The Health Benefits of Selected Culinary Herbs and Spices Found in the Traditional Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest diets in the world. This is often attributed to low saturated fat consumption, moderate wine consumption, and high vegetable consumption. However, herbs and spices associated with these diets may also play an important role in the quality of this diet. This review summarizes the most recent research regarding the anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemic and anti-hypertensive properties of this collection of culinary species. Additionally, this review briefly summarizes studies performed on lesser known herbs from around the world, with the goal of identifying new culinary species that may be useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases.     

Characterization and Pharmacokinetic Profile of Herbs and Spices' Phytochemicals over 24 h after Consumption in Overweight/Obese Adults

Scope

This study aims to characterize the phytochemicals in commonly consumed herbs/spices (H/S) in the United States and their pharmacokinetic profile (PK) over 24 h in humans after consumption.

Method and results

The clinical trial is a randomized, single-blinded, four-arm, 24 h, multi-sampling, single-center crossover design (Clincaltrials.gov NCT03926442) conducted in obese/overweight adults (n = 24, aged 37 ± 3 years, BMI = 28.4 ± 0.6 kg m⁻²). Study subjects consume a high-fat high-carbohydrate meal with salt and pepper (control) or the control meal with 6 g of three different H/S mixtures (Italian herb: rosemary, basil, thyme, oregano, and parsley in the same ratio; cinnamon; and pumpkin pie spice containing cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice, the ratio is unknown). Three H/S mixtures are analyzed and 79 phytochemicals are tentatively identified and quantified. Following H/S consumption, 47 metabolites are tentatively identified and quantified in plasma samples. The PK data suggest that some metabolites appear in blood as early as 0.5 h while others can extend up to 24 h.

Conclusion

Phytochemicals from H/S include in a meal are absorbed and undergo phase I and phase II metabolism and/or catabolized to phenolic acids peaking at different times.     

GC/MS Method for the Determination of Adipate Plasticizers in Ham Sausage and Its Application to Kinetic and Penetration Studies

ABSTRACT:  A GC/MS method was developed and successfully validated for the determination of adipate plasticizers in ham sausage migrated from polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) packaging film. The sample pretreatment includes liquid extraction, solvent evaporation, and reconstitution before and after solid phase extraction (SPE). For the 5 adipate plasticizers studied, the SPE process with Oasis MAX cartridge showed an extraction efficiency from 85.7% to 106%, and the calibration curves are all linear in the range of 5 to 1000 ng/g with correlation coefficients greater than 0.998. The method proved to be accurate and precise; the average intraday recovery ranges from 85.4% to 114.6% with a %CV value from 2.5 to 11.3, and the average interday recovery from 83.6% to 118.5% with a %CV value from 2.8 to 15.6, respectively, for the adipate plasticizers. The method is sensitive and was effectively applied in the kinetic and penetration studies of the adipate plasticizers migrating from food-grade PVDC packaging film into ham sausage. The experimental data showed that approximately 6.8% of dibutyl adipate (DBA) in the packaging film migrated into the ham sausage in 4 mo and the migration reached the innermost portion of the sausage in 6 mo.     

Synergistic antimicrobial activity of galangal (Alpinia galanga), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and lemon iron bark (Eucalyptus staigerana) extracts

BACKGROUND: In this study the synergistic antimicrobial activities of combinations of extracts from galangal (Alpinia galanga), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and lemon iron bark (Eucalyptus staigerana) were evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium and Clostridium perfringens. Chemical compositions of these extracts were also determined to provide further insight into antimicrobial constituents and their potential mechanisms of action. RESULTS: Combinations of galangal with either rosemary or lemon iron bark showed synergistic antimicrobial activity. Specifically, galangal and rosemary showed synergistic activity against S. aureus and L. monocytogenes only, while galangal and lemon iron bark showed synergistic activity against E. coli and S. typhimurium. Chemical compositions of the extracts were determined by gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric analysis. The major chemical components of the galangal and lemon iron bark extracts were 1′‐acetoxy‐chavicol acetate (1′ACA) (63.4%) and neral (15.6%), respectively, while 1,8‐cineole (26.3%) and camphor (20.3%) were identified as major chemical components of the rosemary extract. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that galangal, rosemary and lemon iron bark extracts contain components that may have different modes of antimicrobial action and combinations of these extracts may have potential as natural antimicrobials to preserve foods. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Assessment of PCDD/F,PCB, OCP and BPA dietary exposure of non-breast-fed European infants

The aim of this study is to obtain data on the exposure of non-breast-fed infants to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), organochlorine pesticides (OCP), and bisphenol A (BPA) and its chlorinated derivatives through consumption of commercial infant foods with largest shares of the market in 22 European Union countries. The E-Screen bioassay was employed to assess the oestrogenicity of the baby foods and the ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) induction was measured to determine the levels of PCDD/F and PCB. Consequently, the highest total effective xenoestrogen burden (TEXB) of 73.60?pM?Eeq?g^?1 was found in the soy-based formula and the EROD bioassay was always below the limit of quantification (LOQ) (3.5?pg?g^?1). Overall, the estimated dietary exposure to BPA via commercial baby foods was lower than the tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 50?µg?kg^?1 body weight (bw). Furthermore, the findings indicated that the dietary exposure of 0–9-month-old infants through the products investigated here does not exceed the maximum TDI of 4?pg WHO-TEQ (toxic equivalents)?kg^?1 bw. However, exposure to more than 2?pg WHO-TEQ?kg^?1?bw?day^?1 might occur for 0–4-month-old infants consuming ‘starting’ hypoallergenic formula. Moreover, analysis of OCP indicated that the dietary exposure of non-breast-fed infants was not harmful. Considering the importance of early development and the vulnerability of infants and children, it is essential to determine their dietary exposure to contaminants in order to decide which efforts of risk reduction should receive highest priority.     

新型在线净化前处理HPLC-MS/MS测定香精香料中的麦角甾醇和麦角甾酮

建立一种新型的在线净化前处理装置结合高效液相色谱-串联质谱（high performance liquid chromatography-tandem with mass spectrometry,HPLC-MS/MS）法测定香精香料中的麦角甾醇和麦角甾酮。该前处理装置结合基质分散萃取和柱层析对样品进行萃取和净化,之后对样品进行浓缩并利用HPLC-MS/MS分析测定。HPLC-MS/MS方法以甲醇和水为流动相,0.4?mL/min流速条件下梯度洗脱,采用C18色谱柱进行液相色谱分离,大气压正离子方式电离,多重反应监测模式检测,内标法进行定量分析。结果表明,该方法前处理方便且稳定性强,溶剂可回收,净化萃取浓缩为一体;目标物质麦角甾醇和麦角甾酮能在5?min内得到分离检测,在1.5～250?μg/mL范围内具有较好的线性,各待测物的线性相关系数均大于0.999,检出限为0.32～0.35?μg/mL,在不同添加水平条件下,平均回收率为86%～96%,相对标准偏差在3.1%～3.6%之间。本方法能较好地应用于香精香料实际样品中麦角甾醇和麦角甾酮的测定。     

高效液相色谱-串联质谱测定香辛料中的去甲乌药碱

建立了高效液相色谱-串联质谱(HPLC-MS/MS)快速测定香辛料中去甲乌药碱的分析方法。实验优化了样品前处理条件和色谱质谱条件。在优化条件下,样品经体积比为80%甲醇-水提取,纯水进行一定倍数的稀释,以Waters XBridge C18(150 mm×2.1mm,5μm)色谱柱分离,电喷雾正离子扫描,多反应监测(MRM)模式检测,基质匹配标准溶液外标法定量,实现了香辛料中去甲乌药碱的精确定量分析。去甲乌药碱在0.05~20.0 ng/mL范围内线性关系良好,相关系数为0.9999,方法检出限为0.7μg/kg,定量限为2.33μg/kg,在3个添加水平条件下八角的平均回收率为91.80%~99.97%,相对标准偏差为1.43%~2.35%。该方法简单、灵敏、准确性高、稳定性好,适用于香辛料中去甲乌药碱的测定。     

Analytical determination of bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol analogues in paper products by LC-MS/MS

ABSTRACT

In this study a sensitive analytical method based on liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed for the simultaneous analysis of bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol AF (BPAF), bisphenol B (BPB), bisphenol E (BPE), bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S in different paper and board products, including virgin fibre samples and recycled samples. Analytes were extracted from the paper matrix using a simple solvent extraction and chromatographic separation was performed on a C18 core-shell (100 mm x 2.1 mm i.d.; 1.7 µm particle size) column. The developed method showed good linearity (R² > 0.9921) for all analytes. Absolute recoveries ranged from 71 to 115% and precision in terms of reproducibility and repeatability (intra- and inter-day) yielded in relative standard deviations (RSDs) of less than 15.0% and 17.4%, respectively. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) for the different analytes ranged from 0.29 to 0.40 µg kg^?1 paper and from 1.09 to 1.32 µg kg^?1 paper, being in the same range for all analytes. Quantitation of the analytes was performed using the internal standard procedure, with concentrations of < LOQ to 9599 µg kg^?1 for the different analytes. Furthermore, a calculation of the maximum migration, assuming the ‘worst case’ scenario of 100% migration was performed.     

Analytical determination of bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol analogues in paper products by GC-MS/MS

ABSTRACT

Bisphenol A (BPA; 4-[2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propan-2-yl]phenol), a suspected endocrine disruptor with a weak estrogenic activity, is used in a variety of consumer products, including food-contact materials made of paper and cardboard products. Due to restrictions on the use of BPA because of its potential health risks, BPA is gradually being replaced by other bisphenols because no limitations exist for these substances. This study presents a method for the simultaneous analysis of BPA, bisphenol AF (BPAF), bisphenol B (BPB), bisphenol E (BPE), bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS) in paper and board products using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Paper samples were extracted by liquid extraction, as well as by Folch extraction, derivatised with N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) and the results compared. The developed method showed good linearity (R² > 0.9965) and precision, yielding relative standard deviations (RSDs) of less than 16.6% for reproducibility and 19.8% for repeatability. The limits of detection and limits of quantification for the different bisphenols ranged from 0.23 to 2.70 µg kg^–1 paper and from 0.78 to 9.10 µg kg^–1 paper, respectively. Analysis of different paper products (recycled, virgin fibre) showed that all the analysed bisphenols were present in the samples, except for BPAF and BPB. A calculation of the ‘worst-case’ scenario assuming a maximum potential migration of 100% of the analytes into food showed that the analysed products can be assumed to be safe regarding the migration of bisphenols.     

Migration of bisphenol A from plastic baby bottles,baby bottle liners and reusable polycarbonate drinking bottles

Human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) has recently received special attention. It has been shown that exposure to BPA may occur through the consumption of beverages or foods that have been in contact with polycarbonate (PC) plastic containers or epoxy resins in food packaging. A BPA migration study was conducted using a variety of plastic containers, including polycarbonate baby bottles, non-PC baby bottles, baby bottle liners, and reusable PC drinking bottles. Water was used to simulate migration into aqueous and acidic foods; 10% ethanol solution to simulate migration to low- and high-alcoholic foods; and 50% ethanol solution to simulate migration to fatty foods. By combining solid-phase extraction, BPA derivatization and analysis by GC-EI/MS/MS, a very low detection limit at the ng l^?1 level was obtained. Migration of BPA at 40°C ranged from 0.11 µg l^?1 in water incubated for 8 h to 2.39 µg l^?1 in 50% ethanol incubated for 240 h. Residual BPA leaching from PC bottles increased with temperature and incubation time. In comparison with the migration observed from PC bottles, non-PC baby bottles and baby bottle liners showed only trace levels of BPA. Tests for leachable lead and cadmium were also conducted on glass baby bottles since these represent a potential alternative to plastic bottles. No detectable lead or cadmium was found to leach from the glass. This study indicated that non-PC plastic baby bottles, baby bottle liners and glass baby bottles might be good alternatives for polycarbonate bottles.     

超声辅助顶空固相微萃取气相色谱法测定皮革中芳香烃残留

试样剪碎后置于饱和NaCl溶液中40℃超声处理后,采用100μm聚二甲基硅氧烷(PDMS)作为固相微萃取技术(SPME)装置的固相涂层,采用顶空固相微萃取气相色谱(HS-SPME-GC-MS)法,测定了皮革样品中部分芳香烃(苯、甲苯、乙苯、对-二甲苯和异丙苯)残留。方法给出了相应的检测限量和适用范围,目标化合物的检测限量低于0·001mg/kg,回收率在96·8%~103·7%之间。     

超高效液相色谱串联-质谱法同时测定香辛料中7种真菌毒素

建立了同时测定香辛料中7种真菌毒素的超高效液相色谱-串联质谱分析方法(UPLC-MS/MS)。选用香辛料中的辣椒、花椒和八角为研究对象,粉碎后的样品用70%甲醇水溶液提取,6合1免疫亲和柱净化,ACQUITY UPLC HSS T3色谱柱分离,超高效液相色谱-串联质谱测定,电喷雾正离子(ESI⁺)多反应离子监测方式监测,外标法定量。结果表明,7种真菌毒素在各自的线性响应范围内线性关系良好,相关系数均不低于0.995,7种真菌毒素的定量限为0.5~20 μg/kg。低、中、高3个加标水平平均回收率(n=6)为67.25%~113.47%,相对标准偏差(RSD)为1.07%~10.20%。该方法具有前处理简单、净化效果好、灵敏度高和高通量检测的优点,适用于香辛料中多组分真菌毒素残留的分离和检测。     

Stability of Bisphenol A (BPA) in Oil-In Water Emulsions under Riboflavin Photosensitization

Effects of riboflavin photosensitization on the degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) were determined in oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions containing ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) or sodium azide, which are a metal chelator or a singlet oxygen quencher, respectively. Also, the distribution of BPA between the continuous and dispersed phases in O/W emulsions was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The concentration of BPA in O/W emulsions significantly decreased by 38.6% after 2 h under visible light irradiation and in the presence of riboflavin (P < 0.05). Addition of EDTA and sodium azide protected the decomposition of BPA significantly in a concentration dependent manner (P < 0.05), which implies both transition metals and singlet oxygen accelerate the photodegradation of BPA in O/W emulsions. Approximately 21.7% of the BPA was distributed in the 2.5% (w/v) dispersed lipid particles and 78.3% was in the continuous aqueous phase of the emulsions. The amount of BPA in aqueous phase decreased faster than the amount of BPA in the lipid phase during riboflavin photosensitization (P < 0.05). Thus, the BPA in the aqueous phase was the major target of riboflavin photodegradation in O/W emulsions. Practical Application: Concentration of BPA, an endocrine disrupting chemical, was decreased significantly in oil-in-water emulsions under riboflavin and visible light irradiation. BPA in continuous aqueous phase was major target of riboflavin photosensitization. However, BPA was distributed more densely in lipid phase and more protected from riboflavin photosensitized O/W emulsions. This study can help to decrease the level of BPA in foods made of O/W emulsions containing riboflavin, which could be displayed under visible light irradiation.     

Determination of plasticisers and BPA in Sicilian and Calabrian nectar honeys by selected ion monitoring GC/MS

Twenty-six plasticisers and bisphenol A (BPA) in 39 Sicilian and Calabrian nectar honeys of different botanical south Italian origin were determined by GC-MS. Di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate was the most abundant plasticiser in all samples, reaching up 202.7 ± 153.1 µg kg^–1, followed by di-butylphthalate with a concentration of 40.3 ± 9.3 µg kg^–1, whereas the concentration of the other phthalates varied from not detectable to 68.2 µg kg^–1. Trace levels of adipate, sebacate and BPA were not detected in any samples. Among the different floral origin honeys, di-ethylphthalate levels were above the limit of quantification (LOQ) in orange blossom, wildflower and chestnut honey samples. Among the honeys of different geographical origin, di-methylphthalate, di-butylphthalate and di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate concentrations were similar. Calabrian honeys showed levels of di-ethylphthalate always lower than the LOQ, moreover di-(2-methylpropyl)phthalate levels were lower than the Sicilian ones. On the contrary, in Sicilian honeys di-(2-methylpropyl)phthalate levels were higher and di-ethylphthalate was present in 37% of samples.     

Comparing different gas chromatographic methods for the quantification of bisphenol A (BPA) trace levels in paper and cardboard products from the market

Bisphenol A (BPA; 4,4?-(propane-2,2-diyl)diphenol), a suspected endocrine disruptor with weak estrogenic activity, is used in a variety of consumer products, including paper and cardboard products used as food contact materials. The present study compared four different gas chromatographic methods for the analysis of BPA in paper and cardboard food packages. Eighteen different food packages were extracted and BPA was determined using two different derivatisation reactions – trimethylsilylation with N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) and halide alkylation with pentafluorobenzoyl chloride (PFBOCl) – and four different separation and detection techniques. The BSTFA derivatives were quantified with (1) GC-MS in single-ion monitoring (SIM) mode with electron ionisation (EI-GC-MS) and (2) GC-MS/MS in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode using electron ionisation (EI-GC-MS/MS); while the PFBOCl derivatives were quantified with (3) GC-MS using electron ionisation (EI-GC-MS) as well as (4) GC-MS with negative chemical ionisation (NCI-GC-MS). All developed methods showed good linearity (R² > 0.9938), precision (CV < 4.5% for reproducibility; CV < 2.2% for repeatability) and sensitivity, with limits of detection (LODs) between 0.02 µg kg^?1 for the pentafluorobenzoyl derivatives measured with the NCI-GC-MS method and 6 µg kg^?1 for the pentafluorobenzoyl derivatives determined with EI-GC-MS. Levels of BPA in the samples were in agreement for all methods, ranging from values below the limit of quantitation (LOQ) to 11.9 mg kg^?1 paper. In a last step, the maximum potential migration into food products was calculated for all tested paper and cardboard samples, assuming a ‘worst case’ scenario of 100% migration.     

卷烟商标残留成分的顶空-GC/MS分析

为降低商标材料残留的油墨溶剂成分对卷烟的污染,采用顶空-气相色谱/质谱法分析了12种卷烟商标纸的残留成分。结果表明:①烟标中残留乙醇、异丙醇、丁醇、乙酸乙酯、乙酸丙酯、乙酸丁酯、环己酮、1-甲氧基-2-丙醇和2-乙氧基-1-乙醇等成分;②部分烟标的溶剂残留量超过30mg/m2。     

Intake of bisphenol A from canned beverages and foods on the Belgian market

Bisphenol A (BPA), a contaminant which may be present in the coating of cans, was determined in 45 canned beverages and 21 canned food items from the Belgian market. Beverages had an average BPA concentration of 1.0 ng/ml, while canned foods had a higher average concentration of 40.3 ng/g. The amount of BPA present in food items was dependent on the type of can and sterilisation conditions rather than the type of food. For example, BPA was not detected in non-canned beverages (<0.02 ng/ml), while non-canned food items had a very low average concentration of 0.46 ng/g. Using detailed information from the Belgian food consumption survey, the BPA intake of adults through canned foods and beverages was estimated to be 1.05 µg/day or 0.015 µg/kg body weight/day (assuming an average adult weight of 70 kg). Intake assessments, based on urinary metabolite concentrations from the literature, resulted in slightly higher BPA intakes (range 0.028–0.059 µg/kg body weight/day). This suggests that sources other than canned foods and beverages contribute to BPA exposure in humans.     

Sensitive gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) method for the determination of bisphenol A in rice-prepared dishes

Certain chemicals possess the potential to modulate endocrine systems, and thereby interfere with reproductive and developmental processes. Bisphenol A is suspected to be one of them. The compound is widely used as a plastic additive, lacquer, resin, or plastic and can usually be found in food samples. An accurate and reproducible gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) method to detect and measure trace amounts of the compound in rice-prepared dishes samples is proposed. Solid–liquid extraction with acetonitrile was carried out in order to isolate and pre-concentrate the analyte. The solvent was removed and a silylation step using N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoro acetamide/pyridine (BSTFA/PYR) was carried out. The silylated compound was identified and quantified by GC-MS using a DB-5 MS column. Bisphenol F was used as a surrogate internal standard. The detection limit was 2.0 ng g^?1 while inter- and intra-day variability was less than 6%. Due to the absence of reference materials, the method was validated using standard addition calibration and a recovery assay. Recoveries for spiked samples were between 90% and 105%.     

A new high-throughput screening method to determine multiple dyes in herbs and spices

The unauthorised addition of colours to herbs and spices is a recurrent issue affecting food business operators. Such a practice aims at improving food visual attractiveness, masking poor product quality, and/or compensating for natural colour variation with the ultimate goal to increase profits. To detect this fraud, a new LC–MS/MS method was developed for screening 58 dyes in both herbs and spices. This extended list of targets was established based on requirements from international spices organisations, past issues identified by web scouting and by notifications from the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). The method is intended to quickly detect fraudulent addition of dyes with Screening Target Concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 2.5 mg/kg. Validation was performed according to the European Community Reference Laboratories Residues Guidelines 20/1/2010. False positive and false negative rates were below 5% for all analytes and applicability of the method was further demonstrated by analysing 117 samples collected worldwide. None of the surveyed dyes was found in herbs (n = 28, 16 varieties) whereas 6% of spice samples (n = 89, 21 varieties) was found contaminated with one or two dyes at levels ranging from 0.12 to 255 mg/kg. Four out of the nine detected compounds have never been reported in the RASFF, thus demonstrating the usefulness of this analytical approach.