Effect of maternal Chlorella supplementation on carotenoid concentration in breast milk at early lactation

Breast milk carotenoids provide neonates with a source of vitamin A and potentially, oxidative stress protection and other health benefits. Chlorella, which has high levels of carotenoids such as lutein, zeaxanthin and β-carotene, is an effective dietary source of carotenoids for humans. In this study, the effect of maternal supplementation with Chlorella on carotenoid levels in breast milk at early lactation was investigated. Ten healthy, pregnant women received 6?g of Chlorella daily from gestational week 16–20 until the day of delivery (Chlorella group); ten others did not (control group). Among the carotenoids detected in breast milk, lutein, zeaxanthin and β-carotene concentrations in the Chlorella group were 2.6-fold (p?=?0.001), 2.7-fold (p?=?0.001) and 1.7-fold (p?=?0.049) higher, respectively, than those in the control group. Our study shows that Chlorella intake during pregnancy is effective in improving the carotenoid status of breast milk at early lactation.     

Characterization of phenolic compounds,carotenoids, vitamins and antioxidant activities of selected Malaysian wild edible plants

This study was carried out to characterize phenolic compounds, carotenoids, vitamins and the antioxidant activity of selected wild edible plants. Plant extracts were purified, and phenolic compounds comprising 11 phenolic acids (hydroxybenzoic acid and hydrocinnamic acid) and 33 flavonoids (including catechin, glycosides and aglycones) were analysed using High Performance Liquid Chromatography - Diode Array Detector (HPLC-DAD). Furthermore, the contents of ascorbic acid and tocopherol ((α and γ tocopherol) and carotenoids (lutein and β-carotene) were also determined. The major phenolics identified consisted of glycosides of flavones (apigenin and luteolin) and flavonols (kaempferol and quercetin). Among the phenolic acids identified after hydrolysis, coumaric acid was the predominant phenolic acid in all the extracts of wild plants. Ascorbic acid [53.8 mg/100 g fresh weight (FW)] and β-carotene (656.5 mg/100 g FW) showed the highest content in the leaf of Heckeria umbellatum. In conclusion, the leaves of H. umbellatum, Aniseia martinicensis and Gonostegia hirta have excellent potential in the future to emerge as functional ingredients.     

Carotenoid Uptake by Human Triacylglycerol-Rich Lipoproteins from the Green Leafy Vegetable Eruca sativa

Carotenoid absorbability from arugula (Eruca sativa) was estimated from the contents of the triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins (TRL) of 15 women over a 6 h time interval, yielding an average apparent absorption of 0.27 μmole of β-carotene (5.6 μmole intake), whereas a similar intake of standard β-carotene resulted in the absorption of 0.59 μmole. The corresponding rates for the raw and cooked leaves were 18.2 ± 7 and 22.9 ± 13nmole·L^?1h^?1 (P < 0.05), against 37.1 ± 12nmole·L^?1h^?1 for β-carotene capsules. For lutein, the apparent mean uptakes were 5.6 ± 4 and 6.7 ± 4nmole·L^?1h^?1, for the raw and cooked, respectively. It was concluded that the relative loading of β-carotene onto TRLs is favored over that of lutein and that absorbability of these arugula carotenoids by normal adults is substantial.     

PAM Fluorometry in the Determination of the Sensitivity of Chlorella vulgaris, Selenastrum capricornutum, and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to Copper

The pulse-amplitude-modulation (PAM) fluorometric method was used in the past as a sensitive and rapid method for assessing toxic effect of pollutants in plants. Here, we used the advantages of this method to evaluate the difference in sensitivity of Chlorella vulgaris, Selenastrum capricornutum, and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to copper toxicity. We found by using the PAM-fluorescence parameters (φ_M, φ′_M, Q_P, and Q_N), that C. reinhardtii is the most sensitive species, followed by S. capricornutum and C. vulgaris. Indeed, the copper 5-, 48-, and 96-h EC₅₀ for φ_M, φ′_M, and Q_P vary between 11 and 34 μg/L for C. reinhardtii, while for S. capricornutum this value is between 25 and 50 μg/L. However, the same parameters obtained from C. vulgaris did not show susceptibility to copper, even at very high concentrations (100 μg/L). In this study, the estimated 5-h EC₅₀ for C. reinhardtii and S. capricornutum are lower than the 24-h EC₅₀ reported earlier for these species with other bioassays, indicating that the use of PAM fluorometry in copper bioassay provides a more sensitive method than the other biotests in aquatic toxicology. Received: 31 December 2000/Accepted: 5 August 2001     

In Vitro Evidence on Bioaccessibility of Flavonols and Cinnamoyl Derivatives of Cruciferous Sprouts

Cruciferous sprouts are rising in popularity as a hallmark of healthy diets, partially because of their phytochemical composition, characterized by the presence of flavonols and cinnamates. However, to shed light on their biological activity, the ability to assimilate (poly)phenols from sprouts (bioaccessible fraction) during gastrointestinal digestion needs to be studied. In this frame, the present work studies the effect of the physicochemical and enzymatic characteristics of gastrointestinal digestion on flavonols and cinnamoyl derivatives, by a simulated static in vitro model, on different cruciferous (red radish, red cabbage, broccoli, and white mustard) sprouts. The results indicate that, although the initial concentrations of phenolic acids in red radish (64.25 mg/g fresh weight (fw)) are lower than in the other sprouts studied, their bioaccessibility after digestion is higher (90.40 mg/g fw), followed by red cabbage (72.52 mg/g fw), white mustard (58.72 mg/g fw), and broccoli (35.59 mg/g fw). These results indicate that the bioaccessibility of (poly)phenols is not exclusively associated with the initial concentration in the raw material, but that the physico-chemical properties of the food matrix, the presence of other additional molecules, and the specific characteristics of digestion are relevant factors in their assimilation.     

Relationship of Plasma Carotenoids,Retinol and Tocopherols in Mothers and Newborn Infants

Objective:We studied the relationship between maternal and cord plasma concentrations of carotenoids, retinol, and tocopherols in normal mother-baby pairs.

Methods: Healthy pregnant women (n=10) were recruited at a Montréal hospital. Venous blood samples were collected from the mothers at delivery and cord blood was obtained immediately post partum from the umbilical vein after clamping of the cord. All deliveries were full term deliveries and all babies had normal birth weights. Maternal and umbilical cord blood samples were handled identically. Plasma was digested with lipase and plasma carotenoids were extracted and measured using HPLC.

Results: Cord plasma concentration of carotenoids were significantly lower than that of maternal plasma (p<0.001). There was a high correlation of lutein (r=0.889, p=0.006) and cryptoxanthin (r=0.912, p=0.0002) between maternal plasma concentrations and cord plasma concentrations. The concentrations of the hydrocarbon carotenoids, α-carotene and β-carotene, were also correlated (r=0.779, p=0.0133, & r=0.782, p=0.0076, respectively) between maternal plasma and cord plasma. Whereas the plasma concentration of the acyclic carotenoid, lycopene, showed no correlation between the two groups, after adjustment for plasma triglycerides, the lycopene correlation between maternal and cord plasma was the highest (r=0.975, p=0.0001) of all the carotenoids tested. Cord plasma retinol concentration, which was 50% of that of maternal plasma, was also found to have no correlation with that of maternal plasma. Plasma concentration of α-tocopherol showed no correlation between two groups, whereas there was high correlation between cord and maternal γ-tocopherol concentrations (r=0.808, p=0.0047).

Conclusion: The nutritional status of mothers affects the nutritional status of their babies for certain fat soluble nutrients.     

Stability of carotenoids and tocopherols in ready-to-eat baby-leaf lettuce and salad rocket during low-temperature storage

Minimally processed ready-to-eat baby-leaf vegetables (BLVs) are the most convenient source to include the health beneficial bioactive in the daily diet. In the present study, the visual quality and storage stability of carotenoids, tocopherols were investigated in lettuce (green and red romaine) and salad rocket BLVs. The commercially packed samples of BLVs were stored at 0?°C and 4?°C in dark conditions and analyzed after 0, 2, 4, 8 and 12 days of storage. All the studied samples were found in better visual quality up to eight days of storage at both the temperatures. In most cases, the quality was correlated with the chlorophyll contents. The highest significant (p?相似文献   

Long-term follow-up of children with classical phenylketonuria after diet discontinuation: a review.

The age at which children suffering from classical phenylketonuria can safely discontinue their dietary therapy has been constantly disputed over the past decades. Recently, most phenylketonuria centers have begun to recommend a life-long diet, especially for female patients. Male patients are also advised to continue their diet until at least well into adult age. As a result of this new outlook in therapy management, we reviewed the existing literature and summarized all relevant long-term follow-up data of children who discontinued their debts at an early age, focusing on intellectual and neurological performance. The abilities of these children are compared during dietary treatment and again several years after diet discontinuation. Results show clearly that children maintaining their diets into their teens have fewer deficits than do those terminating their diets before 10 years of age. It seems essential to initiate diet early, and to keep blood phenylalanine levels < 600 mumol/L and well controlled to at least age 10 to ensure satisfactory long-term development of the patient. Furthermore, it seems highly justified to maintain a life-long diet which can be liberalized, but not completely discontinued in adulthood.     

燕麦β-葡聚糖对α-淀粉酶的体外作用

目的研究燕麦β-葡聚糖对食物中淀粉的消化和α-淀粉酶活性的影响。方法利用体外消化实验测定燕麦β-葡聚糖的状态对食物中淀粉消化动力学的影响。用3,5-二硝基水杨酸(DNS)法测试燕麦β-葡聚糖浓度、相对分子质量和添加方式对α-淀粉酶活性的影响。结果燕麦β-葡聚糖干样对食物中淀粉的消化没有影响,一定浓度的燕麦β-葡聚糖溶液可以延缓食物中淀粉的消化过程。α-淀粉酶的活性随添加的燕麦β-葡聚糖浓度、相对分子质量的增加而降低。预先将燕麦β-葡聚糖溶液与可溶性淀粉溶液混合后,测定所得α-淀粉酶活性低于直接添加燕麦β-葡聚糖溶液时的α-淀粉酶活性。预先将燕麦β-葡聚糖溶液与α-淀粉酶混合时,测得的α-淀粉酶活性最高。结论燕麦β-葡聚糖的状态、溶液浓度、相对分子质量和添加方式对食物中淀粉的消化和α-淀粉酶活性具有显著的影响。     

砷的体外生物利用度研究进展

为了正确评估砷的人体吸收量,以及对人体的毒害程度,同时解决体内生物利用度实验的高费用、难重现、操作复杂等问题,建立了在体外模拟人体内胃肠道消化过程的生物利用度实验。本文对砷的体外生物利用度的概念、模型原理、各种实验方法和影响因素作了简要介绍,综述了近年来用于砷的体外生物利用度检测的最新研究成果。     

Effect of a low molecular weight,high-purity β-glucan on in vitro digestion and glycemic response

β-Glucans are believed to lower postprandial glycemia due to their ability to increase viscosity and slow down gastric emptying. The effect of high-purity barley β-glucan (Glucagel?) was tested on in vitro starch digestibility and glycemic response of chapattis. In a randomized controlled crossover trial, 10 healthy human subjects consumed chapattis containing 0, 4 and 8% β-glucan on different occasions. Capillary blood samples were collected before and at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 min after consuming the chapattis. There was no significant difference either in the amount of glucose released after in vitro digestion or in the glycemic response to chapattis with 0, 4 and 8% β-glucan (P>0.05). It may be concluded that low molecular weight barley β-glucan, although of 75% purity, was not effective in lowering glycemic response possibly due to its inability to influence starch digestion and particle breakdown during in vitro digestion.     

Incorporation of lutein and docosahexaenoic acid from dietary microalgae into the retina in quail

Abstract

Lutein and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are associated with the prevention of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Since microalgae are potent natural sources of these nutrients, their nutritional value should be evaluated based on the bioavailability of lutein and DHA for the retina via the plasmatic compartment. In this study, quail were fed for 5 months either with a diet supplemented or deprived with microalgae rich in lutein and DHA. In the microalgae-fed group, the retinal concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin gradually increased whereas in plasma, these compounds started to increase from the first month of supplementation. We also observed a significant increase in retinal and plasmatic levels of DHA in the microalgae-fed group. In conclusion, the plasmatic and retinal contents of lutein and DHA were significantly increased in quail fed with lutein- and DHA-rich microalgae. Food fortification with microalgae may be an innovative way to increase lutein and DHA consumption in humans.     

The Gut Microbiota of Obese Children Releases Lower Antioxidant Capacity from Food than That of Lean Children

The prevalence of obesity has been increasing in children over the last few decades, becoming a concern for health professionals and governments. Gut microbial community structure in obese people have been found to differ from that of lean subjects for some taxa which could result in different production of microbial metabolites. The aim of the present work was to study whether the gut microbiota from obese children extracts a different concentration of antioxidant capacity than the gut microbiota from lean children. For this purpose, different foods were in vitro digested and in vitro fermented using fecal material from obese and lean children. FRAP, DPPH and Folin-Ciocalteu methods were used to measure the antioxidant capacity released during digestion and fermentation. Overall, when using lean gut microbiota, antioxidant capacity released was higher when measured via DPPH and FRAP. Moreover, according to DPPH results, lean gut microbiota could potentially release more antioxidant power from vegetables than from animal products, while obese gut microbiota did the opposite. On the contrary, with the FRAP method obese gut microbiota released higher levels of antioxidant power from plant products than from animal products, but the final antioxidant capacity was still lower than that released by lean gut microbiota. Therefore, these results reflect that the total antioxidant capacity of foods is influenced by the gut microbiota, although whether that antioxidant capacity is released from plant or animal products can be slightly influenced by the method used for analysis.     

脱氧雪腐镰刀菌烯醇生物可及性体外消化模型的构建及验证

目的构建脱氧雪腐镰刀菌烯醇(DON)生物可及性体外消化模型并验证,并对影响模型的主要因素进行优化。方法模拟胃肠道生理消化过程,研究消化时间、禁食和进食状态、消化液体积、消化液pH值、同时进食的多种食物成分等对DON在口腔、胃和小肠中生物可及性的影响,确定DON生物可及性体外消化模型最优技术参数,并对模型进行验证。结果经过优化,食品中DON释放到唾液、胃液、十二指肠液和胆汁中浓度达最高的最佳条件为:口腔、胃和十二指肠中的消化时间分别为6min、1.5h和1.5h;消化液pH分别为6.5、0.9、7.5和8.0;消化液体积分别为6、13、11ml和6ml;禁食和进食等各种状态下DON生物可及性范围为81.28%～99.58%,DON的生物可及性随胃内容物的增加而降低;食品基质类别(玉米和小麦粉)对DON生物可及性无影响;同时进食的其他食物成分可降低谷物中DON的生物可及性。结论构建的DON体外消化模型稳定性高、重复性好,完全可以满足对食品中DON生物可及性的研究。     

Plasma concentrations of carotenoids in healthy volunteers after intervention with carotenoid-rich foods

Summary Aim of the study: The present study was conducted to investigate changes in the plasma concentration of carotenoids and carotenoid oxidation products, vitamin A, α- and γ-tocopherol, and ubiquinone-10 during a dietary intervention trial with 23 male healthy volunteers. Method: A two week carotenoid depletion period was followed by a daily consumption of 330 mL tomato juice (40 mg lycopene), then by 330 mL carrot juice (15.7 mg α-carotene and 22.3 mg β-carotene), and then by a 10 g spinach powder preparation (11.3 mg lutein and 3.1 mg β-carotene) served with main meals for two weeks, respectively. Blood samples were collected in the morning after an overnight fasting and carotenoids, vitamin A, tocopherols, and ubichinone were analyzed by reversed-phase HPLC. Results: During the tomato juice intervention, plasma concentrations of trans- and cis-lycopene increased 2-fold compared to the depletion period. Lycopene oxidation products could be demonstrated in plasma and were significantly elevated compared to control (p<0.001). After two weeks of carrot juice consumption, α-carotene and β-carotene concentrations increased 8.6- and 3.2-fold, respectively. Finally, during the spinach consumption period the lutein concentration increased 2-fold, while the β-carotene concentrations were still elevated 2-fold. Conclusions: The moderate change in dietary habits, e.g., the consumption of 330 mL of carotenoid-rich vegetable juices caused significant changes in the plasma carotenoid concentrations, indicating a high bioavailability of carotenoids from the processed vegetable products. The changes in plasma carotenoid concentrations reflected the carotenoid composition of the consumed foods. However, particularly during the tomato juice intervention period the occurrence of lycopene oxidation products and cis-lycopene isomers in plasma was eminent. The formation may be due to antioxidant reactions of lycopene in the organism. Received: 30 September 1998, Accepted: 11 November 1998     

Studies on hypercarotenemia due to excessive ingestion of carrot,pumpkin and papaw

Hypercarotenemia is diagnosed by yellowing of skin. The present study was carried out to study the carotenoids, their metabolites and the vitamin A levels in hypercarotenemics on reporting, changes in serum carotenoids following cessation of feeding carotenoid-bearing foods, and to determine the carotenoids in stools of hypercarotenemics and non-hypercarotenemics.

Hypercarotenemic subjects (n = 35) were tested on reporting for a 2-month to 3-month period. Feces from hypercarotenemics (n = 5) and non-hypercarotenemics (n = 8) were extracted and subjected to reverse phase-high-performance liquid chromatography. A questionnaire was administered to parents (n = 35) of these hypercarotenemic children. The serum α- and β carotenoids varied from 119 g/dl to trace and from 149 g/dl to trace respectively, with the monohydroxy metabolites varying from 214 g/dl to nondetectable and polyhydroxy metabolites from 823 g/dl to 7.0 g/dl. Longitudinal studies indicated that serum carotenoid levels declined while vitamin A levels were maintained. α-Carotenes and β-carotenes were not detected in the feces of hypercarotenemics but were present in non-hypercarotenemics.     

Understanding the Fate of Almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb) Oleosomes during Simulated Digestion

Background: Almond kernels contain phytochemicals with positive health effects in relation to heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Several studies have previously highlighted that almond cell wall encapsulation during digestion and particle size are factors associated with these benefits. In the present study, we have characterized almond oleosomes, natural oil droplets abundant in plants, and we have investigated their integrity during simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Methods: Oleosomes were visualized on the almond seed surface by imaging mass spectrometry analysis, and then characterized in terms of droplet size distribution by dynamic light scattering and protein profile by liquid chromatography high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Results: The almond oleosomes’ distribution remained monomodal after in vitro mastication, whereas gastric and duodenal digestion led to a bimodal distribution, albeit characterized mainly by a prevalent population with a droplet size decrease related to a rearrangement of the protein profile. Oleosins, structural proteins found in plant oil bodies, persisted unchanged during simulated mastication, with the appearance of new prunin isoforms after gastric and duodenal digestion. Conclusions: The rearrangement of the protein profile could limit lipid bioaccessibility. The data improve our understanding of the behavior of almond lipids during gastrointestinal digestion, and may have implications for energy intake and satiety imparted by almonds.     

Recipes and nutritional value of dishes prepared from green-leafy vegetables in an urban district of Antananarivo (Madagascar)

Abstract

The recipes of 50 multi-ingredient dishes consumed by the population in an urban district were noted down. The nutritional value was determined as well as the cook value of the dishes in order to evaluate the severity of the thermal treatment. The recipes were simple and involved steps such as boiling, mixing, and cutting. Fibre contents were rather low except when the leaf stems were included. All the dishes had very high β-carotene content (15.8–25.0 mg/100 g dry matter) and retinol activity equivalent (RAE) (1.3–2.3 mg RAE/100 g dry matter) because of the high proportion of fresh leafy vegetables (from 41.2% to 58.8% of the total dry matter of the ingredients). When meat was added to the preparation, the micronutrient content (iron, zinc, and retinol) was not increased significantly. In three dishes, a positive correlation was found between the thermal treatment severity and the 13-cis-β-carotene amount.     

In vitro digestion for assessing micronutrient bioavailability: the importance of digestion duration

Static digestion in vitro is a commonly used technique for investigating micronutrient availability which allows the nutrients or foods of interest to be exposed to conditions that simulate those found within the stomach and small intestine. The activity of these digestive enzymes throughout their respective simulated digestion phases has been reported to decline due to the autolytic activity of the proteases and therefore incomplete digestion may result. The degree of protease inactivation under commonly simulated digestion conditions requires further quantification. Pepsin and pancreatic protease activities were assessed throughout a simulated digestion protocol in vitro over multiple time points using stop-rate spectroscopy. The protease activity of both pepsin and pancreatin decreased significantly during their respective digestion phases. Results suggest that gastric and intestinal proteases are destroyed or inactivated during their respective digestive phase. For this reason, prolonged digestion protocols may require protease supplementation throughout digestion to correctly simulate physiological conditions.     

Phenolic Release during In Vitro Digestion of Cold and Hot Extruded Noodles Supplemented with Starch and Phenolic Extracts

Dietary phenolic compounds must be released from the food matrix in the gastrointestinal tract to play a bioactive role, the release of which is interfered with by food structure. The release of phenolics (unbound and bound) of cold and hot extruded noodles enriched with phenolics (2.0%) during simulated in vitro gastrointestinal digestion was investigated. Bound phenolic content and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis were utilized to characterize the intensity and manner of starch-phenolic complexation during the preparation of extruded noodles. Hot extrusion induced the formation of more complexes, especially the V-type inclusion complexes, with a higher proportion of bound phenolics than cold extrusion, contributing to a more controlled release of phenolics along with slower starch digestion. For instance, during simulated small intestinal digestion, less unbound phenolics (59.4%) were released from hot extruded phenolic-enhanced noodles than from the corresponding cold extruded noodles (68.2%). This is similar to the release behavior of bound phenolics, that cold extruded noodles released more bound phenolics (56.5%) than hot extruded noodles (41.9%). For noodles extruded with rutin, the release of unbound rutin from hot extruded noodles and cold extruded noodles was 63.6% and 79.0%, respectively, in the small intestine phase, and bound rutin was released at a much lower amount from the hot extruded noodles (55.8%) than from the cold extruded noodles (89.7%). Hot extrusion may allow more potential bioaccessible phenolics (such as rutin), further improving the development of starchy foods enriched with controlled phenolics.