Flavonoid content of selected foods – A comparison of four international composition tables

The content of flavonoids, widely found in plant-based foods, might differ depending on which food composition table (FCT) is being used. In this study, we investigated the variation and comparability in the flavonoid content of selected foods across four international food composition tables. Flavonoid estimates were derived for all foods available in each table, and comparisons were carried out for foods common between tables. Bias percentage, 95 % limits of agreement, and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs; 95 % confidence intervals [95 %CI]) were estimated. Phenol-Explorer and Indian FCT showed moderate level of agreement for total flavonoid (ICC 0.50 and 0.57 respectively) when compared to the USDA table. eBASIS for total flavonoids and anthocyanidins (ICC 0.67 and 0.85, respectively), and Indian FCT for flavanols and flavanones (ICC 0.71 and ICC 0.85, respectively) showed moderate-to-good level of agreement, and low level of agreement for other subclasses when compared to Phenol Explorer. Several flavonoid subclasses showed low to moderate levels of agreement between FCTs, whilst others (including total flavonoid intake) had lower levels of agreement. Methodological approaches in the measurement of flavonoid content of foods across tables, and continued efforts to improve harmonization of these databases would contribute to improve quantification of flavonoid content. © 2024 The Authors"We are grateful to the National Institute of Nutrition in Hyderabad and to the e-BASIS Consortium for supporting this research and for facilitating access to their food composition tables and for answering queries related to their content. M.A.A. gratefully acknowledges the ‘Emerging Leaders in Nutrition Science Award’ by the American Society of Nutrition (ASN) for the presentation of an abstract with preliminary results from this manuscript; and The Barbara and Richard Hall Student Award for Excellence in Nutrition Science, conferred by the Center for Human Nutrition at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. MAA received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 754345-INVITE. The UK’s Medical Research Council (MR/R011192/1) funds the BOLD Study.

Retention based bio accessibility of carotenoids in green leafy vegetables: effect of different Indian culinary practices

Back ground: Green Leafy Vegetables (GLV) is pigment-rich and nutritionally relevant functional food sources with unique phytochemical constituents that include carotenoids which are precursors for vitamin A and protect cells from oxidation and cellular damage. Cooking processes and other factors such as temperature, light and alteration in moisture content generally promote either isomerization (trans to cis form) or oxidative degradation of carotenoids to epoxides. Rationale: Studies pertaining to the effect of cooking methods on dietary carotenoids bio accessibility and their retention percent are scarce, particularly in an Indian Diasporas. Objective: Present study was to determine the carotenoids retention based bio accessibility in GLV such as amaranth (Amaranthus gangeticus), spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and curry leaves (Murraya koenigii), when subjected to domestic cooking methods of microwave cooking, sautéing, pressure cooking, steaming and deep frying in oil, for a time duration of 8 and 12 minutes, either with lid closed or open. Method: The retention based bio accessibility of carotenoids were quantified by rapid separation liquid chromatography (RSLC) using RP-C-18 column (150mm×4.6µ) with 70% acetonitrile, 20% dichlomethane and 10% methanol for 20 minutes at flow rate of 0.5 ml/min. Results: The maximum retention based bio accessibility of total carotenoids and β-carotene were observed with micro wave cooking, steaming and sautéing methods. (Spinach: 57.88% and 55.92%, Amaranth: 56.15% and 57.49%, Curry leaves: 50.55% and 52.66% respectively). Conclusion: The reduction in the contents of carotenes in GLVs in correlation to various cooking methods are discussed which would be valuable for food researchers, nutritionists as well as health practitioners and dietitians, in developing and promoting nutritionally balanced diets and minimize vitamin A deficiency in Indian context

Insight into β-Carotene thermal degradation in oils with multiresponse modeling

The aim of this study was to gain further insight into b-carotene thermal degradation in oils. Multiresponse modeling was applied to experimental highperformance liquid chromatography–diode array detection (HPLC–DAD) data (trans-, 13-cis-, and 9-cis-b-carotene concentrations) during the heat treatments (120–180 C) of two b-carotene-enriched oils, i.e., palm olein and copra. The test of different reaction schemes showed that b-carotene isomerization reactions were dominant and reversible. The resulting cis isomers and trans-b-carotene simultaneously underwent oxidation and cleavage reactions at the same rate constant. From the kinetic analysis, it appeared that—contrary to oxidation and cleavage reactions—isomerization rate constants did not follow the Arrhenius law. However, the isomerization equilibrium constant increased with temperature, favoring isomer production, particularly 9-cis-b-carotene. Its production was shown to be concomitant with oxidation and cleavage reactions, indicating that 9-cis-b-carotene could be a good degradation indicator during oil storage or processing