Influence of Moderate High-Pressure Homogenization on Quality of Bioactive Compounds of Functional Food Supplements

Current interest in health has led to an increase in demand for functional food supplements as well as in industry concern for maintaining the bioactive compounds of such foods via the application of new technologies. In this study, we evaluated the effect of moderate high-pressure homogenization (HPH) treatments (80 and 120 MPa) versus thermal treatment (80°C, atmospheric pressure) on the functional bioactive compounds from four different functional supplements stored under accelerated conditions (40°C  ±  2°C and 75%  ±  5% relative humidity) for 6 months. HPH proved to be a better alternative than thermal treatment for functional supplements containing heat-sensitive compounds such as vitamin C, vitamin A, and unsaturated fatty acids (10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid). The proanthocyanidin, cynarin, chlorogenic, and iron contents, however, were not initially affected by HPH treatments. The storage time caused important reductions in the majority of the compounds studied (mainly in vitamins C, B12, and A), although the lowest decrease was found in the HPH samples. The food matrix had an important effect on the final functional composition and required the optimization of HPH treatments for each functional food supplement. HPH is a recommended alternative to thermal treatment for functional food supplements, in particular when they are rich in thermolabile bioactive compounds

Aloe vera Flowers, a by product with great potential and wide application, depending on maturity stage

Flowers of Aloe vera are a byproduct providing a valuable source of bioactive compounds with different functions for health benefits. The characterization in amino acids, organic acids, sugars, trigonelline, volatiles compounds, fatty acids, total phenolic, carotenoids, vitamin C content, and antioxidant capacity of Aloe flowers (Aloe barbadensis Miller) has been studied at three maturity stages (I: immature; II: mature; III: mature, with flowers buds opened). Immature flowers presented the highest content in phenyl alanine, tyrosine, citric acid, trigonelline, carotenoids, retinol activity equivalent, vitamin C, and total phenolic and antioxidant capacity. As the flower develops, the content of these compounds decreases Aloe vera flowers presented an important content in fatty acids, and the principal concentration was identified in polyunsaturated unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) as α-linolenic acid, and linoleic acid, with a ratio close to one. The main saturated fatty acid was palmitic acid, followed by stearic acid. Maturity stage III showed the lowest fatty acid content. The bioactive compounds found in Aloe vera flowers have potential applications in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and food industries. Depending on the compound of interest, it could be worthwhile harvesting flowers at maturity stage I, thereby reducing the energy consumption of flowers from the plant and thus favoring plant development. This is an example of a circular economy for Aloe vera producers, generating economic and business opportunities and thus providing environmental and social benefits.This research was funded by the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional/Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación-Agencia Estatal de Investigación (FEDER/MICINN-AEI), project RTI2018-099139-B-C21

XVII Curso Internacional Inmunonutrición en la Salud y el Bienestar

Resúmenes de las conferencias habidas en el XVII Curso Internacional en la Salud y el Bienestar celebrado en Madrid

Singlet oxygen triggers chloroplast rupture and cell death in the zeaxanthin epoxidase defective mutant aba1 of Arabidopsis thaliana under high light stress

[EN] The two Arabidopsis thaliana mutants, aba1 and max4, were previously identified as sharing a number of coregulated genes with both the flu mutant and Arabidopsis cell suspension cultures exposed to high light (HL). On this basis, we investigated whether aba1 and max4 were generating high amounts of singlet oxygen (1O2) and activating 1O2-mediated cell death. Thylakoids of aba1 produced twice as much 1O2 as thylakoids of max4 and wild type (WT) plants when illuminated with strong red light. 1O2 was measured using the spin probe 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidone hydrochloride. 77-K chlorophyll fluorescence emission spectra of thylakoids revealed lower aggregation of the light harvesting complex II in aba1. This was rationalized as a loss of connectivity between photosystem II (PSII) units and as the main cause for the high yield of 1O2 generation in aba1. Upregulation of the 1O2 responsive gene AAA-ATPase was only observed with statistical significant in aba1 under HL. Two early jasmonate (JA)-responsive genes, JAZ1 and JAZ5, encoding for two repressor proteins involved in the negative feedback regulation of JA signalling, were not up-regulated to the WT plant levels. Chloroplast aggregation followed by chloroplast rupture and eventual cell death was observed by confocal imaging of the fluorescence emission of leaf cells of transgenic aba1 plants expressing the chimeric fusion protein SSU-GFP. Cell death was not associated with direct 1O2 cytotoxicity in aba1, but rather with a delayed stress response. In contrast, max4 did not show evidence of 1O2-mediated cell death. In conclusion, aba1 may serve as an alternative model to other 1O2-overproducing mutants of Arabidopsis for investigating 1O2-mediated cell death

Functionality of a watermelon juice enriched with L-citrulline: technical development and effect in vivo

[SPA] La sandía es una fuente natural rica en L-citrulina (CIT). Este aminoácido (aa) no esencial se sintetiza endógenamente en la mucosa intestinal. En los últimos años, CIT ha despertado un especial interés por ser precursor de la biosíntesis de L-arginina, sustrato para la producción endógena de óxido nítrico (NO) al cual se le ha atribuido un efecto positivo en el rendimiento deportivo. Además, es un aa intermediario metabólico del ciclo de la urea hepático que contribuye a la eliminación del ión amonio en forma de urea. La acumulación de amonio ha sido relacionada con la aparición de la fatiga muscular y, por ello, con la disminución del rendimiento deportivo. El objetivo de este estudio consiste en evaluar la influencia del zumo de sandía enriquecido o no en CIT en la mejora del rendimiento deportivo y recuperación posterior, tras la realización de ejercicios físicos tanto aeróbicos como anaeróbicos. Con este fin, se determinará la percepción subjetiva del esfuerzo realizado al finalizar el ejercicio y la percepción subjetiva del dolor muscular al finalizar el ejercicio y a las 24, 48 y 72 horas. Adicionalmente, se evaluarán las concentraciones plasmáticas de los marcadores bioquímicos relacionados con el daño muscular. [ENG] Watermelon is a rich natural source of L-citrulline (CIT). This is a non-essential amino acid (aa) synthesized endogenously in the intestinal mucus. Recent research has attributed important health properties to CIT. This compound is a precursor of L-arginine, which is a substrate for endogenous production of nitric oxide (NO) linked with positive effects in sport performance. Moreover, CIT is a urea cycle intermediate which contributes to the removal of ammonium ions via conversion to urea. The accumulation of ammonia is a determining factor in muscle fatigue and decreased sport performance. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the influence of watermelon juice enriched in CIT in enhanced sport performance and/or post-exercise recovery in aerobic and anaerobic exercises. Thus, the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) immediately after exercise and Delayed-onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) immediately after, 24, 48 and 72 hours after exercise will be evaluated. Additionally, plasma concentrations of biochemical markers related to muscle damage during sport activity will be studied.Se agradece a las empresas AMC Juices & Drink y a la Asociación Grupo Fashion (AGF) la colaboración recibida para realizar estos estudios

Functionality of a watermelon juice enriched in L-citrulline in athletes of a half-marathon race

[SPA] La sandía es una fuente natural rica en L-citrulina (L-cit). Este aminoácido (aa) no esencial se sintetiza endógenamente en la mucosa intestinal. En los últimos años, L-cit ha despertado un especial interés por ser precursor de la biosíntesis de L-arginina, sustrato para la producción endógena de óxido nítrico (NO) al cual se le ha atribuido un efecto positivo en el rendimiento deportivo. Además, L-cit es un aa intermediario metabólico del ciclo de la urea hepático que contribuye a la eliminación del ión amonio en forma de urea. La acumulación de amonio ha sido relacionada con la aparición de la fatiga muscular y, por ello, con la disminución del rendimiento deportivo. El objetivo de este estudio consiste en evaluar la influencia del zumo de sandía enriquecido en L-cit (ZSEC) en la mejora del rendimiento deportivo y recuperación posterior, tras una media maratón. Con este fin, se determinó la percepción subjetiva del esfuerzo realizado al finalizar el ejercicio y la percepción subjetiva del dolor muscular al finalizar la carrera y a las 24, 48 y 72 horas post-carrera. Después de la carrera, los voluntarios que ingireron ZSEC aumentaron las concentraciones plasmáticas de arginina un 27% respecto a placebo. [ENG] Watermelon is a rich natural source of L-citrulline (CIT). This is a non-essential amino acid (aa) synthesized endogenously in the intestinal mucus. In recent years, L-cit has aroused a special interest in being a precursor of L-arginine biosynthesis, a substrate for the endogenous production of nitric oxide (NO), which has been attributed a positive effect on sports performance. In addition, L-cit is a metabolic intermediate to the hepatic urea cycle that contributes to the removal of the ammonium ion in the form of urea. The accumulation of ammonium has been related to the appearance of muscular fatigue and, therefore, with the decrease of the sporty performance. The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of watermelon juice enriched in L-cit (ZSEC) on improving sports performance and recovering after a half-marathon. Subjective perception of the effort and of muscle pain and arginine and lactate in plasma were evaluated. As results, we found that after the race, volunteers who took ZSEC increased plasma arginine concentrations by 27% compared to placebo.A la Asociación Grupo Fashion (AGF) la financiación recibida para realizar este estudi

Factors afecting the content of bioactive compounds in fresh-cut produce

[SPA] Las frutas y hortalizas son alimentos vegetales que aportan vitaminas (C, A, B6, tiamina y niacina), minerales y fibra dietética a nuestra dieta. Además, en los alimentos de origen vegetal podemos encontrar una gran variedad de metabolitos secundarios (fitonutrientes) entre los que se incluyen como más relevantes polifenoles, carotenoides, monoterpenos, folatos y compuestos azufrados como glucosinolatos y tiosulfatos. Estos compuestos, con propiedades biológicas que van más allá de la nutrición, tienen una gran relevancia en la calidad de las frutas y hortalizas. Son responsables de las coloraciones anaranjadas y rojizas así como también de las pardeadas, e influyen en el sabor astringente, picante o amargo de muchos alimentos vegetales. En las frutas y hortalizas en IV gama, estos compuestos potencialmente bioactivos pueden verse alterados por una serie de factores, algunos que afectan al producto entero y otros específicos del producto procesado. Entre esta serie de factores se incluyen: el genotipo, manejo precosecha, estado de madurez así como las operaciones de procesado y conservación. La influencia del genotipo se ha estudiado en 25 variedades de melocotón, nectarina, ciruela y albaricoque, observando una gran variación en el contenido en constituyentes bioactivos entre variedades, entre las distintas partes del fruto (pulpa y piel) y en el estado de madurez. Entre los factores precosecha estudiados, se ha observado que la temperatura e intensidad de la luz tienen una gran influencia en el contenido nutricional (vitamina C, carotenoides, flavonoides, etc.). El tipo de suelo, riego y fertirrigación (nitrógeno y potasio) afectan, sobre todo, al contenido en vitaminas y minerales. El estado óptimo de madurez es otro de los factores que determinan la calidad del producto vegetal, en cuanto a la composición y la vida comercial. Asimismo, se ha estudiado la influencia que las operaciones de procesado, cortado, lavado, envasado y conservación, tienen sobre el contenido en constituyentes bioactivos. Los resultados de estos estudios han permitido identificar los factores críticos responsables de las pérdidas nutricionales, con el fin de mantener las características de calidad y seguridad de los alimentos de IV gama durante su vida útil. [ENG] Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet as provide vitamins (C, A, B6, thiamine and niacine), minerals and fibre. There are also a great variety of secondary metabolites (phytonutrients), such as polyphenols carotenoids, monoterpene, folates and sulfur compounds. These compounds present biological properties with added benefits because they affect the fruit and vegetable quality as responsible of the orange, red and Brown colouring of fresh produce. In addition, they confer astringent, hot or bitter flavours, that many vegetable products present. In minimally processed fruits and vegetables, these potentially bioactive compounds could be affected by a number of factors. Some of these factors are related to the whole produce while others are specific of the fresh-cut produce. Among them, genotype, preharvest factors, physiological stage, as well as several processing operations are included. As an example, the genotype influence was studied in 25 varieties of peaches, nectarines, and plums. A large variation in the bioactive constituents was found among varieties, maturity stages, as well as between different parts of the fruits (peel and pulp). Among the studied preharvest factors, it was found that temperature and light intensity have a great influence on the nutritional content (vitamin C, carotenoids, flavonols, etc.) of baby leaves. The type of soil, irrigation and fertirrigation (N2 and P) mainly affect the vitamin and mineral content of the fruit. The optimal maturity stage is another factor that determines the quality of the produce regarding fruit composition and shelf-life. Furthermore, the influence of processing operations such as cutting, washing, packaging and storage on the bioactive constituents was studied. These data have allowed to identified the critical factors, which are responsible for nutritional losses, to maintain the quality and safety characteristic of the fresh-cut fruit and vegetables throughout their shelf-life.La financiación ha sido posible gracias al proyecto AGL2004-03060 del Plan Nacional de Recursos Naturales y Tecnologías Agroalimentarias. Se ha participado en el proyecto CYTED XI:22

L-Citrulline: A Non-Essential Amino Acid with Important Roles in Human Health

L-Arginine (Arg) has been widely used due to its functional properties as a substrate for nitric oxide (NO) generation. However, L-citrulline (CIT), whose main natural source is watermelon, is a non-essential amino acid but which has important health potential. This review provides a comprehensive approach to different studies of the endogenous synthesis of CIT, metabolism, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics as well as its ergogenic effect in exercise performance. The novel aspect of this paper focuses on the different effects of CIT, citrulline malate and CIT from natural sources such as watermelon on several topics, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, erectile dysfunction, cancer, and exercise performance. CIT from watermelon could be a natural food-sourced substitute for pharmacological products and therefore the consumption of this fruit is promoted

Consumption of watermelon juice enriched in L-citrulline and pomegranate ellagitannins enhanced metabolism during physical exercise

L-Citrulline is a nonessential amino acid precursor of arginine and indirectly a precursor of nitric oxide (NO), which is a vasodilator and increases mitochondrial respiration. On the other hand, the antioxidant pomegranate ellagitannins are precursors of urolithin A, which has been associated with mitophagy and increased muscle function. To elucidate if a single dose of watermelon enrichment with these compounds could have a positive effect after high-intensity exercise (eight sets of eight repetitions of half-squat exercise), a double-blind randomized crossover in vivo study was performed in healthy male subjects (n = 19). Enrichment juices maintained basal levels of blood markers of muscle damage, such as lactate dehydrogenase and myoglobin, and showed a significant maintenance of force during the exercise and a significant decrease in the rating of perceived exertion and muscle soreness after exercise. A positive effect was observed between l-citrulline and ellagitannins, improving the ergogenic effect of watermelon juice.Actividad Física y Deport

Inflammatory mediators and immune response in Mexican adolescents

Introduction: Low-grade inflammation and increased immunity related to cardiovascular diseases have been described in children and adults, however, studies in Mexican adolescents are being done at present. Objective: To evaluate inflammatory proteins and indicators of immunity in adolescents by gender and body mass index. Material and methods: 115 Mexican adolescents, 15-18 years old (36 men), were divided into non-overweight, risk of overweight and overweight by CDC pediatric criteria by body mass index. Serum concentrations of ceruloplasmin, C3 and C4 were quantified by nephelometry; IL-6 and TNF-α from stimulated supernatant were analyzed with Human Th1-Th2 cytokine CBA II kit (BD Biosciences Pharmigen, San Diego, CA), and detected by flow cytometry. Data were analysed by Mann-Whitney U. Results: Gender differences were found in C3 (men: median 118.8, mean rank: 41.0; women: median: 143.9, mean rank: 65.7, p = 0.001) and ceruloplasmin (men: median: 31.01, mean rank: 47.06; women: median: 31.0, mean rank: 62.9, p = 0.015). Differences by BMI were found in C3 (women non-overweight: median: 137.00 mena rank: 36.52; women with risk of overweight/overweight: median: 175.80, mean rank: 57.69, p = 0.002) and C4 (men non-overweight: median: 23.40, mean rank: 16.60; men with risk of overweight/overweight: median: 26.40, mean rank: 26.36, p = 0.028; women non-overweight: median: 24.25, mean rank: 37.16 and women with risk of overweight/overweight: median: 32.80, mean rank: 54.42, p = 0.013). Conclusion: Inflammatory proteins are increased in adolescents with risk of overweight and overweight, particularly in women