Isoflavone content of Italian soy food products and daily intakes of some specific classes of consumers

In Western countries food products containing soybean proteins are primarily directed to some specific classes of consumers, in particular vegetarians, milk-intolerant or gluten-intolerant subjects, and hypercholesterolemic patients. The consumption of these products is associated with the presence of isoflavones, which recently have become a very controversial issue because their beneficial properties are counterbalanced by some undesirable effects. Taking into account that information on the average isoflavone daily intake in European countries and especially in Italy is very scarce, we decided to quantify the isoflavones in some products for different classes of consumers, with the objective of evaluating their possible exposition. The total isoflavone contents were in the range 21–803 g/g_d.w. and were particularly high in imitation dairy and meat products. Infant formulas contained 121–427 g/g_d.w., whereas the isoflavone contents in gluten-free products were in the range 77–220 g/g_d.w.. Only in the case of infants and children, the daily intake may overcome the recommended limit introduced by the Italian Health Authority for isoflavone supplements.     

Investigation of crosslinking in the thermooxidative aging of nitrile–butadiene rubber

Chemical crosslinking is possibly the most significant factor affecting the mechanical behavior of rubbers. In this study, we investigated the evolution of network structures (the crosslinking degree and crosslinking density) during the thermooxidative aging of a nitrile–butadiene rubber (NBR) using characterization methods such as low‐dimensional NMR, solvent extraction, solvent swelling, IR spectroscopy, and mechanical property measurements. The NMR and solvent extraction results show the change of the crosslinking degree. The solvent swelling results show the change of the crosslinking density. The IR results show the chemical changes relating to crosslinking and chain scissions. Therefore, a comprehensive picture of the thermal oxidative aging of the NBR compound was drawn by the integration of various results from these methods. Crosslinking occurred throughout the aging process, whereas chain scissions took place and competed with crosslinking in the later stage. The crosslinking density increased at a nearly constant rate, whereas the increase in the crosslinking degree slowed down in the later stage. The crosslinking density was closely correlated with the hardness and Young's modulus. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41319.     

Flavor challenges in extruded plant-based meat alternatives: A review

Demand for plant-based meat alternatives has increased in recent years due to concerns about health, ethics, the environment, and animal welfare. Nevertheless, the market share of plant-based meat alternatives must increase significantly if they are to support sustainable food production and consumption. Flavor is an important limiting factor of the acceptability and marketability of plant-based meat alternatives. Undesirable chemosensory perceptions, such as a beany flavor, bitter taste, and astringency, are often associated with plant proteins and products that use them. This study reviewed 276 articles to answer the following five research questions: (1) What are the volatile and nonvolatile compounds responsible for off-flavors? (2) What are the mechanisms by which these flavor compounds are generated? (3) What is the influence of thermal extrusion cooking (the primary structuring technique to transform plant proteins into fibrous products that resemble meat in texture) on the flavor characteristics of plant proteins? (4) What techniques are used in measuring the flavor properties of plant-based proteins and products? (5) What strategies can be used to reduce off-flavors and improve the sensory appeal of plant-based meat alternatives? This article comprehensively discusses, for the first time, the flavor issues of plant-based meat alternatives and the technologies available to improve flavor and, ultimately, acceptability.     

Cytosolic 5′-Nucleotidase II Silencing in Lung Tumor Cells Regulates Metabolism through Activation of the p53/AMPK Signaling Pathway

Cytosolic 5′-nucleotidase II (cN-II) is an allosteric catabolic enzyme that hydrolyzes IMP, GMP, and AMP. The enzyme can assume at least two different structures, being the more active conformation stabilized by ATP and the less active by inorganic phosphate. Therefore, the variation in ATP concentration can control both structure and activity of cN-II. In this paper, using a capillary electrophoresis technique, we demonstrated that a partial silencing of cN-II in a pulmonary carcinoma cell line (NCI-H292) is accompanied by a decrease in adenylate pool, without affecting the energy charge. We also found that cN-II silencing decreased proliferation and increased oxidative metabolism, as indicated by the decreased production of lactate. These effects, as demonstrated by Western blotting, appear to be mediated by both p53 and AMP-activated protein kinase, as most of them are prevented by pifithrin-α, a known p53 inhibitor. These results are in line with our previous observations of a shift towards a more oxidative and less proliferative phenotype of tumoral cells with a low expression of cN-II, thus supporting the search for specific inhibitors of this enzyme as a therapeutic tool for the treatment of tumors.     

Methylxanthines,phenolic composition,and antioxidant activity of bark from residues from mate tree harvesting (Ilex paraguariensis A. St. Hil.)

Leaves and products made from them are the major focus of research on bioactive compounds of mate (Ilex paraguariensis). However, studies on other parts of the plant, are scarce. The aim of this study was to determine the methylxanthines, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity of mate bark (residual biomass) and compare with those of mate leaves. The high antioxidant activity of mate bark and its high concentration of total polyphenols were apparent in both the aqueous and the methanolic extracts, the values of which were greater than those detected in the leaves. Of the phenolic acids identified, the levels of chlorogenic acid and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid in the samples were significantly higher in the methanolic bark extract. With regard to methylxanthines, considerable concentrations were detected in the samples. The results obtained contribute to the viability of exploiting this residue, broadening the use of the mate plant.     

Lactic acid bacteria with cholesterol-lowering properties for dairy applications: In vitro and in situ activity

Cholesterol-lowering activity is one of the most promising properties of lactic acid bacteria with probiotic characteristics. In the present study, 58 potentially probiotic lactic acid bacteria were tested for their ability to survive in vitro digestion and reduce cholesterol in a medium containing cholesterol and bile acids. The best-performing strains (Lactobacillus casei VC199, Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei SE160 and VC213, Lactobacillus plantarum VS166 and VS513, Enterococcus faecium VC223, and Enterococcus lactis BT161) resulted in a 42 to 55% reduction of the cholesterol level in broth and were further tested in cheese manufacture. The cholesterol content in all the cheeses decreased with ripening. All the strains were present in the cheese at levels higher than 10⁷ cfu/g until 60 d of ripening, the highest reductions (up to 23%) being obtained when Lb. paracasei ssp. paracasei VC213 and E. lactis BT161 were added during the cheese-making. The adjunct cultures had no negative effect on the sensory characteristics of the cheese. Thus, these strains with proven in vitro properties are good candidates for novel probiotic-containing formulations and could be used to functionalize foods such as dairy fermented products.