Fruit and Vegetable Waste: Bioactive Compounds,Their Extraction,and Possible Utilization

Fruits and vegetables are the most utilized commodities among all horticultural crops. They are consumed raw, minimally processed, as well as processed, due to their nutrients and health‐promoting compounds. With the growing population and changing diet habits, the production and processing of horticultural crops, especially fruits and vegetables, have increased very significantly to fulfill the increasing demands. Significant losses and waste in the fresh and processing industries are becoming a serious nutritional, economical, and environmental problem. For example, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that losses and waste in fruits and vegetables are the highest among all types of foods, and may reach up to 60%. The processing operations of fruits and vegetables produce significant wastes of by‐products, which constitute about 25% to 30% of a whole commodity group. The waste is composed mainly of seed, skin, rind, and pomace, containing good sources of potentially valuable bioactive compounds, such as carotenoids, polyphenols, dietary fibers, vitamins, enzymes, and oils, among others. These phytochemicals can be utilized in different industries including the food industry, for the development of functional or enriched foods, the health industry for medicines and pharmaceuticals, and the textile industry, among others. The use of waste for the production of various crucial bioactive components is an important step toward sustainable development. This review describes the types and nature of the waste that originates from fruits and vegetables, the bioactive components in the waste, their extraction techniques, and the potential utilization of the obtained bioactive compounds.     

Major Australian tropical fruits biodiversity: bioactive compounds and their bioactivities

The plant kingdom harbours many diverse bioactive molecules of pharmacological relevance. Temperate fruits and vegetables have been highly studied in this regard, but there have been fewer studies of fruits and vegetables from the tropics. As global consumers demand and are prepared to pay for new appealing and exotic foods, tropical fruits are now being more intensively investigated. Polyphenols and major classes of compounds like flavonoids or carotenoids are ubiquitously present in these fruits, as they are in the temperate ones, but particular classes of compounds are unique to tropical fruits and other plant parts. Bioactivity studies of compounds specific to tropical fruit plants may lead to new drug discoveries, while the synergistic action of the wide range of diverse compounds contained in plant extracts underlies nutritional and health properties of tropical fruits and vegetables. The evidence for in vitro and animal bioactivities is a strong indicator of the pharmacological promise shown in tropical fruit plant biodiversity. In this review, we will discuss both the occurrence of potential bioactive compounds isolated and identified from a selection of tropical fruit plants of importance in Australia, as well as recent studies of bioactivity associated with such fruits and other fruit plant parts.     

Achieving dietary recommendations: Whole‐grain foods in the food guide pyramid

The Food Guide Pyramid illustrates USDA's food guide developed to help people follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Unlike earlier food guides, the new food guide specifies foods for a total diet; that is, it addresses both concerns about adequacy and moderation. The food guide recommends increased intakes of the vegetable, fruit, and grain groups with special emphasis on dark‐green leafy vegetables, legumes, and whole‐grain products. These foods are important sources of several vitamins and minerals, complex carbohydrates, and dietary fiber, and they are generally low in fat. Analyses of expected nutrient levels provided by the food guide diet patterns indicate that the nutrient contribution of whole‐grain products is particularly important for diets at lower calorie levels. In these diets, it is recommended that at least half the number of servings in the grain group be whole‐grain products. In all diets, it is recommended that several servings of whole‐grain products be included each day. Average intakes of vegetables, fruits, and grain products are less than recommended. The pyramid graphic has been especially helpful in emphasizing to the public the importance of increased consumption of vegetables, fruits, and grain products for a healthful diet.     

Industry-Relevant Approaches for Minimising the Bitterness of Bioactive Compounds in Functional Foods: A Review

Functional foods, with their synergistic health benefits that go beyond just being a source of individual nutrients, present challenges to the traditional ‘nutrition’ view of foods. Consumers demand proven health benefits without compromising flavour, taste and colour. A successful functional food must offer nutrients, specific health-promoting functionality and desirable sensory attributes. Attempts to increase the intake of desirable bioactive compounds are driven by the need to deliver optimal bioactivity to consumers for disease prevention and health enhancement. Increasing the bioactive concentration in foods often leads to bitterness, particularly when incorporating bioactive phytochemicals. This article provides an overview of the strategies which can be used for food bitterness reduction, with an emphasis on those approaches which are industrially relevant and economically feasible, i.e. tailored food formulation, processing and delivery technology approaches. Solutions for reducing bitterness from phytochemicals in food are proposed, including blocking, inhibiting, suppressing, minimising and masking mechanisms. The potential of encapsulation and non-encapsulation approaches for functional food applications is highlighted, and their effect in improving stability, bioactivity, bioaccessibility and bioavailability is addressed.     

The contribution of fruits and vegetables to dietary intake of polyphenols and antioxidant capacity in a Mexican rural diet: Importance of fruit and vegetable variety

There is mounting evidence of the health-protective role of the consumption of fruits and vegetables, which are the major contributors to dietary polyphenol intake. Lack of knowledge about the consumption of phytochemicals in the Mexican diet makes it difficult to evaluate their health significance. The aim of this study was therefore to estimate the contribution of fruit and vegetable consumption to dietary polyphenol intake and dietary antioxidant capacity in a rural population in Mexico. Despite a low intake of fruits and vegetables (< 400 g/day) in the Mexican rural diet, the mean daily intake of dietary polyphenols (> 800 mg/day) and dietary antioxidant capacity (1000-2000 ??mol trolox equivalents/day) from fruits and vegetables was similar to those determined in the Spanish Mediterranean diet. Local fruits and vegetables consumed in the Mexican rural diet are rich in polyphenols with antioxidant properties and are important source of bioactive compounds and dietary fibers. Fruit and vegetable intake needs to be promoted and lifestyle and environmental factors enhanced to improve the health status of obese Mexican rural populations.     

A Review of the Process-Induced Changes in the Phytochemical Content of Cereal Grains: The Breadmaking Process

The importance of cereal grains in human nutrition is well documented. Especially the impact of whole grains consumption on human health has attracted much attention over the last decades. The health benefits are associated with the high content of cereal grains in dietary fiber but also recent research has shown that cereal grains are rich in bioactive compounds, which are unique in composition and different to phytochemicals from other sources such as fruit and vegetables. Cereal grains however are processed before human consumption. Depending on the process, the levels and the composition of the available bioactive compounds can be affected. Knowledge of the effect of these processes on the phytochemical compounds is essential to ensure the products generated are nutritious and can convey health benefits to the consumers. This article reviews the literature on the effect of milling and breadmaking processes on the levels and profile of bioactive compounds. Milling and breadmaking are two of the most common processes used universally to prepare the grains for consumption. These processes involve several stages and many variable factors, which can alter the levels and profile of the available phytochemicals in the end-product.     

A comparison of nutrient density scores for 100% fruit juices

ABSTRACT:  The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that consumers choose a variety of nutrient-dense foods. Nutrient density is usually defined as the quantity of nutrients per calorie. Food and nutrition professionals should be aware of the concept of nutrient density, how it might be quantified, and its potential application in food labeling and dietary guidance. This article presents the concept of a nutrient density score and compares nutrient density scores for various 100% fruit juices. One hundred percent fruit juices are popular beverages in the United States, and although they can provide concentrated sources of a variety of nutrients, they can differ considerably in their nutrient profiles. Six methodologies were used to quantify nutrient density and 7 100% fruit juices were included in the analysis: apple, grape, pink grapefruit, white grapefruit, orange, pineapple, and prune. Food composition data were obtained from the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18. Application of the methods resulted in nutrient density scores with a range of values and magnitudes. The relative scores indicated that citrus juices, particularly pink grapefruit and orange juice, were more nutrient dense compared to the other nonfortified 100% juices included in the analysis. Although the methods differed, the relative ranking of the juices based on nutrient density score was similar for each method. Issues to be addressed regarding the development and application of a nutrient density score include those related to food fortification, nutrient bioavailability, and consumer education and behavior.     

Technologies for enhancement of bioactive components and potential health benefits of cereal and cereal-based foods: Research advances and application challenges

Cereal grains are a major source of human food and their production has steadily been increased during the last several decades to meet the demand of our increasing world population. The modernized society and the expansion of the cereal food industry created a need for highly efficient processing technologies, especially flour production. Earlier scientific research efforts have led to the invention of the modern steel roller mill, and the refined flour of wheat has become a basic component in most of cereal-based foods such as breads and pastries because of the unique functionality of wheat protein. On the other hand, epidemiological studies have found that consumption of whole cereal grains was health beneficial. The health benefit of whole cereal grain is attributed to the combined effects of micronutrients, phytochemicals, and dietary fibre, which are mainly located in the outer bran layer and the germ. However, the removal of bran and germ from cereal grains during polishing and milling results in refined flour and food products with lower bioactive compounds and dietary fibre contents than those from whole grain. Also, the level of bioactive compounds in cereal food is influenced by other food preparation procedures such as baking, cooking, extrusion, and puffing. Therefore, food scientists and nutritionists are searching for strategies and processing technologies to enhance the content and bioavailability of nutrients, bioactive compounds, and dietary fibre of cereal foods. The objective of this article was to review the research advances on technologies for the enhancement of bioactive compounds and dietary fibre contents of cereal and cereal-based foods. Bioactivities or biological effects of enhanced cereal and cereal-based foods are presented. Challenges facing the application of the proposed technologies in the food industry are also discussed.     

Dietary patterns vs. dietary recommendations: Identifying the gaps for complex carbohydrate

Dietary guidelines of the U.S. and Canada recommend that 55% of dietary calories of individuals should come from carbohydrates, especially complex carbohydrates. However, they generally fail to describe how much should come from complex carbohydrates. Undoubtedly, this is because of confusion about the composition of complex carbohydrate foods and incomplete knowledge of the health benefits of all components of grain products. With the intent of shifting dietary food selection to increase carbohydrate consumption above the current 46% of calories, food guides recommend 5 to 12 servings per day from grain products. Current estimated intake for adults is between four to five servings of grain products, of which less than one is from whole grain, in an average 2000‐kcal adult diet. To follow the advice of the U.S. Food Guide Pyramid, which suggests half the bread (grains) group should be whole‐grain products, adult Americans should increase their intake of whole‐grain products four‐ to fivefold and double their intake of total grain products.     

天然抗氧化植物化学物的研究进展

近年来大量研究发现,许多水果、蔬菜和中草药中富含具有抗氧化能力的植物化学物,它们能够保护机体,抵抗各种各样的疾病。因此,含有这些植物化学物的食品引起了消费者的关注,同时也成为科研工作者研究开发的热点。阐述近年来国内外对抗氧化植物化学物方面的一些研究进展,包括植物化学物抗氧化活性的评估、植物化学物的提取和分离。     

Effect of Processing on Phenolic Antioxidants of Fruits,Vegetables, and Grains—A Review

Understanding the influence of processing operations such as drying/dehydration, canning, extrusion, high hydrostatic pressure, pulsed electric field, and ohmic heating on the phytochemicals of fruits, vegetables, and grains is important in retaining the health benefiting properties of these antioxidative compounds in processed food products. Most of the previous investigations in the literature on the antioxidants of fruits, vegetables, and grains have shown that food-processing operations reduced the antioxidants of the processed foods, which is also the usual consumer perception. However, in the last decade some articles in the literature reported that the evaluation of nutritional quality of processed fruits and vegetables not only depend on the quantity of vitamin C but should include analyses of other antioxidant phytochemicals and antioxidant activity. Thermal processing increased the total antioxidant activity of tomato and sweet corn. Most importantly, analysis also depends on the condition, type, and mechanism of antioxidant assays used. This review aims to provide concise information on the influence of various thermal and nonthermal food-processing operations on the stability and kinetics of health beneficial phenolic antioxidants of fruits, vegetables, and grains.     

Potential impact of strawberries on human health: a review of the science

Epidemiological studies have noted a consistent association between the consumption of diets rich in fruits and vegetables and a lower risk for chronic diseases including cancer and cardiovascular disease. There is accumulating evidence that much of the health-promoting potential of these plant foods may come from phytochemicals, bioactive compounds not designated as traditional nutrients. In strawberries, the most abundant of these are ellagic acid, and certain flavonoids: anthocyanin, catechin, quercetin and kaempferol. These compounds in strawberries have potent antioxidant power. Antioxidants help lower risk of cardiovascular events by inhibition of LDL-cholesterol oxidation, promotion of plaque stability, improved vascular endothelial function, and decreased tendency for thrombosis. Furthermore, strawberry extracts have been shown to inhibit COX enzymes in vitro, which would modulate the inflammatory process. Individual compounds in strawberries have demonstrated anticancer activity in several different experimental systems, blocking initiation of carcinogenesis, and suppressing progression and proliferation of tumors. Preliminary animal studies have indicated that diets rich in strawberries may also have the potential to provide benefits to the aging brain.     

The Health Potential of Fruits and Vegetables Phytochemicals: Notable Examples

Fruit and vegetables are essential components of a healthy diet. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends an intake of five to eight portions (400–600 g) daily of fruits and vegetables to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, poor cognitive performance, and other diet-related diseases, as well as for the prevention of micronutrient deficiencies. Much of their potential for disease prevention is thought to be provided by phytochemicals, among which the preventive activity of antioxidants is most well documented. Since numerous meta-studies published indicate variable and often contradictory results about the impact of isolated phytochemicals on health, their consumption as supplements must be carried out with care, because doses may exceed the recommended nutritional intake. Nonetheless, there is a general consensus that whole fruit and vegetable intake is more important in providing health benefits than that of only one of their constituent, because of additive and synergistic effects. This review describes the most recent literature regarding the health benefits of some selected fruits and vegetables. Importantly, since some phytochemicals regulate the same genes and pathways targeted by drugs, diets rich in fruits and vegetables in combination with medical therapies are being considered as novel approaches to treatment. Therefore, phytochemicals in fruits and vegetable might be a promising tool for the prevention and/or amelioration of a wide range of diseases.     

Food consumption patterns in elementary school children

Purpose: Food consumption was investigated in children attending three elementary schools in urban Hamilton, Ontario. Methods: Dietary data were collected from 92 children in grades 2 to 4 through 24-hour dietary recalls (39% participation rate). Servings of four food groups were compared with recommended daily servings in Canada's Food Guide. Results: The majority of students did not consume the recommended five daily servings of vegetables and fruit. On average, they consumed a high number of servings of "other foods," which were not included in the four food groups. More than 50% of the students did not consume the recommended daily servings of milk products, and only a small proportion (21%) drank milk during school lunch. Conclusions: We recommend that primary school educators promote the consumption of vegetables and fruits and milk products at school, either through healthy snack programs or educational programs.     

Invited review: Modelling quality changes of fruits and vegetables during drying: a review

Fruits and vegetables have received much attention as these materials have been reported to contain various phytochemicals, which are claimed to exert many health benefits. When extraction of bioactive compounds cannot be performed on fresh fruits and vegetables, drying needs to be conducted to keep the materials for later use. Dried fruits and vegetables have also been regarded as alternative fat‐free snacks and received more attention from the food industry during the past decade. This implies that not only nutritional changes, but also other changes including physical and microstructural changes are of importance and need to be optimised, preferably through the use of various modelling approaches. The objective of this article is to provide a brief review of some advances in modelling quality changes of fruits and vegetables during drying. These include modelling of nutritional, colour and selected physical changes. Approaches to monitoring and modelling microstructural changes are also mentioned.     

Anti-inflammatory effects of phytochemicals from fruits,vegetables, and food legumes: A review

Inflammation is the first biological response of the immune system to infection, injury or irritation. Evidence suggests that the anti-inflammatory effect is mediated through the regulation of various inflammatory cytokines, such as nitric oxide, interleukins, tumor necrosis factor alpha-α, interferon gamma-γ as well as noncytokine mediator, prostaglandin E₂. Fruits, vegetables, and food legumes contain high levels of phytochemicals that show anti-inflammatory effect, but their mechanisms of actions have not been completely identified. The aim of this paper was to summarize the recent investigations and findings regarding in vitro and animal model studies on the anti-inflammatory effects of fruits, vegetables, and food legumes. Specific cytokines released for specific type of physiological event might shed some light on the specific use of each source of phytochemicals that can benefit to counter the inflammatory response. As natural modulators of proinflammatory gene expressions, phytochemical from fruits, vegetables, and food legumes could be incorporated into novel bioactive anti-inflammatory formulations of various nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals. Finally, these phytochemicals are discussed as the natural promotion strategy for the improvement of human health status. The phenolics and triterpenoids in fruits and vegetables showed higher anti-inflammatory activity than other compounds. In food legumes, lectins and peptides had anti-inflammatory activity in most cases. However, there are lack of human study data on the anti-inflammatory activity of phytochemicals from fruits, vegetables, and food legumes.     

Fruits,vegetables, and health: A comprehensive narrative,umbrella review of the science and recommendations for enhanced public policy to improve intake

Abstract

Fruit and vegetables (F&V) have been a cornerstone of healthy dietary recommendations; the 2015–2020?U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that F&V constitute one-half of the plate at each meal. F&V include a diverse collection of plant foods that vary in their energy, nutrient, and dietary bioactive contents. F&V have potential health-promoting effects beyond providing basic nutrition needs in humans, including their role in reducing inflammation and their potential preventive effects on various chronic disease states leading to decreases in years lost due to premature mortality and years lived with disability/morbidity. Current global intakes of F&V are well below recommendations. Given the importance of F&V for health, public policies that promote dietary interventions to help increase F&V intake are warranted. This externally commissioned expert comprehensive narrative, umbrella review summarizes up-to-date clinical and observational evidence on current intakes of F&V, discusses the available evidence on the potential health benefits of F&V, and offers implementation strategies to help ensure that public health messaging is reflective of current science. This review demonstrates that F&V provide benefits beyond helping to achieve basic nutrient requirements in humans. The scientific evidence for providing public health recommendations to increase F&V consumption for prevention of disease is strong. Current evidence suggests that F&V have the strongest effects in relation to prevention of CVDs, noting a nonlinear threshold effect of 800?g per day (i.e., about 5 servings a day). A growing body of clinical evidence (mostly small RCTs) demonstrates effects of specific F&V on certain chronic disease states; however, more research on the role of individual F&V for specific disease prevention strategies is still needed in many areas. Data from the systematic reviews and mostly observational studies cited in this report also support intake of certain types of F&V, particularly cruciferous vegetables, dark-green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, and dark-colored berries, which have superior effects on biomarkers, surrogate endpoints, and outcomes of chronic disease.     

Effects of agricultural practices on instrumental colour,mineral content,carotenoid composition,and sensory quality of mandarin orange juice,cv. Hernandina

BACKGROUND: Frequent consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with a lowered risk of cancer, hypertension and heart disease, due, among other factors such as modulation of gene expression and improvement of gap junctional communication, to the presence of various forms of antioxidants present in the foods as carotenoids. Otherwise, consumers demand organic products which they believe have more flavour and are of greater benefit to the environment and human health. The effects of organic farming on CIE L*a*b* colour, mineral content, carotenoid composition and sensory quality of Hernandina mandarin juices were studied. RESULTS: Organic farming of mandarin oranges resulted in juices with higher contents of minerals and carotenoids, and of better sensory quality. For instance, organic juice contained a total concentration of carotenoids of 14.4 mg L^?1 compared to 10.2 mg L^?1 of conventional juice. CONCLUSION: Mandarin orange juices can be considered as a good source of some important nutrients, such as potassium and antioxidant chemicals, e.g. β‐cryptoxanthin. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Significance of sample preparation in developing analytical methodologies for accurate estimation of bioactive compounds in functional foods

Functional foods are defined as foods or food components that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition (for the intended population). Increased interest in bioactive food components and phytochemicals has arisen from numerous epidemiological studies that suggest that certain phytochemicals can reduce risk of chronic diseases. Sales of functional foods containing high concentrations of bioactive components have increased dramatically during the past two decades. This paper illustrates with examples the significance of sample preparation in developing analytical methodologies for accurate estimation of potentially bioactive compounds present in functional foods using phenolic phytochemicals as model substrates. The primary three steps in any analysis are sampling, sample preservation, and sample preparation. These three initial steps are often overlooked and considered ‘as a means to an end’ and are often not well documented in the published literature. This paper outlines a systematic protocol for optimizing extraction of phytochemicals from different plant matrices. Accurate analysis of bioactive compounds is critical for their precise and reproducible quantification in different foods, establishing appropriate dietary intake and safety guidelines, and understanding their role in human health and nutrition. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Grain processing and nutrition

Whole grains provide a wide range of nutrients and phytochemicals that optimize health. Epidemiologic studies support the protectiveness of whole grain consumption for cardiovascular disease and cancer. Dietary guidance endorses increased whole grains in our diet. A crucial question remaining is the effect of processing of whole grains on their content of nutrients and phytochemicals. Although processing is often considered to be a negative attribute in nutrition, and some forms of processing reduce nutritional value, many factors support the importance of processing of grains to enhance grain consumption. First, whole grains as harvested are generally not consumed directly by humans but require some processing prior to consumption. While refining, that is, removal of the bran and the germ, reduces the nutrient content of grain, milling of grains otherwise concentrates desirable grain components and removes poorly digested compounds and contaminants. Cooking of grains generally increases digestibility of nutrients and phytochemicals. Studies in both animal models and humans support the notion that processed grains are often nutritionally superior to unprocessed grains, probably because of enhanced nutrient bioavailability in processed grains. Processing of grains also provides shelf-stable products that are convenient and good tasting for consumers.