Combined effect of thymol and cymene to control the growth of<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Bacillus cereus</Emphasis> vegetative cells

The antibacterial action of thymol and cymene on two Bacillus cereus strains (INRA-AVTZ415 and INRA-AVZ421) was studied. Thymol and cymene alone showed higher antibacterial effect on the growth of B. cereus in BHI at 30 °C, both in lag and in exponential growth phases, with increasing added concentrations. However, the two strains tested showed different sensitivity to these natural compounds. When thymol and cymene were applied simultaneously, it resulted in a greater antibacterial effect than when the compounds were applied separately. The synergistic behaviour of both compounds was also shown for lag phase B. cereus INRA-AVZ421 cells in food substrates (carrot juice, chicken soup and pumpkin cream) at 30 °C, though a clear food-related effect was observed. This study indicates the potential use of thymol and cymene applied simultaneously for preservation of minimally processed foods.     

Carotenoid content and antioxidant capacity of Mediterranean vegetable soup (gazpacho) treated by high-pressure/temperature during refrigerated storage

High-pressure (HP) technology is an alternative to heat preservation methods for foods; therefore, it is essential to assess the impact of this technology on bioactive compounds and their properties. Carotenoids and antioxidant activity were measured in Mediterranean vegetable soup, called gazpacho subjected to HP/temperature treatment. The stability of carotenoids and the effect on antioxidant activity was studied during 40 days of refrigerated storage at 4°C. Two treatments that combine HP with temperature were assayed: T0, freshly made vegetable soup (untreated), T1, 150 MPa/60°C/15 min, T2, 350 MPa/60°C/15 min. Fresh and treated samples were kept refrigerated (4°C) for 40 days. After application of HP and during the refrigeration period, the qualitative and quantitative determination of provitamin A carotenoids (β- and γ-carotene), lycopene and the xanthophyll lutein was achieved. In addition, the radical scavenging activity of vegetable soups was assessed. T1 HP treatment (T1, 150 MPa/60°C/15 min) preserved the carotenoid content in vegetable soups better than T2 HP treatment. Moreover, T1 HP treatment retained the antioxidant activity during storage better than T2 HP treatment.     

Photoperiod-Dependent Effects of Grape-Seed Proanthocyanidins on Adipose Tissue Metabolic Markers in Healthy Rats

Scope

Variations in photoperiod patterns drive metabolic adaptations in mammals, involving important changes in body weight and adiposity. Moreover, (poly)phenols can help heterotrophs adopt metabolic adaptations to face the upcoming environmental conditions. Particularly, proanthocyanidins from grape-seeds show photoperiod-dependent effects on different metabolic parameters. The present study aims to explore whether grape-seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) consumption differently affects the expression of metabolic markers in WAT (subcutaneous and visceral depots) and BAT in a photoperiod-dependent manner.

Methods and results

GSPE (25 mg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹) is orally administrated for 4 weeks to healthy rats exposed to three photoperiods (L6, L12, and L18). In WAT, GSPE consumption significantly upregulates the expression of lipolytic genes in all photoperiods, being accompanied by increased serum concentrations of glycerol and corticosterone only under the L6 photoperiod. Moreover, adiponectin mRNA levels are significantly upregulated in response to GSPE regardless of the photoperiod, whereas Tnfα and Il6 expression are only downregulated in L6 and L18 photoperiods but not in L12. In BAT, GSPE upregulates Pgc1α expression in all groups, whereas the expression of Pparα is only increased in L18.

Conclusions

The results indicate that GSPE modulates the expression of important metabolic markers of WAT and BAT in a photoperiod-dependent manner.     

Insights into the metabolism and microbial biotransformation of dietary flavan-3-ols and the bioactivity of their metabolites

Flavan-3-ols, occurring in monomeric, as well as in oligomeric and polymeric forms (also known as condensed tannins or proanthocyanidins), are among the most abundant and bioactive dietary polyphenols, but their in vivo health effects in humans may be limited because of their recognition as xenobiotics. Bioavailability of flavan-3-ols is largely influenced by their degree of polymerization; while monomers are readily absorbed in the small intestine, oligomers and polymers need to be biotransformed by the colonic microbiota before absorption. Therefore, phenolic metabolites, rather than the original high molecular weight compounds found in foods, may be responsible for the health effects derived from flavan-3-ol consumption. Flavan-3-ol phenolic metabolites differ in structure, amount and excretion site. Phase II or tissular metabolites derived from the small intestine and hepatic metabolism are presented as conjugated derivatives (glucuronic acid or sulfate esters, methyl ether, or their combined forms) of monomeric flavan-3-ols and are preferentially eliminated in the bile, whereas microbial metabolites are rather simple conjugated lactones and phenolic acids that are largely excreted in urine. Although the colon is seen as an important organ for the metabolism of flavan-3-ols, the microbial catabolic pathways of these compounds are still under consideration, partly due to the lack of identification of bacteria with such capacity. Studies performed with synthesized or isolated phase II conjugated metabolites have revealed that they could have an effect beyond their antioxidant properties, by interacting with signalling pathways implicated in important processes involved in the development of diseases, among other bioactivities. However, the biological properties of microbe-derived metabolites in their actual conjugated forms remain largely unknown. Currently, there is an increasing interest in their effects on intestinal infections, inflammatory intestinal diseases and overall gut health. The present review will give an insight into the metabolism and microbial biotransformation of flavan-3-ols, including tentative catabolic pathways and aspects related to the identification of bacteria with the ability to catabolize these kinds of polyphenols. Also, the in vitro bioactivities of phase II and microbial phenolic metabolites will be covered in detail.     

Variability in the intercomparison of food carotenoid content data: A user's point of view

The availability of reliable information on food composition is essential both for the evaluation of diet and for nutritional research to relate diet to health or disease. In this article, we compare the total and individual carotenoid contents and the retinol equivalents in fruits and vegetables reported in several food composition tables and HPLC studies. The impact of the variability in carotenoid intake was evaluated on the basis of Spanish National Consumption Statistics and on the values for a standard diet. We identify, from a user's point of view, errors concerning identification of the items and the terms used to refer to the compounds. Food composition tables overestimate (by 2 to 48%) the retinol equivalent intake, whereas they underestimate (by 30 to 50%) the total carotenoid intake according to HPLC data. We study the effect of these main sources of error, their impact on dietary assessment and on the classification of relevant contributors, and the possible consequences with respect to proper diet in terms of nutritional assessment and epidemiological studies. Given the different dietary habits among populations and the fact that certain items may be over‐ or underestimated in databases, the use of a single database may be misleading as to the rate of carotenoid consumption and the “true” nutrient intake in a given population, thus weakening the reliability of the study and resulting in erroneous conclusions.     

Evolution of polyphenols in red wines from Vitis vinifera L. during aging in the bottle

The evolution of non-anthocyanin phenolic compounds (as measured by high-performance liquid chromatography) in young red wines from Vitis vinifera L. cv Tempranillo, Graciano and Cabernet Sauvignon (vintage 2000) from Navarra (Spain) was studied during 26 months of aging in the bottle. Hydroxybenzoic acids and derivatives (gallic, protocatechuic, vanillic and syringic acids, and methyl and ethyl gallates), hydroxycinnamic acids and derivatives (trans-caftaric, cutaric, caffeic and p-coumaric acids, and hexose esters of trans-p-coumaric acid), stilbenes (trans- and cis-resveratrol-3-O-glucosides, and trans- and cis-resveratrol), phenolic alcohols and other related compounds (tyrosol and tryptophol), flavanols [procyanidins B1 and B2, (+)-catechin and (–)-epicatechin] and flavonols (myricetin-3-O-glucoside, quercetin-3-O-galactoside and quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, kaempherol-3-O-glucoside, myricetin and quercetin) presented different evolution patterns during aging, in some cases also being different depending on the grape variety studied. The changes that occurred during aging in the bottle were the decrease of the concentration of trans-caftaric and cutaric acids accompanied by an increase of trans-caffeic acid and, especially of trans-p-coumaric acid. The greater increase of trans-p-coumaric acid was also associated with the disappearance of p-coumaroyl-acylated anthocyanins that occurs during aging in the bottle. Flavanols registered a major decrease, with the disappearance rate being greater for the dimeric procyanidins than for the monomeric flavanols, and the order of the disappearance rate by variety was as follows: Tempranillo相似文献   

Differentiation of raspberry varieties according to anthocyanin composition

 Four Spanish raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) cultivars, Autumn Bliss, Heritage, Rubi, and Ceva, were studied in order to determine, qualitatively and quantitatively, both anthocyanins and vitamin C composition, owing to their significance as dietary compounds with antioxidant activity and also to the relation with color quality. Raspberry anthocyanin composition, determined by HPLC and GC-MS, was characteristic to each cultivar. The higher anthocyanin content expressed as cyanidin-3-glucoside was found in the late cultivars, Rubi (96.08 mg/100 g f.w.) and Ceva (122.88 mg/100 g f.w.). Three cultivars showed cyanidin-3-sophoroside (63.86–21.91 mg/100 g f.w.) and cyanidin-3-glucoside (25.12–14.00 mg/100 g f.w.) as the major pigments, while Autumn Bliss had a similar relative amount of cyanidin derivatives, cyanidin-3-rutinoside being the pigment in major concentration (10.53 mg/100 g f.w.). The vitamin C contents were determined by HPLC. The Rubi cultivar showed the highest amount of vitamin C (31.14 mg/100 g f.w.). The organic acids were determined by HPLC as fruit constituents related to color quality. Citric acid was the main non-volatile organic acid (90%) in all raspberry cultivars and the Rubi cultivar showed the highest total non-volatile organic acids content (2003 mg/100 g f.w.). Hunter color CIE values were also determined, showing that Rubi was the reddest raspberry cultivar. Received: 28 May 1998     

Assessing the Value of a Portable Near Infrared Spectroscopy Sensor for Predicting Pork Meat Quality Traits of “Asturcelta Autochthonous Swine Breed”

Sixty-one intact meat samples from Asturcelta autochthonous swine breed were scanned in the slaughterhouse in reflectance mode. A handheld microelectromechanical system digital transform (Phazir1624, Polychromix Inc.), with a window sampling area of 0.8?×?1 cm and wavelengths ranging from 1,600 to 2,400 nm, was used. With the spectra database recorded were developed different chemometrical models assaying first and second derivatives as math treatment and standard normal variate (SNV) and multiplicative scatter correction for minimizing scattering effect. The greatest predictive capacity was achieved after applying SNV and first derivative for moisture, intramuscular fat (IMF) content, and pH parameters and second derivative for CIE L*, a*, b* colorimetric values, and the Warner–Bratzler force (instrumental texture). The coefficients of determination for calibration ranged from 0.63 to 0.89. The ratio between the standard error of the laboratory and the standard error of calibration ranged from 0.8 to 2.5 for all parameters (1.7 on average) with the exception of b and pH with ratios of 3.5 and 4.1, respectively. The statistical values obtained for the models developed to estimate IMF, CIE L*, a*, b*, moisture, and pH, displayed acceptable predictive capacity. For instrumental texture, the model could be able to discriminate among tender, medium, and hard meat in carcasses for characterization slaughter purposes.     

Recovery,fractionation and study of oils from a lignite

Oils from a lignite (Teruel, Spain) were studied. They were obtained by catalytic depolymerization, by reacting an aromatic substrate (tetralin), Lewis acid catalyst (BF₃) and the lignite (oil A) or asphaltenes (oil B) at atmospheric pressure and temperatures <220 °C. The A and B oils were fractionated on an alumina-silica gel dual column into their saturated, mono- and diaromatic, polyaromatic and polar components by elution with hexane, hexane-benzene, benzene and methanol-diethyl ether-benzene respectively. The elemental analysis, average molecular weight, i.r. and ¹H n.m.r. spectroscopy and aromaticity data of these subfractions were studied.