Thermal stability of catechin and epicatechin upon disaccharides addition

Influence of sucrose and trehalose addition on epimerisation and thermal degradation of catechin and epicatechin have been studied. Sucrose addition accelerated epimerisation of catechin and epicatechin at 80 and 100 °C. Addition of trehalose had protective effect on epimerisation of catechin and epicatechin. Considering thermal degradation, it was confirmed that thermal degradation of catechin and epicatechin follows the first‐order kinetics. Increasing the temperature causes shorter half‐lives of catechin and epicatechin. Addition of sucrose had negative effect on catechin stability. However, in samples with epicatechin, sucrose impact was temperature dependent. Trehalose addition had positive impact on preventing catechin and epicatechin degradation almost doubling the half‐life of studied compounds. Data presented in this study could help to predict chemical conversions of investigated phenolics in various food systems and to prolong their shelf life in thermally processed foods.     

Permeability of ergot alkaloids across the blood-brain barrier in vitro and influence on the barrier integrity

Scope Ergot alkaloids are secondary metabolites of Claviceps spp. and they have been in the focus of research for many years. Experiments focusing on ergotamine as a former migraine drug referring to the ability to reach the brain revealed controversial results. The question to which extent ergot alkaloids are able to cross the blood‐brain barrier is still not answered. Methods and results In order to answer this question we have studied the ability of ergot alkaloids to penetrate the blood‐brain barrier in a well established in vitro model system using primary porcine brain endothelial cells. It could clearly be demonstrated that ergot alkaloids are able to cross the blood‐brain barrier in high quantities in only a few hours. We could further identify an active transport for ergometrine as a substrate for the BCRP/ABCG2 transporter. Investigations concerning barrier integrity properties have identified ergocristinine as a potent substance to accumulate in these cells ultimately leading to a weakened barrier function. Conclusion For the first time we could show that the so far as biologically inactive described 8‐(S) isomers of ergot alkaloids seem to have an influence on barrier integrity underlining the necessity for a risk assessment of ergot alkaloids in food and feed.     

Enantioseparation of catechin and epicatechin in plant food by chiral capillary electrophoresis

The enantiomers of catechin and epicatechin were separated by chiral capillary electrophoresis using modified cyclodextrins as chiral selectors. Various conditions for the separation system were optimized, including the pH value and the concentration of the running buffer. A baseline separation of the catechin and epicatechin enantiomers could be achieved by using 0.1 mol l⁻¹ borate buffer (pH 8.5) with 12 mmol l⁻¹ (2-hydroxypropyl)-γ-cyclodextrin as chiral selector, a fused-silica capillary with 40 cm effective length (75 μm I.D.), +18 kV applied voltage, a temperature of 20 °C and direct UV detection at 280 nm. The method was applied to different plant food samples. (+)-Catechin and (−)-epicatechin could be verified as the most common flavan-3-ols. In the case of guaraná, however, we were able to identify all four enantiomers, both (+)- and (−)-catechin and (+)- and (−)-epicatechin, as naturally occurring compounds. This finding was verified by further isolation and purification of the flavan-3-ols and subsequent LC–MS analysis. This method allows for the identification of the authenticity of guaraná through the analysis of the catechin and epicatechin enantiomers, additionally to the conventional methods like HPLC.     

儿茶素及表儿茶素对老化啤酒中晚期糖基化终末产物的抑制作用

该研究利用真实啤酒体系,向啤酒中加入不同浓度的儿茶素（CC）及表儿茶素（EC）,以氨基胍（AG）作为阳性对照,在50 ℃分别老化2 d和5 d。测定了不同原花青素单体对啤酒中荧光性晚期糖基化终末产物（AGEs）、非荧光性AGEs代表物Nε-羧甲基赖氨酸（CML）及啤酒非生物稳定性的影响,同时利用分子对接解释原花青素抑制CML构效关系。结果表明,对于啤酒老化过程中产生的荧光性AGEs,抑制效果CC＞EC＞AG;对于非荧光性AGEs代表物CML,抑制效果EC＞CC,并与分子对接结果一致。CC及EC的添加,对啤酒蛋白含量无显著影响（P＞0.05）,但对啤酒总酚和色度均有显著性影响（P＜0.05）,且呈剂量依赖性。研究结果为原花青素作为老化啤酒中AGEs抑制剂提供科学依据。     

The putative monocarboxylate permeases of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae do not transport monocarboxylic acids across the plasma membrane

We have characterized the monocarboxylate permease family of Saccharomyces cerevisiae comprising five proteins. We could not find any evidence that the monocarboxylate transporter-homologous (Mch) proteins of S. cerevisiae are involved in the uptake or secretion of monocarboxylates such as lactate, pyruvate or acetate across the plasma membrane. A yeast mutant strain deleted for all five MCH genes exhibited no growth defects on monocarboxylic acids as the sole carbon and energy sources. Moreover, the uptake and secretion rates of monocarboxylic acids were indistinguishable from the wild-type strain. Additional deletion of the JEN1 lactate transporter gene completely blocked uptake of lactate and pyruvate. However, uptake of acetate was not even affected after the additional deletion of the gene YHL008c, which had been proposed to code for an acetate transporter. The mch1-5 mutant strain showed strongly reduced biomass yields in aerobic glucose-limited chemostat cultures, pointing to the involvement of Mch transporters in mitochondrial metabolism. Indeed, intracellular localization studies indicated that at least some of the Mch proteins reside in intracellular membranes. However, pyruvate uptake into isolated mitochondria was not affected in the mch1-5 mutant strain. It is concluded that the yeast monocarboxylate transporter-homologous proteins perform other functions than do their mammalian counterparts.     

Changes in the catechin and epicatechin content of grape seeds on storage under different water activity (aw) conditions

Storage effect on antioxidant content and capacity of grape seeds under different a_w conditions (a_w 0.33; 0.53; 0.75/50 days, 25 °C) was examined. Total phenol content (determined by the Folin–Ciocalteu method) decreased during storage though changes were trivial for samples stored at 33% or 53% RH. High level of humidity (75%) accelerated degradation and resulted in a ∼50% reduction of total phenol content. Minor loss of the DPPH radical scavenging activity (%RSA) of the extracts was observed. Catechin and epicatechin content monitored by RP-HPLC was reduced during storage, particularly at 75% RH. Epicatechin content proved to be less sensitive to water activity conditions than catechin content. Results of various in vitro assays (Folin–Ciocalteu, FRAP, DPPH, ABTS, CBA, ORAC and copper induced liposome oxidation) did not support difference in terms of resistance to oxidation. Based on the continuous release of gallic acid, our finding was related to hydrolytic reactions. Control of a_w of grape seeds can be of practical importance for the wine industry.     

Insights into the sorption properties of cutin and cutan biopolymers

Plant cuticles have been reported as highly efficient sorbents for organic compounds. The objective of this study was to elucidate the sorption and desorption behavior of polar and nonpolar organic compounds with the major structural components of the plant cuticle: the biopolymers cutin and cutan. The sorption affinity values of the studied compounds followed the order: phenanthrene > atrazine > chlorotoluron > carbamazepine. A higher sorption affinity of phenanthrene and atrazine to cutin was probably due to the higher level of amorphous paraffinic carbon in this biopolymer. Phenanthrene exhibited reversible sorption behavior and a high ratio of organic-carbon-normalized distribution coefficient (Koc) to carbon-normalized octanol-water partitioning coefficients (Kowc) with both biopolymers. This suggests that both biopolymers provide phenanthrene with a partition medium for hydrophobic interactions with the flexible long alkyl-chain moieties of the biopolymers. The low Koc/Kowc ratios obtained for the polar sorbates suggest that the polar sites in the biopolymers are not accessible for sorption interactions. Atrazine and carbamazepine exhibited sorption-desorption hysteresis with both sorbents, indicating that both sorbates interact with cutin and cutan via both hydrophobic and specific interactions. In general, the sorptive properties of the studied biopolymers were similar, signifying that the active sorption sites are similar even though the biopolymers exhibit different properties.     

Protein transport across the small intestine in food allergy

In view of the imminent deficiency of protein sources for human consumption in the near future, new protein sources need to be identified. However, safety issues such as the risk of allergenicity are often a bottleneck, due to the absence of predictive, validated and accepted methods for risk assessment. The current strategy to assess the allergenic potential of proteins focuses mainly on homology, stability and cross‐reactivity, although other factors such as intestinal transport might be of added value too. In this review, we present an overview of the knowledge of protein transport across the intestinal wall and the methods currently being used to measure this. A literature study reveals that protein transport in sensitised persons occurs para‐cellularly with the involvement of mast cells, and trans‐cellularly via enterocytes, while in non‐sensitised persons micro‐fold cells and enterocytes are considered most important. However, there is a lack of comparable systematic studies on transport of allergenic proteins. Knowledge of the multiple protein transport pathways and which model system can be useful to study these processes may be of added value in the risk assessment of food allergenicity.     

Mercury distribution and transport across the ocean-sea-ice-atmosphere interface in the Arctic Ocean

The Arctic sea-ice environment has been undergoing dramatic changes in the past decades; to which extent this will affect the deposition, fate, and effects of chemical contaminants remains virtually unknown. Here, we report the first study on the distribution and transport of mercury (Hg) across the ocean-sea-ice-atmosphere interface in the Southern Beaufort Sea of the Arctic Ocean. Despite being sampled at different sites under various atmospheric and snow cover conditions, Hg concentrations in first-year ice cores were generally low and varied within a remarkably narrow range (0.5-4 ng L(-1)), with the highest concentration always in the surface granular ice layer which is characterized by enriched particle and brine pocket concentration. Atmospheric Hg depletion events appeared not to be an important factor in determining Hg concentrations in sea ice except for frost flowers and in the melt season when snowpack Hg leaches into the sea ice. The multiyear ice core showed a unique cyclic feature in the Hg profile with multiple peaks potentially corresponding to each ice growing/melting season. The highest Hg concentrations (up to 70 ng L(-1)) were found in sea-ice brine and decrease as the melt season progresses. As brine is the primary habitat for microbial communities responsible for sustaining the food web in the Arctic Ocean, the high and seasonally changing Hg concentrations in brine and its potential transformation may have a major impact on Hg uptake in Arctic marine ecosystems under a changing climate.     

Study on infrared-assisted extraction coupled with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for determination of catechin,epicatechin, and procyanidin B2 in grape seeds

In this study, infrared-assisted extraction (IRAE) was developed and combined with HPLC for the determination of catechin, epicatechin, and procyanidin B2 in grape seeds. Three factors, extraction solvent, solid/liquid ratio, and illumination time, were investigated to optimise the extraction method of catechin, epicatechin, and procyanidin B2 from grape seeds. The chosen infrared-assisted extraction conditions were as follows: a 50% methanol solution as extraction solvent, solid/liquid ratio of 1:150 g/mL and illumination time of 30 min. The extraction efficiency of IRAE was compared with conventional microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), ultrasonic extraction (UE), and classical electrical heating (CEH) methods. An initial HPLC method was established to identify and quantitate catechin, epicatechin, and procyanidin B2 from grape seeds, simultaneously. The HPLC method was validated for parameters including linearity, analytic limit, reproducibility, accuracy and recovery. The results indicted that IRAE has a great potential for offering an alternative technique for extraction of active components from plants.     

Insights into the molecular basis of sperm-egg recognition in mammals

The zona pellucida surrounding the egg and pre-implantation embryo is required for in vivo fertility and early development. Explanatory models of sperm-egg recognition need to take into account the ability of sperm to bind to ovulated eggs, but not to two-cell embryos. For the last two decades, investigators have sought to identify an individual protein or carbohydrate side chain as the 'sperm receptor'. However, recent genetic data in mice are more consistent with the three-dimensional structure of the zona pellucida, rather than a single protein (or carbohydrate), determining sperm binding. The mouse and human zonae pellucidae contain three glycoproteins (ZP1, ZP2, ZP3) and, following fertilization, ZP2 is proteolytically cleaved. The replacement of endogenous mouse proteins with human ZP2, ZP3 or both does not alter taxon specificity of sperm binding or prevent fertility. Surprisingly, human ZP2 is not cleaved following fertilization and intact ZP2 correlates with persistent sperm binding to two-cell embryos. Taken together, these data support a model in which the cleavage status of ZP2 modulates the three-dimensional structure of the zona pellucida and determines whether sperm bind (uncleaved) or do not (cleaved).     

Insights into the role of quorum sensing in food spoilage

Food spoilage is a consequence of the degrading enzymatic activity of some food-associated bacteria. Several proteolytic, lipolytic, chitinolytic, and pectinolytic activities associated with the deterioration of goods are regulated by quorum sensing, suggesting a potential role of such cell-to-cell communication in food spoilage. Here we review quorum sensing signaling molecules and methods of their detection and quantification, and we provide insights into the role of quorum sensing in food spoilage and address potential quorum sensing inhibitors that might be used as biopreservatives.     

Interaction of (+)‐catechin, (−)‐epicatechin,procyanidin B2 and procyanidin C1 with pooled human saliva in vitro

Pooled human saliva was mixed with solutions containing either (+)‐catechin, (−)‐epicatechin, procyanidin B2 or procyanidin C1 at two ratios of admixture and allowed to react at pH 3.2. Precipitates were removed by centrifugation and the supernatants were analysed for the content of proteins and flavanols remaining. The protein determination was unexpectedly difficult and limited the amount of data obtained. The extent to which particular proteins were precipitated (as judged by reversed phase HPLC) did not correlate with the reported sensory potency of these flavanols. The quantity of flavanols precipitated not only did not agree with the relative astringency recorded in the literature, but was in fact the reverse. However, statistical analysis of the data suggested that the quantity of flavanols remaining in the supernatant might be more closely related to their previously determined astringency than to the amount precipitated. More extensive studies, both sensory and analytical, with a greater number of purified flavanols and a superior method of protein determination are required in order to confirm and refine the relationships suggested. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

Chemoprevention: Insights into biological mechanisms and promising food factors

Abstract

Chemoprevention with food phytochemical is currently regarded as one of the noticeable scientific fields. A large body of data from epidemio‐logic and rodent studies has demonstrated that ingestion of vegetables and fruits is occasionally beneficial for reduction of cancer risks in humans. Recent clinical trials using ubiquitous antioxidants such as α‐carotene, however, have yet to show their cancer preventive effect despite the fact that they have been reported to be chemopreventive agents in rodent models. One of the goals of this review is to address useful and reliable methodology to detect promising chemopreventive agents from edible plants by highlighting molecular mechanisms of multistage carcinogenesis.     

New Insights into the High‐Pressure Processing of Meat and Meat Products

Abstract: For years, high‐pressure processing has been viewed as useful for pasteurizing food while maintaining the quality of fresh food. However, even at moderate pressure, this process is not without effects on food, especially on meat products. These effects are especially important because pressure greater than 400 MPa is generally necessary to achieve efficient microbial inactivation. In this review, recent advances in the understanding of the impacts of high pressure on the overall quality of raw and processed meat are discussed. Many factors, including meat product formulation and processing parameters, can influence the efficiency of high pressure in pasteurizing meat products. It appears that new strategies are applied either (i) to improve the microbial inactivation that results from high pressure while minimizing the adverse effects of high pressure on meat quality or (ii) to take advantage of changes in meat attributes under high pressure. Most of the time, multiple preservation factors or techniques are combined to produce safe, stable, and high‐quality food products. Among the new applications of high‐pressure techniques for meat and meat‐derivative products are their use in combination with temperature manipulation to texturize and pasteurize new meat products simultaneously.