Evolución histórica de la clasificación taxonómica del cáñamo

El cáñamo (Cannabis sativa L.) es una planta ampliamente extendida por el mundo. Se trata de una de las fuentes más antiguas de fibras textiles, pero también ha destacado por sus usos medicinales y alimentarios. El proceso de domesticación llevado a cabo por el ser humano, centrado en la obtención de productos diferentes, ha llevado consigo una evolución biológica de planta desde los puntos de vista anatómico, morfológico, fisiológico y químico. Además, la hibridación también ha condicionado en gran medida el proceso de evolución del cáñamo, lo que ha dificultado enormemente su clasificación taxonómica, que ha sido muy controvertida. Durante la Edad Moderna, algunos autores consideraban que había diferentes especies, mientras que otros afirmaban que todos los especímenes se correspondían con una única especie. En el siglo XX tuvo lugar la caracterización química de los cannabinoides, los compuestos más característicos del metabolismo secundario del cáñamo, y esto permitió incluir como criterio de clasificación el contenido de algunos de ellos. Sin embargo, seguía habiendo discrepancias entre los autores sobre si el género Cannabis era monotípico o politípico. En el siglo XXI, la clasificación taxonómica del cáñamo continúa siendo objeto de estudio ante la falta de consenso

Nutritional and antioxidant properties of pulp and seeds of two xoconostle cultivars (Opuntia joconostle F.A.C. Weber ex Diguet and Opuntia matudae Scheinvar) of high consumption in Mexico

The genus Opuntia embraces different species of cactus, and many of them produce acid fruits known as xoconostle, which are considered valuable vegetable foods in Latin America. Xoconostle fruit contains an edible thick-acid-freshly mesocarp, and seeds that are considered as by-products. Given the high potential of its use and consumption, and the lack of information about its detailed chemical composition and bioactive compounds, the aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional and antioxidant properties of pulp and seeds of two highly consumed commercial cultivars of xoconostle fruits (Opuntia joconostle F.A.C. Weber ex Diguet, cv. Cuaresmeño, and Opuntia matudae Scheinvar, cv. Rosa). This investigation shows that the pulp of the studied xoconostle cultivars had an appreciable amount of soluble fiber and antioxidant compounds such as ascorbic acid, while the seeds are a source of fiber, phenolics, flavonoids, PUFAs and tocopherols (specially γ-tocopherol), which provide a good antioxidant capacity. In the light of these results, xoconostle fruits should be considered of great interest for either promoting the conventional consumption, and also as sources of bioactive compounds for the addition to other food products, so that all the nutrients present are fully used, instead of being discarded

Bioaccessibility of macrominerals and trace elements from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) farmers’ varieties

Traditional farmers’ varieties of tomato grown under extensive farming techniques are considered delicious and healthy foods and are preferred by local consumers. Tomatoes are an important component of a healthy diet, as they provide essential micronutrients, including minerals, which are vital to healthy development, disease prevention, and wellbeing. Given the considerable dietary intake of tomatoes and the scarcity of information about the bioaccessibility of inorganic constituents in this fruit, this study was carried out to evaluate the content and bioaccessibility of minerals (macro- and microelements) in tomato farmers’ varieties widely cultivated in northeastern Portugal homegardens. Among the macroelements, K stood out as the most abundant mineral in the studied varieties, followed by Mg, Ca, and Na. Regarding the microelements, while the yellow tomato had higher concentrations of Fe and Cu, the round tomato had more Zn and Mn. The in vitro bioaccessibility assessment showed that, among the macroelements, Mg was more bioaccessible than Ca and K when all the tomato varieties were considered together. Among the microelements, Cu seemed to be the most bioaccessible. Although the contribution of a 100 g serving of the studied tomato farmers’ varieties to the dietary reference intakes (DRIs) of minerals is relatively low, this food could contribute to reaching these mineral requirements, as it is included in the diet of most of the population, especially in Mediterranean regions.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for the financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES granted to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020), the ALIMNOVA Research Group (ref: 951505), and FEI21/34 (UCM). The FCT funded the contracts of J. Pinela (CEECIND/01011/2018) and L. Barros (institutional scientific employment program contract).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Review of the Role of Micronutrients and Bioactive Compounds on Immune System Supporting to Fight against the COVID-19 Disease

Micronutrients are critical for an adequate function of the immune system and play a vital role in promoting health and nutritional well-being. The present work is aimed at reviewing (1) the role of micronutrients in helping the immune system to fight against the COVID-19 disease through the diet with food or food supplements and (2) the potential use of food health claims regarding immune function according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) requirements. Till date, there are some health claims authorized by the European Commission that refer to the role of certain essential nutrients (vitamins B6 , B9 , B12, A, D, C, and Cu, Fe, Se) to contribute to the proper functioning of the immune system. Vitamins D, C, Zn, and Se, have been thoroughly studied as a strategy to improve the immune system to fight against COVID-19 disease. From all the micronutrients, Vitamin D is the one with more scientific evidence suggesting positive effects against COVID-19 disease as it is linked to a reduction of infection rates, as well as an improved outcomes in patients. To validate scientific evidence, different clinical trials are ongoing currently, with promising preliminary results although inconclusive yet

Nutrients, phytochemicals and antioxidant activity in wild populations of Allium ampeloprasum, a valuable underutilized vegetable

Wild Allium species with a long tradition of use, such as Allium ampeloprasum L. could provide interesting bioactive compounds to current diet. The nutrient and bioactive compound content of this wild vegetable has been scarcely known. Therefore, the aim of this work is to provide a detailed chemical quantification of nutrients, hydrophilic and lipophilic bioactive compounds and the antioxidant capacity of the edible parts of wild leek, as well as data about plant production and availability of the species in their natural habitats. Wild leek can be considered as a low energy food, being a good source of fiber and zinc, compared to its cultivated relatives, and has revealed a predominance of polyunsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid being the main fatty acid. Additionally, the natural yield of this species, although lower than other cultivated Allium species, was found to be stable and well-adapted to human-disturbed environments. For these reasons, this non-conventional wild bulb should be revalorized as a good alternative to increase the diversity of vegetables consumed and enhance the quality of current occidental diets.ERDF and the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (CGL2006-09546/BOS). The authors are also grateful to Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologa (FCT, Portugal) and COMPETE/QREN/EU for financial support to CIMO (strategic project PEst-OE/AGR/UI0690/2011). P. García-Herrera thanks to the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science for her UCM predoctoral fellowship. We also thank to Ramón Morales, Laura Aceituno, and Susana González for their collaboration in the gathering and preparation of the samples, and also to Carmen Díez for her support in mineral analysis

Phenolic composition and antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties of hop (Humulus lupulus L.) seeds

Hop (Humulus lupulus L.) is a perennial climbing plant cultivated for commercial use, mainly in brewing industry, since the female inflorescences (cones) contain lupulin glands that confer the characteristic bitterness, aroma and flavour to beer. However, the bioactive potential of the seeds found in these cones remains unexplored. In this study, the phenolic composition of hop seeds was analysed by LC-DAD-ESI/MS n and its antioxidant, cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities were screened against oxidizable substrates, human tumour and non-tumour cell lines, and different bacteria and fungi, respectively. (+)-Catechin and (-)-epicatechin were identified in the seeds, totalizing 17.6 ± 0.7 mg/g extract. The seed extract showed antioxidant activity mainly through the formation inhibition of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and had cytotoxic effects against MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), NCI-H460 (non-small cell lung cancer), HeLa (cervical carcinoma), and HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma) tumour cells, but no toxicity towards the normal PLP2 cell line was observed. The extract showed remarkable antimicrobial properties, being better than the positive controls against almost all tested bacteria and fungi of the genus Penicillium. These results highlight the potential of hop seeds as a source of functional ingredients with applications in the food and pharmaceutical sectors.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO ( UID/AGR/00690/2019 ) and the research contracts of J. Pinela (Project AllNatt, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030463), L. Barros, and R.C. Calhelha. Also to ALIMNOVA-UCM research group and Art. 83 project ref: UCM 252/2017, and to the Rafael Folch Foundation for the J.I. Alonso-Esteban grant (2016/01M). This work was funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-023289: DeCodE. To FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme for financial support through the project 0377_Iberphenol_6_E. Authors are grateful also to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of Serbia (Grant No. OI 173,032).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Chemical composition and biological activities of whole and dehulled hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) seeds

This study aimed to determine a complete chemical composition of eight different varieties of whole hemp seeds and eight samples of commercial dehulled hemp seeds. We also evaluated the phenolic profiles and antioxidant, cytotoxic, and antimicrobial properties of hydromethanolic seed extracts. Whole hemp seeds contain much more fibre than dehulled hemp seeds, which contain more fat and protein. Sucrose and raffinose were the most abundant soluble sugars, and citric and oxalic acids were the most abundant organic acids. In the hydromethanolic hemp seed extracts, we detected the phenolic acids ferulic acid-hexoside and syringic acid. Whole hemp seed extracts exhibited better antioxidant activity than dehulled hemp seed extracts, especially in the TBARS assay. Cytotoxic activity against NCI-H460 cells was also observed. The dehulled hemp seed extracts displayed antibacterial activity, especially against Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Enterococcus faecalis, and antifungal activity to a lesser extent.The authors are grateful to ALIMNOVA Research Group 95105 (Fundaci´on Sabor y Salud-UCM, ref. 317/2020), as well as to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/ 2020). J.I. Alonso-Esteban thanks his grant (2016/01 M) to the Rafael Folch Foundation. R.C. Calhelha and L. Barros thank the national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract, and J. Pinela (CEECIND/01011/2018) through the individual scientific employment program-contract. To FEDER-Interreg Espa˜na-Portugal programme for financial support through the project TRANSCoLAB 0612_TRANS_CO_LAB_2_P. Also to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of Republic of Serbia (451-03-9/2021-14/ 200007).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

In vitro assessment of potential intestinal absorption of some phenolic families and carboxylic acids from commercial instant coffee samples

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world, being a source of bioactive compunds as well as flavors. Hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonols, and carboxylic acids have been studied in samples of instant coffee commercialized in Spain, The studies about contents of food components should be complemented with either in vitro or in vivo bioaccessibility studies to know the amount of food components effectively available for functions in the human body. In this sense, a widely used in vitro model has been applied to assess the potential intestinal absorption of phenolic compounds and organic acids. Contents of hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonols were higher in instant regular coffee samples than in decaffeinated ones. Bioaccesible phenolic compounds in most analyzed samples account to 20-25 % of hydroxycinnamic acids and 17-26 % of flavonols. This could mean that a great part of them can remain in the gut, acting as potential in situ antioxidants. Quinic, acetic, pyroglutamic, citric and fumaric acids were identified in commercial instant coffee samples. Succininc acid was found in the coffee blend containing chicory. All carboxylic acids showed a very high bioaccesibility. Particularly, acetic acid and quinic acid were found in higher contents in the samples treated with the in vitro simulation of gastrointestinal process, compared to the original ones, which can be explained by their cleavage from chlorogenic acid during digestion. This is considered as a positive effect, since quinic acid is considered as an antioxidant inducer

Potential Nutrition and Health Claims in Deastringed Persimmon Fruits (Diospyros kaki L.), Variety ‘Rojo Brillante’, PDO ’Ribera del Xúquer’

In Europe, nutrition and health claims made on food must be based on scientific evidence, which means a comprehensive evaluation by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) prior to authorisation. Processed foods are subject to numerous claims derived from the presence of bioactive compounds; however, natural food products, often the original sources of those compounds, are not habitually the subject of these claims. Although the consumption of persimmon fruit has important health benefits, up to date no specific health claims are authorised for this fruit. In this work, ‘Rojo Brillante’ persimmon fruits (Diospyros kaki L.), Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) ‘Ribera del Xúquer’ were characterized regarding the presence of fiber (soluble and insoluble), vitamin C (ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acids), carotenoids (neoxanthin, violaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, β- carotene) and mineral elements (Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Ca, Mg, Na, K). Different fruit batches harvested in different seasons were analyzed by standardized analytical methods (Association of Official Analytical Chemists, AOAC), high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV) and atomic absorption spectroscopy. Based on the results, Persimon® is potentially able to show two nutrition claims “Source of fiber” and “Sodium-free/salt-free”. This work could set the ground for future studies and to start considering natural food products as candidates for the use of approved claims