Traceability, Authenticity and Sustainability of Cocoa and Chocolate Products: a Challenge for the Chocolate Industry

Cocoa beans, the seeds of the tree Theobroma cacao L., are the key raw material for chocolate production that implies an extensive post-harvest process. Chocolate properties can vary depending on cocoa origin, composition and manufacturing procedure, which will give unique sensory properties to the final product. On the other hand, the high global consumption of cocoa products, long recognized as a major source of dietary polyphenols with important health benefits, has increased interest in tracking the geographical origin of cocoa and authenticating chocolate to guarantee product quality and reveal possible commercial fraud. However, the sustainable production of high-quality cocoa is still far from reality, and the cocoa sector continues to face many challenges in this field. This review provides an update on the progress toward the authenticity, traceability and sustainability of cocoa products, issues that chocolate producers still need to resolve

Insights into the Binding of Dietary Phenolic Compounds to Human Serum Albumin and Food-Drug Interactions

The distribution of drugs and dietary phenolic compounds in the systemic circulation depends on, among other factors, unspecific/specific reversible binding to plasma proteins such as human serum albumin (HSA). Phenolic substances, present in plant-derived feeds, foods, beverages, herbal medicines, and dietary supplements, are of great interest due to their biological activity. Recently, considerable research has been directed at the formation of phenol-HSA complexes, focusing above all on structure-affinity relationships. The nucleophilicity and planarity of molecules can be altered by the number and position of hydroxyl groups on the aromatic ring and by hydrogenation. Binding affinities towards HSA may also differ between phenolic compounds in their native form and conjugates derived from phase II reactions. On the other hand, food-drug interactions may increase the concentration of free drugs in the blood, affecting their transport and/or disposition and in some cases provoking adverse or toxic effects. This is caused mainly by a decrease in drug binding affinities for HSA in the presence of flavonoids. Accordingly, to avoid the side effects arising from changes in plasma protein binding, the intake of flavonoid-rich food and beverages should be taken into consideration when treating certain pathologies

LC-ESI-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS for Profiling the Distribution of Oleacein and Its Metabolites in Rat Tissues

The purpose of this work was to study the distribution of oleacein (OLEA) and its metabolites in rat plasma and different tissues, namely brain, heart, kidney, liver, lung, small intestine, spleen, stomach, skin, and thyroid, following the acute intake of a refined olive oil containing 0.3 mg/mL of OLEA. For this purpose, a distribution kinetics study was carried out. The plasma and tissues were collected at 1, 2, and 4.5 h after the intervention, and analyzed by LC-ESI-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS. Unmetabolized OLEA was detected in the stomach, small intestine, liver, plasma and, most notably, the heart. This finding may be useful for the development of new applications of OLEA for cardiovascular disease prevention. Noteworthy are also the high levels of hydroxytyrosol (OH-TY) and OLEA + CH3 found in the small intestine, liver, and plasma, and the detection of nine OLEA metabolites, five of them arising from conjugation reactions. Liver, heart, spleen, and lungs were the target tissues where the metabolites were most distributed. However, it is important to note that OH-TY, in our experimental conditions, was not detected in any target tissue (heart, spleen, thyroids, lungs, brain, and skin). These results shed further light on the metabolism and tissue distribution of OLEA and contribute to understanding the mechanisms underlying its effect in human health. Keywords: biotransformation, extra virgin olive oil, hydroxytyrosol, phenolic compound, secoiridoi

NMR Spectroscopy: A powerful tool for the analysis of polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), a key component of the Mediterranean Diet, has aroused interest in recent years due to its health properties. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is an appropriate tool for the accurate quantification of minor compounds in complex food matrices, such as polyphenols in olive oil. Flavonoids, lignans, secoiridoids and phenolic acids and alcohols in EVOO have been identified and quantified by NMR. This review provides an overview of the major developments in the structural elucidation of polyphenol compounds in EVOO

Cooking with extra-virgin olive oil: A mixture of food components to prevent oxidation and degradation

Background Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), the main fat in the Mediterranean diet, is consumed both raw and cooked. During the cooking process, its major and minor fractions are transformed, degraded, and oxidized due to exposure to heat and oxygen. Scope and approach This review examines the effect of cooking on EVOO, including the modification of its fatty acids and minor compounds; the interaction between EVOO and food matrices; the migration of components from the oil to food and vice versa; and how EVOO may enhance the stability and health properties of the cooked food. Key findings and conclusions EVOO has several advantages over other vegetable oils used in cooking. Its fatty acid profile and minor constituents keep the oil stable under high temperatures. By absorbing the oil, the cooked food is likewise protected from oxidation and enriched with EVOO health-promoting bioactive compounds. Finally, food bioactive compounds become more bioavailable upon migration to the oil

The hidden face of wine polyphenol polymerization highlighted by high resolution mass spectrometry

Polyphenols, including tannins and red anthocyanin pigments, are responsible for the color, taste, and beneficial health properties of plant-derived foods and beverages, especially in red wines. Known compounds represent only the emerged part of the "wine polyphenol iceberg". It is believed that the immersed part results from complex cascades of reactions involving grape polyphenols and yeast metabolites. We used a nontargeted strategy based on high-resolution mass spectrometry and Kendrick mass defect plots to explore this hypothesis. Reactions of acetaldehyde, epicatechin, and malvidin-3-O-glucoside, representing yeast metabolites, tannins, and anthocyanins, respectively, were selected for a proof-of-concept experiment. A series of compounds including expected and so-farunknown structures were detected. Random polymerization involving both the original substrates and intermediate products resulting from cascade reactions was demonstrated

A Targeted Approach by High Resolution Mass Spectrometry to Reveal New Compounds in Raisins

Raisins are dried grapes mostly obtained from cultivars of Vitis vinifera L. and are extensively consumed worldwide. They are rich in bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, which are associated with a broad range of health benefits. The aim of the present study was to compare the phenolic profiles of three di erent raisin varieties (Thompson seedless, Muscat, and sultanas). Total polyphenols (TPs) were evaluated by the Folin-Ciocalteu (F-C) assay and significant differences were observed among all raisin varieties. Furthermore, liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization hybrid linear ion trap quadrupole-Orbitrap-mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS) was employed for the comprehensive identification of phenolic constituents. A total of 45 compounds were identified, including hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids, flavanoids, flavonoids, flavonols, flavones,and stilbenoids. The three varieties of raisins showed a similar phenolic profile, although the highest number of phenolic compounds was identified in Muscat raisins owing to the roanthocyanidins extracted from their seeds, while stilbenoids were not detected in the Thompson variety

Microbial Phenolic Metabolites: Which Molecules Actually Have an Effect on Human Health?

The role of gut microbiota in human health has been investigated extensively in recent years. The association of dysbiosis, detrimental changes in the colonic population, with several health conditions has led to the development of pro-, pre- and symbiotic foods. If not absorbed in the small intestine or secreted in bile, polyphenols and other food components can reach the large intestine where they are susceptible to modification by the microbial population, resulting in molecules with potentially beneficial health effects. This review provides an overview of studies that have detected and/or quantified microbial phenolic metabolites using high-performance liquid chromatography as the separation technique, followed by detection through mass spectrometry. Both in vitro experimental studies and human clinical trials are covered. Although many of the microbial phenolic metabolites (MPM) reported in in vitro studies were identified in human samples, further research is needed to associate them with clinical health outcomes

Absorption and Intestinal Metabolic Profile of Oleocanthal in Rats

Oleocanthal (OLC), a phenolic compound of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), has emerged as a potential therapeutic agent against a variety of diseases due to its anti-inflammatory activity. The aim of the present study is to explore its in vivo intestinal absorption and metabolism. An in situ perfusion technique in rats was used, involving simultaneous sampling from the luminal perfusate and mesenteric blood. Samples were analysed by UHPLC-MS-MS for the presence of oleocanthal (OLC) and its metabolites. OLC was mostly metabolized by phase I metabolism, undergoing hydration, hydrogenation and hydroxylation. Phase II reactions (glucuronidation of hydrogenated OLC and hydrated metabolites) were observed in plasma samples. OLC was poorly absorbed in the intestine, as indicated by the low effective permeability coefficient (2.23 ± 3.16 × 10-5 cm/s) and apparent permeability coefficient (4.12 ± 2.33 × 10-6 cm/s) obtained relative to the values of the highly permeable reference compound levofloxacin (LEV). The extent of OLC absorption reflected by the area under the mesenteric blood-time curve normalized by the inlet concentration (AUC) was also lower than that of LEV (0.25 ± 0.04 vs. 0.64 ± 0.03, respectively). These results, together with the observed intestinal metabolism, suggest that OLC has a moderate-to-low oral absorption; but higher levels of OLC are expected to reach human plasma vs. rat plasma

Reply to 'Comment on López-Yerena et al. 'Absorption and intestinal metabolic profile of oleocanthal in rats' Pharmaceutics 2020, 12, 134'

Recently, in February 2020, we published a study exploring the intestinal absorption and metabolism of oleocanthal (OLC) in rats. A single-pass intestinal perfusion technique (SPIP) was used, involving simultaneous sampling from the luminal perfusate and mesenteric blood. Later, comments on our published paper were released, requesting clarification of specific data. In this detailed reply, we hope to have addressed and clarified all the concerns of A. Kaddoumi and K. El Sayed and that the scientific community will benefit from both the study and the comments it has generated