10 research outputs found
Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Bound Phenolic Acids in Bran and Flour Fractions from Sorghum and Maize Cultivars Varying in Hardness
To release bound phenolic acids, a microwave-assisted extraction procedure was applied to bran and flour
fractions obtained from eight sorghum and eight maize cultivars varying in hardness. The procedure was followed by HPLC
analysis, and the identities of phenolic acids were confirmed by MS/MS spectra. The extraction of sorghum and maize bound
phenolic acids was done for 90 s in 2 M NaOH to release ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid from bran and flour. Two diferulic
acids, 8-O-4âČ- and 8-5âČ-benzofuran form, were identified and quantitated in sorghum bran, and only the former was found in
maize bran. The contents of ferulic acid and diferulic acids in sorghum bran were 416â827 and 25â179 ÎŒg/g, respectively,
compared to 2193â4779 and 271â819 ÎŒg/g in maize. Phenolic acid levels of sorghum were similar between hard and soft
cultivars, whereas those of maize differed significantly (p < 0.05) except for ferulic acid in flour. Sorghum phenolic acids were not
correlated with grain hardness as measured using a tangential abrasive decortication device. Maize ferulic acid (r = â0.601, p <
0.01), p-coumaric acid (r = â0.668, p < 0.01), and 8-O-4âČ-diferulic acid (r = â0.629, p < 0.01) were significantly correlated with
hardness.The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research
Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery Grant program and
the Canada Foundation for Innovation (New Opportunities
Fund and Leaders Opportunity Fund).http://pubs.acs.org/journal/jafcauhb2017Food Scienc
Linseed essential oil - source of lipids as active ingredients for pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals
Linseed - also known as flaxseed - is known for its beneficial effects on animal
health attributed to its composition. Linseed comprises linoleic and ?-linolenic fatty acids,
various dietary fibers and lignans, which are beneficial to health because they reduce the risk
of cardiovascular diseases, as well as cancer, decreasing the levels of cholesterol and relaxing
the smooth muscle cells in arteries increasing the blood flow. Essential fatty acids from flax
participate in several metabolic processes of the cell, not only as structuring components of
the cell membrane but also as storage lipids. Flax, being considered a functional food, can be
consumed in a variety of ways, including seeds, oil or flour, contributing to basic nutrition.
Several formulations containing flax are available on the market in the form of e.g. capsules
and microencapsulated powders having potential as nutraceuticals. This paper revises the different
lipid classes found in flaxseeds and their genomics. It also discusses the beneficial effects
of flax and flaxseed oil and their biological advantages as ingredients in pharmaceuticals
and in nutraceuticals products.The authors wish to acknowledge the financial support from the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation, Ministry of Science and Education (FCT/MEC) through national funds, and co-financed by FEDER, under the Partnership Agreement PT2020 for the project M-ERA-NET/0004/2015-PAIRED.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio