Effect of probiotic cultures on the stability of anthocyanins in blueberry yoghurts

Dependent on anthocyanin pigments, colour is one of the main quality factors of berry products. In this paper we assess the influence of probiotic bacteria on the degradation rate of anthocyanins in yoghurts with a highbush blueberry preparation during storage. Four types of yoghurts were prepared: first with the yoghurt starter culture YC-X16 only (Steptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacilllus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus) and three more, each with the starter culture YC-X16 and one of the three probiotic cultures: Bb-12, La-5 and LCP, respectively (Bif. animalis subsp. lactis – Bb-12; Lactobacillus. acidophilus – La-5 and Lactobacillus. paracasei subsp. paracasei – LCP).Derivatives of malvidin were the predominant anthocyanins in the tested yoghurts. Degradation of pigments occurred in accordance with the first-order reaction and its half-life time depended on the bacterial cultures. Anthocyanins in the probiotic yoghurt made with LCP culture were characterized by lower stability than those made with the other bacterial cultures. The impact of lactic bacteria or their metabolic products on the stability of anthocyanins in berry yoghurts shows that an appropriate selection of culture for production of yoghurt is recommended.     

Comparative study of the effect of the maturation process of the olive fruit on the chlorophyll and carotenoid fractions of drupes and virgin oils from Arbequina and Farga cultivars

Two varieties of olive fruit (Arbequina and Farga) have been characterized by their contents and types of chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments during the olive ripening. Independently of the initial content, the pigment concentrations decreased with fruit maturity. Chlorophyllides a and b, esterified xanthophylls and α-carotene were only detected in Arbequina fruits. Moreover, the synthesis of esterified xanthophylls, when the skin fruit colour changed from green to turning-colour only, was observed in this variety. The pigments transferred from fruit to the oil were also studied. All the pigments that were found in the fruit were transferred to the oils, in addition to derivative pigments associated with acidic medium in the oil extraction process. The destruction of the chlorophyll fraction was greater than of the yellow pigments during the olive oil extraction process.     

Polyphenolic profiles detected in the ripe berries of Vitis vinifera germplasm

Polyphenolic profiles in the berry samples of 344 European grape (Vitis vinifera) cultivars were evaluated for two consecutive years. These cultivars represent a diverse collection of V. vinifera germplasm maintained at the USDA-Agricultural Research Service Vitis Clonal Repository in Davis of California, USA. A total of 36 polyphenolic compounds, including 16 anthocyanins, 6 flavonols, 6 flavanols, 6 hydroxycinnamic acids and 2 hydroxybenzoic acids, were identified via HPLC–MS and quantified by HPLC–DAD. The mean contents for anthocyanins, flavanols, flavonols, hydroxycinnamic acids and hydroxybenzoic acids were 0.946 (coloured cultivars), 0.147, 0.043, 0.195 and 0.016 mg g⁻¹ FW, respectively. On average, wine grapes had higher concentrations than had table grapes for all of these compounds except hydroxycinnamic acids. Berry colours affected the total contents of anthocyanins, but not others. Positive correlations (0.151–0.535) were found among these groups of compounds. As expected, these groups of compounds were all negatively correlated with berry weight.     

Characterisation and preliminary bioactivity determination of Berberis boliviana Lechler fruit anthocyanins

Berberis boliviana Lechler is a member of the Berberidaceae family that has a small edible red-purple berry. The plant is native to the Peruvian Andes and contains high amounts of anthocyanin pigments. The monomeric anthocyanin content, determined by a pH-differential method, was 7/100 g of seedless berries. Pigments were characterised by HPLC coupled to a photodiode array (PDA) and mass spectrophotometer (MS) detectors. Five aglycones and ten anthocyanins were found and identified as petunidin-3-glucoside (24.4%), delphinidin-3-glucoside (24.1%), malvidin-3-glucoside (22.1%), cyanidin-3-glucoside (10.2%), petunidin-3-rutinoside (7.15%), malvidin-3-rutinoside (4.9%), cyanidin-3-rutinoside (3.8%), delphinidin-3-rutinoside (2.6%), peonidin-3-glucoside (1.1%), and peonidin-3-rutinoside (0.9%).     

Comparative chemical composition,antioxidant and hypoglycaemic activities of Juniperus oxycedrus ssp. oxycedrus L. berry and wood oils from Lebanon

Juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus) is used in European cuisine for its distinguishing flavour. J. oxycedrus ssp. oxycedrus berry and wood essential oils were tentatively identified by GC and GC/MS. Fifty compounds were identified in the berry oil and 23 compounds were identified in the wood oil. The J. oxycedrus ssp. oxycedrus berry oil was characterised by high contents of α-pinene (27.4%) and β-myrcene (18.9%). Other important compounds were α-phellandrene (7.1%), limonene (6.7%), epi-bicyclosesquiphellandrene (2.3%) and δ-cadinene (2.2%) while, in the wood oil, δ-cadinene (14.5%) is a major main component, together with cis-thujopsene (9.2%) and α-muurolene (4.9%). In vitro evaluation of antioxidant activity by the DPPH method showed a significant activity for both oils with IC₅₀ values of 1.45 μl/ml for wood and 7.42 μl/ml for berries. Hypoglycaemic activity was investigated through the inhibition of α-amylase. The results revealed that oil obtained by hydrodistillation from J. oxycedrus ssp. oxycedrus wood exhibits an interesting activity with IC₅₀ of 3.49 μl/ml.     

Children's hedonic response to berry products: Effect of chemical composition of berries and hTAS2R38 genotype on liking

The hedonic response of 104 healthy children, recruited from day-care centres and schools, to 12 different berry products with varying content of added sugar was studied. The berries used as ingredients were blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum), sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides), bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), and lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea). Another aim of the study was to study the effects of the chemical composition of berries as well as children’s hTAS2R38 taste receptor genotypes on liking. The most liked product was bilberry with yoghurt, followed by bilberry juice, dried bilberries, and lingonberry rye bread. The most disliked products were sea buckthorn juice, sea buckthorn berries with yoghurt, and oatmeal with blackcurrant powder and berry oil. High total organic acid concentration was strongly related with a poor average liking score of the berries/berry products. A total of four different alleles of hTAS2R38 gene were observed in the study. Of the genotyped children, 45% were bitter taste insensitive individuals of the genotype AVI/AVI, and 40% were of the genotype PAV/AVI. Children of the genotype PAV/AVI were reported using more vegetables, but not berries, than the AVI/AVI children. The results also show that the liking scores of the children of the AVI/AVI, PAV/AVI, and PAV/PAV genotypes differed from each other, and that the familiarity of a berry product is likely to be an important factor in liking.     

Colour and flavour changes during osmotic dehydration of fruits

Andes berry (Rubus glaucus Benth.) and tamarillo (Solanum betaceum Cav., dark-red strain) fruit were separately submitted to osmotic dehydration with three different osmotic agents: sucrose (70%), sucrose (70%)-glycerol (65%) 1:1, and ethanol. This process decreased the water activity in the fruits and promoted the transfer of main pigments (anthocyanins) and flavour constituents to the osmotic solutions. Tristimulus colorimetry was applied to qualitatively evaluate the process of obtaining colour- and flavour-enriched osmotic solutions. It was found that after successive DIS (Dewatering–Impregnation–Soaking) cycles, it is advisable to obtain high C_ab colour parameter values, as criteria for the evaluation of osmotic solutions. Based on colour parameters, anthocyanin content, and volatile analysis, the ethanol and sucrose osmotic solutions from Andes berry were selected as promising raw materials for developing natural additives.Industrial relevanceOsmotic dehydration is one of the processes used to reduce or avoid detrimental phenomena in fruit and vegetables without a sensorial and nutritional quality loss. Its economic viability depends on the possibility of reusing the osmotic solution in successive DIS cycles. The present work demonstrates that the osmotic solutions, usually considered waste material of osmotic dehydration, could be used as a source of natural pigments and flavours, furthermore exhibiting antioxidant properties. At a large scale, this finding is most significant because it would render this environmentally friendly process more economical.     

Do white grapes really exist?

Anthocyanins are natural coloured pigments representing part of the protective mechanism of many plants, including Vitis vinifera L., and they have a considerable influence on wine quality. Moreover, the presence of anthocyanins in ripe berries is used as the accepted qualitative parameter for distinguishing red from white grapes, since these pigments are known to be present only in red berries. On the other hand, pyranoanthocyanins are important pigments for the colour stability of red wines and are known to be formed after berry crushing, during vinification and wine ageing.In this work, for the first time we provide clear evidence that the skin of international white grape cultivars (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling) contains measurable traces of anthocyanins. In addition, for the first time we report clear proofs about the presence of pyranomalvidin 3-O-glucoside (B-type vitisin) and carboxypyranomalvidin 3-O-glucoside (A-type vitisin) in fresh grapes and we quantify them.     

Chemical characterisation of anthocyanins in tamarillo (Solanum betaceum Cav.) and Andes berry (Rubus glaucus Benth.) fruits

The anthocyanin composition of tamarillo (Solanum betaceum Cav., red variety) and Andes berry (Rubus glaucus Benth.) was determined by HPLC–PDA and HPLC–ESIMS. From the anthocyanin-rich extracts (AREs), pure compounds (1–7) were obtained by MLCCC (multilayer countercurrent chromatography) and further preparative HPLC, and their unequivocal structures were obtained by 1D and 2D NMR analyses. The new anthocyanin delphinidin 3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-β-d-glucopyranoside-3′-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, as well as the known cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside, pelargonidin-3-O-rutinoside, and delphinidin-3-O-rutinoside were identified as constituents of tamarillo fruit. Although the anthocyanin composition of Andes berry had been reported before in the literature, the unequivocal structure elucidation of the major compound, cyanidin-3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-d-glucopyranoside, was achieved for the first time.     

Study on the fingerprint profile of Monascus products with HPLC–FD,PAD and MS

Monascus products have been widely used as food additives and pharmaceuticals. Citrinin is a toxic metabolite produced during the Monascus fermentation. In this work, a quick extraction method with ultrasonic treatment was studied for a complete extraction of citrinin from the fungi cells. Furthermore, the proposed HPLC method has the advantage of the simultaneous determination of Monascus pigments and citrinin without sample pretreatment. Under the optimized HPLC conditions, a baseline resolution of pigments, citrinin and other catabolites was achieved. The detection limit of citrinin reached 0.5 ng mL⁻¹ (S/N > 3/1) with a fluorescence detector (FD). Eight Monascus pigments were detected, with photodiode array detector (PAD), two of which not yet described. The HPLC fingerprint profile of the eight Monascus pigments and citrinin appears significant for the quality control of the Monascus product.     

Extraction optimisation,purification and major antioxidant component of red pigments extracted from Camellia japonica

The optimised extraction conditions of red pigments (RP) from Camellia japonica obtained with an orthogonal design L₉(3⁴) were solid/liquid ratio, temperature, pH and extraction time as 1/10, 60 °C, 1.5 and 4 h, respectively. The RP were then purified by the macroporous resin method, which showed the resin LX-68 was appropriate for purifying the pigments from C. japonica. The antioxidant activities of these pigments were also investigated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydroxyl radical in vitro model systems. The DPPH scavenging activity of pigment extract was comparable to that of standard butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). The IC₅₀ values of the RP and BHA were 4.55 and 4.17 μg ml⁻¹, respectively. The pigments showed higher hydroxyl radical-scavenging activities than that of mannitol at the same concentration. Following activity-oriented separation, (−)-epicatechin was isolated as an active principle, which exhibited excellent DPPH free radical scavenging activities with IC₅₀ 5.08 μg ml⁻¹.     

Sugars,acids, ethyl β-d-glucopyranose and a methyl inositol in sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides) berries

Sea buckthorn berry is a rich source of nutrients and bioactive components beneficial for human health. Sugars and acids play an important role in determining the sensory properties of the berry. Sugars, acids, ethyl β-d-glucopyranose and a methyl inositol were analysed in berries of three subspecies (Hippophaë rhamnoides ssp. sinensis, rhamnoides and mongolica) collected from China, Finland and Russia over four consecutive years. Fructose and glucose were the major sugars, and the dominating acids were malic and quinic acids. Origin and harvesting date have significant impacts on sugars, acids and sugar/acid ratio in the berry. During the harvesting period, the sugar content followed different changing patterns in berries of different subspecies. Ethyl glucose dominated in the sugar fraction of ssp. rhamnoides but existed only in trace amounts in the other two subspecies. In ssp. rhamnoides, the level of ethyl glucose increased during the harvesting period; the increase was accompanied by a decrease in glucose content, indicating the presence of a biochemical pathway converting glucose into its derivatives. A methyl inositol was identified for the first time in sea buckthorn with higher levels found in ssp. sinensis than in the other two subspecies. The levels of ethyl glucose and methyl inositol may be important sensory and nutritional quality factors of sea buckthorn berry. The data presented by this study provide important chemotaxonomic information characterising different subspecies of sea buckthorn and useful guidance for breeding, harvesting, and industrial utilisation of sea buckthorn.     

Characterization of seed oils of wild, edible Finnish berries

A chemotaxonomic screening of the seed oil fatty acids of 22 common, edible berry species belonging to 13 genera (Vaccinium, Oxycoccus, Arctosta-phylos, Empetrum, Hippophaë, Chamaepericlymenum, Sambucus, Rosa, Fragaria, Rubus, Sorbus, Prunusand Ribes) that grow wild in northern Europe was carried out. The highest oil content in the seeds (≈30% d.w.) was measured in Vaccinium, Oxycoccusand Sambucus, and the lowest in Arctostaphylos, Empetrum, Rosaand Chamaepericlymenumspecies (<10% d.w.). The smaller the seed of a berry species within a genus, the higher was the oil content. The mass of 100 seeds varied from 10?mg (V. myrtillus) to 2950?mg (P. padus). Fatty acids of triacylglycerols were analysed as methyl esters by gas chromatography. Typically the most abundant fatty acids were linoleic, α-linolenic, oleic and palmitic acids. Exceptions were S. aucupariaand P. padus,which contained hardly any α-linolenic acid. Currants (Ribes nigrum, Ri. spicatumand Ri. alpinum) also contained γ-linolenic acid (11–16?mol%) and stearidonic acid (3–6?mol%). The content and composition of the seed oil of various berry species within the same genus, or within the same family, were similar, thus supporting the commonly accepted taxonomic classification.     

Formation of vinylphenolic pyranoanthocyanins by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia guillermondii in red wines produced following different fermentation strategies

The strains of two species of yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia guillermondii, both with high hydroxycinnamate decarboxylase (HCDC) activity (56% and 90% respectively), were used in the fermentation of musts enriched with grape anthocyanins, to favour the formation of highly stable vinylphenolic pyranoanthocyanin pigments. The different strains were used to ferment the must separately, simultaneously, or sequentially, the latter involving an initial period using the yeast with the greatest HCDC activity (P. guillermondii). The must was made from concentrated grape juice diluted to 220 g/l of sugar, and enriched with grape anthocyanins to 100 mg/l and with p-coumaric acid to 120 mg/l. The pH was fixed to 3.5. All 50 ml micro-fermentations were done in triplicate. The development of anthocyanin-3-O-glucoside precursors, the decarboxylation of p-coumaric acid, and the formation of 4-vinylphenol and vinylphenolic pyranoanthocyanin derivatives were studied during the fermentation. The fermentation strategy used and the yeast HCDC activity significantly influenced the formation of vinylphenolic pyranoanthocyanins. The latter molecules were separated, identified, and quantified using high performance liquid chromatograph with diode array detection and electrospray-mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS). The volatile compounds profile was screened during fermentation using gas cromatogrphy-flame ionisation detection (GC-FID), in order to detect and quantify the main molecules. The best results were reached with the sequential fermentation (3.74 mg/l of malvidin-3-O-glucoside-4-vinylphenol). This work shows that during mixed or sequential fermentations carried out with non-Saccharomyces or highly fermentative Saccharomyces strains, with high HCDC activity, the content of stable pigments can be increased without sensorial modifications.     

Extraction and identification of anthocyanins from Smilax aspera L. berries

Anthocyanins, present in the berries of Smilax aspera L., a creeping shrub typical of the Mediterranean region, were extracted and identified for the first time. The pigments were extracted from the skin of the berries with of 0.1% HCl in methanol solution, purified on a C-18 solid-phase cartridge and characterized by means of HPLC-DAD-MS analysis. From spectral analysis before and after acid and alkaline hydrolysis, it was noted that pelargonidin 3-O-rutinoside represented about 83% of the total anthocyanin content in the skin of Smilax aspera berries. A low quantity of cyanidin 3-O-rutinoside (13%) was also found. The attractive colour and the great abundance of the plant in the south of Italy make Smilax aspera berries a new and very good source of natural pigments.     

Identification of ambiguous cubeb fruit by DART-MS-based fingerprinting combined with principal component analysis

The cubeb berry has been used as a spice and medicinal herb since medieval times. In China, Litsea cubeba (Lauraceae) has been designated as the cubeb tree; in other countries, Piper cubeba (Piperaceae) is considered as the cubeb. Since most cubeb berries in the Korean market are imported from China, there is a need to develop an efficient analytical method for the identification of the origin of cubeb fruit. Thirty-two commercial cubeb samples were collected from China, Korea, and Indonesia, and direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS) was employed to obtain a chemical fingerprint of each sample for multivariate analysis. Cubebene was identified as a marker molecule for P. cubeba, and all cubeb samples from Korean markets were identified as the fruit of L. cubeba. DART-MS fingerprinting together with principal component analysis can be applied as a promising method for rapid identification and/or quality control of cubeb berries.     

Evaluation of Asian salted noodles in the presence of Amaranthus betacyanin pigments

The effect of betacyanin pigments from Amaranthus tricolor on the functional properties and colour of wheat flour in relation to the quality of Asian salted noodles was studied. Addition of Amaranthus pigments significantly decreased the viscosity of wheat flour pastes as well as hardness and adhesiveness of the gels. Low levels of Amaranthus pigments (0.1% and 0.5%) imparted a more pink shade to flour gels, dried raw noodles, and cooked noodles, whereas higher levels (1.0% and 2.0%) gave a more red shade with decreased brightness. Pigment addition at low levels had no significant effect on the cooking and textural properties of noodles, whereas high level (2.0%) did have a significant influence. Several RVA and textural parameters of wheat flour pastes and gels were highly correlated to quality of cooked noodles and may be used in predicting actual noodle quality in the presence of Amaranthus pigments.     

Comparison of molecular detection methods for Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus

Pathogenic vibrios are a global concern for seafood safety and many molecular methods have been developed for their detection. This study compares several molecular methods for detection of total and pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus, in MPN enrichments from oysters and fish intestine samples. This study employed the DuPont Qualicon BAX^® System Real-Time PCR assay for detection of V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus. Multiplex real-time PCR detection of total (tlh+), tdh+, and trh+ V. parahaemolyticus was conducted on the Cepheid SmartCycler II. Total (rpoD) and tdh+ V. parahaemolyticus were also detected using LAMP. V. vulnificus detection was performed using real-time PCR methods developed for the SmartCycler and the AB 7500 Fast. Recommended template preparations were compared to BAX^® lysis samples for suitability. There was no significant difference in detection of V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus using the BAX^® or SmartCycler assays. The AB assay showed no difference from other methods in detection of V. vulnificus unless boiled templates were utilized. There was a significant difference in detection of tdh+ V. parahaemolyticus between SmartCycler and LAMP assays unless the total (tlh+) V. parahaemolyticus gene target was omitted from the SmartCycler assay; a similar trend was observed for trh+ V. parahaemolyticus.     

Isolation and identification of one kind of yellow pigments from model reaction systems related to garlic greening

It was established that green pigment(s) responsible for garlic greening is composed of yellow and blue species, and pyruvic acid (a product from 1-PeCSO or 2-PeCSO under the action of alliinase) reacted with pigment precursor (PP) model compounds, 2-(1H-pyrrolyl) carboxylic acids to produce yellow pigments. However, the structure of the yellow pigments is unknown. In present paper, we identified three yellow pigments (Y1, Y2 and Y3) from three reaction systems containing pyruvic acid and 2-(1H-pyrrolyl) acetic acid (P-Gly) or 1-(2′-methyl-1′-carboxy-propyl) pyrrole (P-Val) or 1-(2′-methyl-1′-carboxy-butyl) pyrrole (P-Ile), respectively, by LC-ESI MS/MS and IT-TOF mass spectrometry. The three pigments have a UV/visible maximum absorbance between 400 and 434 nm and might be formed by dimerisation of the three corresponding PP under participation of pyruvic acid, molecular formula of which are C₁₆H₁₆N₂O₄ (Y1), C₂₂H₂₈N₂O₄ (Y2) and C₂₄H₃₂N₂O₄ (Y3), respectively.