Microwave-assisted extraction of lycopene in tomato peels: effect of extraction conditions on all-trans and cis- isomer yields

Lycopene is the primary carotenoid in tomato peels, a processing byproduct, and can be used as a natural color or bioactive ingredient. Unfortunately, extractions are inefficient as lycopene is extremely nonpolar and susceptible to degradation. As a rapid technique, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) potentially offers efficient lycopene recovery. Thus, the objectives of this research were to: 1) optimize MAE of lycopene from tomato peels and 2) evaluate the effect of treatment on all-trans and isomer yields. Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize lycopene extraction with solvent ratio solid-liquid ratios, microwave power, and delivered energy equivalents as factors. High performance liquid chromatography with a diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) was used for isomer separation and quantification. Optimum MAE conditions were determined as: 0:10 solvent ratio at 400 W with a yield of 13.592 mg/100 g of extracted all-trans-lycopene. RSM suggested that ethyl acetate was a better MAE solvent for lycopene recovery as compared to hexane, which overall extracted less lycopene. HPLC-DAD indicated that MAE significantly improved all-trans and total lycopene yields, while conventional extraction demonstrated higher proportions of cis-isomer yields. Additionally, electron micrographs showed that significant structural disruption occurred in MAE-treated samples, possibly allowing for the improved lycopene extraction

Correlazione tra pronazione del piede e dolore al ginocchio durante il cammino nel piede piatto idiopatico: valutazione clinica e funzionale

none6noneL. Berti; M.G. Benedetti; A. Ferruzzi; F. Ceccarelli; M. Longhi; S. GianniniL. Berti; M.G. Benedetti; A. Ferruzzi; F. Ceccarelli; M. Longhi; S. Giannin

Effect of a thermogenic beverage on 24-hour energy metabolism in humans.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether consumption of a beverage containing active ingredients will increase 24-hour energy metabolism in healthy, young, lean individuals. RESEARCH METHOD AND PROCEDURES: Thirty-one male and female subjects consumed 3 x 250-mL servings of a beverage containing green tea catechins, caffeine, and calcium for 3 days in a single-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design study. On the 3rd day, 23-hour energy metabolism, extrapolated to 24-hour, was measured in a calorimeter chamber. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured, and total day and night urines were analyzed for urea and catecholamine excretion. RESULTS: Twenty-four-hour energy expenditure (EE) and 24-hour fat oxidation were lower in women than in men (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.015, respectively). Although there were no treatment or treatment/gender effects on substrate oxidation, treatment increased 24-hour EE by 106 +/- 31 kcal/24 hours (p = 0.002), equivalent to 4.7 +/- 1.6 kcal/h (day; p = 0.005) and 3.3 +/- 1.5 kcal/h (night; p = 0.04). No significant differences were observed in hemodynamic parameters. DISCUSSION: The present study provides evidence that consumption of a beverage containing green tea catechins, caffeine, and calcium increases 24-hour EE by 4.6%, but the contribution of the individual ingredients cannot be distinguished. Although this increase is modest, the results are discussed in relation to proposed public health goals, indicating that such modifications are sufficient to prevent weight gain. When consumed regularly as part of a healthy diet and exercise regime, such a beverage may provide benefits for weight control

Developing a standard definition of whole-grain foods for dietary recommendations : Summary report of a multidisciplinary expert roundtable discussion

Although the term “whole grain” is well defined, there has been no universal standard of what constitutes a “whole-grain food,” creating challenges for researchers, the food industry, regulatory authorities, and consumers around the world. As part of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Technical Advisory Committee issued a call to action to develop definitions for whole-grain foods that could be universally accepted and applied to dietary recommendations and planning. The Committee’s call to action, and the lack of a global whole-grain food definition, was the impetus for theWhole Grain Roundtable held 3–5 December 2012 in Chicago, Illinois. The objective was to develop a whole-grain food definition that is consistent with the quartet of needs of science, food product formulation, consumer behavior, and label education. The roundtable’s expert panel represented a broad range of expertise from the United States and Europe, including epidemiology and dietary intervention researchers, consumer educators, government policy makers, and food and nutrition scientists from academia and the grain food industry. Taking into account the totality, quality, and consistency of available scientific evidence, the expert panel recommended that 8 g of whole grain/30 g serving (27 g/100 g), without a fiber requirement, be considered a minimum content of whole grains that is nutritionally meaningful and that a food providing at least 8 g of whole grains/30-g serving be defined as a whole-grain food. Having an established whole-grain food definition will encourage manufacturers to produce foods with meaningful amounts of whole grain, allow consistent product labeling and messaging, and empower consumers to readily identify whole-grain foods and achieve whole-grain dietary recommendations