choice between acclimation and homeostasis depends on the duration of the perturbation relative to the length of the cell cycle. To test this hypothesis, we cultured the green alga Tetraselmis suecica at two growth rates and subjected the cultures to three environmental perturbations. Carbon allocation was studied with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy; elemental stoichiometry was investigated by total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) spectroscopy. Our data confirmed that growth rate is a crucial factor for C allocation in response to external changes, with a higher degree of compositional homeostasis in cells with lower growth rate. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Growth rate affects the responses of the green alga Tetraselmis suecica to external perturbations

Acclimation to environmental changes involves a modification of the expressed proteome and metabolome. The reproductive advantage associated with the higher fitness that acclimation provides to the new conditions more than compensates for the costs of acclimation. To exploit such an advantage, however, the duration of the perturbation must be sufficiently long relative to the growth rate. Otherwise, a selective pressure may exist in favour of responses that minimize changes in carbon allocation and resource use and do not require reversal of the acclimation after the perturbation ceases (compositional homeostasis). We hypothesize that the choice between acclimation and homeostasis depends on the duration of the perturbation relative to the length of the cell cycle. To test this hypothesis, we cultured the green alga Tetraselmis suecica at two growth rates and subjected the cultures to three environmental perturbations. Carbon allocation was studied with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy; elemental stoichiometry was investigated by Total Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence (TXRF) spectroscopy. Our data confirmed that growth rate is a crucial factor for C allocation in response to external changes, with a higher degree of compositional homeostasis in cells with lower growth rate

Soil particles alter the metabolic profile of Pseudomonas putida grown in the presence of phenanthrene: A vibrationalSpectroscopy approach

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