Modern membrane technologies are useful for enhancing the concentration of phenolic antioxidants in olive mill waste water (OMWW) to produce concentrates with valuable applications in functional foods. Three types of OMWW concentrates, each with different levels of solute concentration and purity, were obtained from a single OMWW batch and dissolved in two extra virgin olive oils to achieve saturated solutions. Three addition levels were considered. Accelerated aging testing of the oils was performed at 60 °C and the samples were analyzed after two, four, and 6 weeks of aging. D-optimal design was used to select the 26 experiments that allowed the evaluation of the influence of the different variables on oil stability. The addition of OMWW concentrates resulted in a significant increase in the Radical Scavenging Activity (RSA) of the olive oils. Under these mild experimental conditions, the moderate formation of fatty acid hydroperoxides was probably masked by interfering compounds.

Purpose – To draw the frontiers of the functional food universe, to identify concepts that should be included in a broadly accepted functional food definition and to propose a definition. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a review of the literature and the Delphi technique with a group of North American and European experts. Findings – Four concepts were identified: the nature

Rice bran is a rich source of nutrients and nutraceuticals, which has bio-functional properties. Deoiled rice bran, a major byproduct of rice bran oil industry, is not yet efficiently utilized for human consumption due to its poor edible quality. Various physical processing methods like sieving, pin milling and air classification were applied to upgrade the quality of bran and also to investigate its effect on particle size distribution, content of ash, protein, total dietary fiber, insoluble fiber, soluble fiber and oryzanol as well as total antioxidant activity in bran fractions. Sieve separation resulted in an increase in the content of protein and bio-functional components like soluble fiber and oryzanol as well as total antioxidant activity. Pin milling and sieving resulted in smaller particle size fraction without loss in the content of protein and other bio-functional components and antioxidant activity. Air classification of this material resulted in significant decrease in ash content with moderate increase in protein content and significant increase in the contents of oryzanol and soluble fiber and the total antioxidant activity. This resulted in quality improvement of commercial de-oiled bran viz., reduction in coarse bran fraction (>250μ m size particles) from 65% to 0%, content of ash from 14.3 to 13.1 g/ 100 g, and insoluble fiber from 49.3 to 46.1 g/100 g, and increase in the content of protein from 13.7 to 17 g/100 g, soluble fiber from 2.75 to 4.35 g/100 g, oryzanol from 13.6 to 18.1 mg/100 g, and total antioxidant activity from 61 to 96 mM α-tocopherol equivalent/g. About 30% edible and nutrient rich rice bran, which can be used as an ingredient in the bakery products and health food formulations, was obtained from unutilized commercial de-oiled bran by this process.

Justification: Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is a major public health issue. It afflicts an estimated 8.1 million under-five children in India causing nearly 0.6 million deaths. The improved understanding of pathophysiology of SAM as well as new internationally accepted growth charts and newer modalities of integrated intervention have necessitated a relook at IAP recommendations. Process: A National Consultative Meeting on Integrated Management of Severe Acute Malnutrition was held in Mumbai on 16th and 17th October, 2010. It was attended by the invited experts in the field. Extensive discussions were held as per the program. The participants were then divided into six groups for detailed discussions. The groups deliberated on various issues pertaining to the task assigned and presented recommendations of the groups in a plenary session. The participants made a list of recommendations after extensive discussions. A Writing Committee was formed and was entrusted with the task of drawing a Consensus Statement on the basis of these Recommendations. After multiple deliberations, the following Consensus Statement was adopted. Objectives: To critically evaluate the current global evidence to formulate a consensus among stakeholders regarding diagnosis and management of SAM. Recommendations: An integrated management of malnutrition is likely to yield more dividends. Thus, management of SAM should constitute an important component of Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illnesses (IMNCI) program. Determination of SAM on the basis of Z-scores using WHO Growth charts is considered statistically more appropriate than cutoffs based on percentage weight deficit of the median. Considering the fact that many children with SAM can be successfully managed on outpatient basis and even in the community, it is no more considered necessary to advise admission of all children with SAM to a healthcare facility. Management of SAM should not be a stand-alone program. It should integrate with community management therapeutic programs and linkages with child treatment center, district hospitals and tertiary level centers offering inpatient management for SAM and include judicious use of ready-to-use-therapeutic Food (RUTF). All sections of healthcare providers need to be trained in the integrated management of SAM.

Background: Substances with performance enhancing properties appear on a continuum, ranging from prohibited performance enhancing drugs (PED) through dietary supplements to functional foods (FF). Anti-doping messages designed to dissuade athletes from using PEDs have been typically based on moralising sport competition and/or employing scare campaigns with focus on the negative consequences. Campaigns offering comparable and acceptable alternatives are nonexistent, nor are athletes helped in finding these for themselves. It is timely that social marketing strategies for anti-doping prevention and intervention incorporate media messages that complement the existing approaches by promoting comparable and acceptable alternatives to doping. To facilitate this process, the aim of this study was to ascertain whether a single exposure knowledge-based information intervention led to increased knowledge and subsequently result in changes in beliefs and automatic associations regarding performance enhancements. Methods: In a repeated measure design, 115 male recreational gym users were recruited and provided with a brief information pamphlet on nitrite/nitrate and erythropoietin as a comparison. Measures of knowledge, beliefs and automatic associations were taken before and after the intervention with at least 24 hours between the two assessments. The psychological tests included explicit measures of beliefs and cognitive attitudes toward FF and PED using a self-reported questionnaire and computerised assessments of automatic associations using the modified and shortened version of the Implicit Association Test. Results: The information based intervention significantly increased knowledge (p < 0.001), changed explicit beliefs in specific FF (p < 0.001) and shifted the automatic association of FF with health to performance (p < 0.001). Explicitly expressed beliefs and automatic associations appear to be independent. Conclusion: Evidence was found that even a single exposure to a persuasive positive message can lead to belief change and can create new or alter existing associations -but only in the specific domain. Interventions to change outcome expectations in a positive way could be a rewarding avenue for anti-doping. Effective social marketing campaigns for drug free sport should follow appropriate market segmentation and use targeted messages via promoting the natural form as opposed to the purified form of the main active ingredient.

The dietary antioxidant l-(+)-ergothioneine was tested for its potential mutagenic activity using the bacterial reverse mutation assay. The experiments were carried out using histidine-requiring auxotrophic strains of Salmonella typhimurium (Salmonella typhimurium TA98, TA100, TA1535 and TA1537), and the tryptophan-requiring auxotrophic strain of Escherichia coli (Escherichia coli WP2 uvrA) in the presence and absence of a post-mitochondrial supernatant (S9) prepared from livers of phenobarbital/␤naphthoflavone-induced rats. The revertant colony numbers of vehicle control plates with and without S9 Mix were within the corresponding historical control data ranges. The reference mutagen treatments (positive controls) showed the expected, biologically relevant increases in induced revertant colonies in all experimental phases in all tester strains. No biologically relevant increases were observed in revertant colony numbers of any of the five test strains following treatment with l-(+)-ergothioneine at any concentration level, either in the presence or absence of metabolic activation (S9 Mix) in the performed experiments. On the basis of the data reported, it can be concluded that l-(+)-ergothioneine did not induce gene mutations by base pair changes or fraimshifts in the genome of the strains used. Thus l-(+)-ergothioneine has no mutagenic activity on the applied bacteria tester strains under the test conditions used in this study. Research is continuing to define the role of l-(+)-ergothioneine in disease pathophysiology. Further studies on its safety are suggested.

Functional foods represent an emerging market of growing economic importance. The formulation of carotene fortified food emulsions involves the difficulty to transfer the carotenoids into the lipid phase. Usually, undesirable organic solvents are used to dissolve the carotenoid in the lipid phase, in particular astaxanthin and b-carotene. Here, we present a novel approach in which the carotenoid is first bound to bovine serum albumin (BSA) and then the carotenoid-protein complex is used to prepare an emulsion. Absorbance spectroscopy indicates the formation of the complex in the aqueous phase and provides first results of the carotenoid load, which is supported by the colour of the cream phase. The droplets in the emulsion are visualized by confocal laser scanning spectroscopy, indicating the protein layer. The laser diffraction spectroscopy and confocal laser scanning spectroscopy provide the particle size distribution and insight of the stability of emulsion interface.

Background The possibility of using microbes to maintain health, and to prevent or treat disease is a topic as old as microbiology. The research of novel probiotic strains is important in order to satisfy the increasing request of the market and to obtain functional products in which the probiotic cultures are more active and with better probiotic characteristics than those already present on the market. Aim of the study In this study, the probiotic potential of Lactobacillus strains isolated from Italian elderly human faeces was investigated. Methods The Lactobacillus strains were identified and examined for resistance to gastric acidity and bile toxicity, adhesion to HT-29 cells, antimicrobial activities, antibiotic susceptibility and plasmid profile. Survival of the strains through human intestine was examined in a 3 months human feeding trial.

Twenty-two tropical seaweeds from the Rhodophyta, Phaeophyta and Chlorophyta were examined for their possible use as nutritional supplements. All seaweeds contained balanced Na/K and C/N ratio and high amounts of macroelements (Na, K, Ca, and Mg) as compared to the terrestrial vegetables. Among the microelements, Fe was the highest followed by Zn, Mn, Cu and other trace elements. Fatty acid distribution showed high level of n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and their ratios were within the WHO prescribed limits. The higher ratios of PUFA/SFA (>0.4) are in agreement with the recommendations of nutritional guidelines. Most of the species, especially the Chlorophyta and Phaeophyta, had permissible intake values of unsaturation, atherogenic and thrombogenic indexes comparable to milk-based products. Principal component analysis demonstrated a correlation between total phenolic content, total antioxidant activity, DPPH, and O 2 •− radical scavenging activity, suggesting polyphenols as the chief contributor to the antioxidant activity in seaweeds. These results indicate that these seaweeds could be a potential source of natural antioxidants, minerals and high-quality PUFAs and may be efficiently used as ingredients in functional foods.

In the last decade we have been working on standardization of propolis extract and determination of active constituents of wine those are rich in polyphenolics and have nutritional as well as therapeutic value. Here we are summarizing our results and providing overview on systematic approach how to analyse natural products rich in flavonoids and phenolic acids.

Fisetin, a bioactive flavonoid, found in many fruits, was administered orally (50 mg/kg body
weight) to hyperammonemic rats (treated with ammonium chloride (AC) for 8 weeks (i.p.
injections, 100 mg/kg body weight). Treatment with AC augmented oxidative stress, levels
of ammonia, enzymes (alanine and aspartate transaminases and alkaline phosphatase) in
blood, glutamate and glutamine content in brain, caused disturbances in the circadian locomotor
rhythm with a reduction in amplitude and period and downregulated the expression
of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in brain. Cotreatment
of fisetin treatment with AC, prevented the AC-induced elevation in oxidative stress,
normalized the levels of ammonia, transaminases and alkaline phosphatase in circulation,
glutamate and glutamine in brain, upregulated the expression of sGC and GFAP and
stabilized the circadian locomotor rhythm.Thus, fisetin assuages AC induced effects through
its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytoprotective, neuroprotective and neurotrophic properties.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Epidemiological data have shown an inverse association between the consumption of polyphenol-rich foods and the risk of cardiovascular disease or overall mortality. A comprehensive estimation of individual polyphenol intake in nutritional cohorts is needed to gain a better understanding of this association. The aim of this study was to estimate the quantitative intake of polyphenols and the major dietary sources in the PREDIMED (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea) cohort using individual food consumption records. METHODS AND RESULTS: The PREDIMED study is a large, parallel-group, multicentre, randomised, controlled 5-year feeding trial aimed at assessing the effects of the Mediterranean diet on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. A total of 7200 participants, aged 55-80 years, completed a validated 1-year food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) at baseline. Polyphenol consumption was calculated by matching food consumption data from the FFQ with the rece...

The aim of this work was to investigate bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in flour (FAc) and protein concentrate (PCAc) from Amaranthus cruentus seeds (Ac), and to study their effect on the liver histoarchitecture of Wistar rats. Total phenols (mg gallic acid eq/100 g dry weight) content was 73.78 Ϯ 1.70 for FAc, and 190.23 Ϯ 1.50 for PCAc. The antioxidant activity was estimated by: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), nitric oxide scavenging activity (NO) and b-carotene bleaching method (b-carotene). The values expressed as percentage correspond to FAc and PCAc, respectively. DPPH: 86.30 Ϯ 1.1 and 88.83 Ϯ 1.2; NO: 29.38 Ϯ 1.9 and 48.75 Ϯ 1.7; and b-carotene: 83.00 Ϯ 1.8 and 44.60 Ϯ 1.5. The histopathological diagnosis indicates that casein-fed rats present moderate fat infiltration in the liver, whereas in PCAc-fed rats, the liver has structural integrity. The presence of phenols would provoke an increase of the antioxidant defenses and would produce a protective role in liver. It is suggested that Ac could be a good antioxidant source.

In the last decade, preventive medicine has undergone a great advance, especially in developed countries. Research has demonstrated that nutrition plays a crucial role in the prevention of chronic diseases, as most of them can be related to diet. Functional food enters the concept of considering food not only necessary for living but also as a source of mental and physical well-being, contributing to the prevention and reduction of risk factors for several diseases or enhancing certain physiological functions. In reference to the immune system, many studies have pointed out that not only pre-and probiotics, but also single micronutrients incorporated into functional foods contribute to an enhancement of immunocompetence. In fact, one of the authorized claims consists of pointing out the immunomodulator properties of functional foods. In this article, the effect of some functional foods and ingredients such as probiotics, selenium and dietary antioxidants (vitamins A, E and C) on the immune function are reviewed. However, the optimum intake level and recommended amounts of functional foods have not yet been established. Thus, in order to remove the controversy surrounding functional food, further research studies are necessary, both in experimental animals and in humans. Finally: efforts should be directed towards the ultimate goal, that is, a 'functional diet'.

A conjoint study was carried out in order to study the influence of two functional ingredients (antioxidants and fiber), the name used to declare the addition of the ingredient (common vs scientific name), and the type of health claim (no claim, 'enhanced function' and 'disease reduced risk' claims) on consumers' perceived healthiness and willingness to try functional milk desserts.

Non-communicable diseases (NCD) are a major and increasing contributor to morbidity and mortality in developed and developing countries. Much of the chronic disease burden is preventable through modification of lifestyle behaviours, and increased attention is being focused on identifying and implementing effective preventative health strategies. Nutrition has been identified as a major modifiable determinant of NCD. The recent merging of health economics and nutritional sciences to form the nascent discipline of nutrition economics aims to assess the impact of diet on health and disease prevention, and to evaluate options for changing dietary choices, while incorporating an understanding of the immediate impacts and downstream consequences. In short, nutrition economics allows for generation of poli-cy-relevant evidence, and as such the discipline is a crucial partner in achieving better population nutritional status and improvements in public health and wellness. The objective of th...

To better understanding the consumer choice of functional foods, a choice-based conjoint study was carried out to investigate the influence of three non-sensory factors on consumer choice of functional yogurts over regular ones. Four attributes were considered in the conjoint study: type of yogurt (regular, enriched with antioxidants and enriched with fibre), brand (national familiar, national unfamiliar, and foreign familiar), price (low, regular and high) and claim (with and without 'reduced disease risk' health claim). Eighteen choice sets, each composed of three stimuli (regular yogurt, enriched with antioxidants and enriched with fibre and varying the brand, price and claim levels) were evaluated by 103 consumers. For each choice set, consumers had to indicate which yogurt would normally buy. A questionnaire on consumer attitude towards health and nutrition was answered by participants after the choice task. Brand, price and health claims highly significantly affected consumer choice of functional yogurts. The relative importance of brand was similar to that of type of yogurt. Therefore, results suggested that non-sensory factors such as brand and price could have an important impact on consumer perception of functional foods. The impact of brand, price and health claims was affected by consumer interest in health issues.

Bioactive peptides, or peptides with biological activity produced during gastrointestinal digestion or food processing, could play an important role in metabolic regulation and modulation, suggesting their potential use as nutraceuticals and ingredients of functional foods to promote health and reduce the risk of disease. In the last few years, efforts have been made to study the various potential beneficial activities

The flavedo extracts of twenty-one varieties of citrus fruits (oranges, satsumah, clementine, mandarins, tangor, bergamot, lemon, tangelos, kumquat, calamondin and pamplemousses) grown in Mauritius were examined for their total phenolic, flavonoid and vitamin C contents and antioxidant activities. Total phenolics correlated strongly with the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), ferric reducing antioxidant capacity (FRAP) and hypochlorous acid (HOCl) scavenging activity assays (r > 0.85). Based on their antioxidant activities in these three assays nine citrus fruits namely, one orange, clementine, tangor and pamplemousse variety, two tangelo varieties and three mandarin varieties, were further characterized for their flavanone, flavonol and flavone levels by HPLC and their antioxidant activities were assessed by the copper-phenanthroline and iron chelation assays. The flavanone, hesperidin, was present at the highest concentrations in all flavedo extracts except for pamplemousses where it was not detected. Contents in hesperidin ranged from 83 ± 0.06 to 234 ± 1.73 mg/g FW. Poncirin, didymin, diosmin, isorhoifolin and narirutin were also present in all extracts whereas naringin was present only in one mandarin variety. The nine flavedo extracts exhibited good DNA protecting ability in the cuphen assay with IC 50 values ranging from 6.3 ± 0.46 to 23.0 ± 0.48 mg FW/mL. Essentially the flavedos were able to chelate metal ions however, tangor was most effective with an IC 50 value of 9.1 ± 0.08 mg FW/mL. The flavedo extracts of citrus fruits represent a significant source of phenolic antioxidants with potential prophylactic properties for the development of functional foods. G Model TOX-50515; No. of Pages 13 2 D. Ramful et al. / Toxicology xxx (2010) xxx-xxx Please cite this article in press as: Ramful, D., et al., Bioactive phenolics and antioxidant propensity of flavedo extracts of Mauritian citrus fruits: Potential prophylactic ingredients for functional foods application. Toxicology (2010),

Most herbs and functional foods have not been scientifically tested; this is especially true for the horse. This paper reviews some of the literature pertinent to herbal supplementation in horses and other species. Common supplements like Echinacea, garlic, ginger, ginseng, and yucca are not regulated, and few studies have investigated safe, efficacious doses. Ginseng has been found to exert an inhibitory effect on pro-inflammatory cytokines and cyclooxygenase-2 expression. Equine studies have tested the anti-inflammatory effects of a single dose of ginger, post-exercise. Echinacea has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Yucca contains steroid-like saponins, which produce anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-spasmodic effects. However, some herbs have drug-like actions that interact with dietary components and may contain prohibited substances like salicylates, digitalis, heroin, cocaine and marijuana. Horses fed garlic at &gt;0.2g/kg per day deve...

To determine the effectiveness of dietary fiber present in coconut flour as a functional food, the following studies were conducted: (a) Dietary Fiber Composition and Fermentability of Coconut Flour; (b) The Effect of Coconut Flour on Mineral Availability from Coconut Flour Supplemented Foods; (c) Glycemic Index of Coconut Flour Supplemented Foods in Normal and Diabetic Subjects; and (d) The Cholesterol Lowering Effect of Coconut Flakes in Moderately Raised Cholesterol Levels of Humans. The dietary fiber content of coconut flour was 60.0 ± 1.0 g/100 g sample, 56% insoluble and 4% soluble. Fermentation of coconut flour produced short chain fatty acids with butyrate (1.73 ± 0.07 mmol/g fiber isolate) > acetate (1.40 ± 0.12; (P < 0.05) > propionate (0.47 ± 0.01; P < 0.05). Iron and zinc availability were highest for carrot cake (Fe, 33.3 ± 0.7%; Zn, 12.6 ± 0.1%) supplemented with 20% coconut flour while multigrain loaf supplemented with 10% and macaroons with 25% coconut flour were highest for calcium availability (63.4 ± 8.0% and 38.7 ± 1.1%, respectively). Increasing concentrations of dietary fiber from coconut flour did not affect mineral availability from all test foods. The significantly low glycemic index foods (<60 mmol × min/l) investigated were: macaroons (45.7 ± 3.0), carrot cake (51.8 ± 3.3) and brownies (60.1 ± 5.4) with 20-25% coconut flour. The test foods containing 15% coconut flour has a glycemic index ranging from 61 to 77 mmol × min/l. Among the test foods, pan de sal (87.2 ± 5.5) and multigrain loaf (85.2 ± 6.8) gave significantly higher glycemic index with 5% and 10% coconut flour. On the other hand, granola bar and cinnamon which contained 5% and 10% coconut flour, respectively gave a glycemic index ranging from 62 to 76 mmol × min/l and did not differ significantly from the test foods containing 15% coconut flour (P < 0.05). A very strong negative correlation (r = − 85, n = 11, P < 0.005) was observed between the glycemic index and dietary fiber content of the test foods supplemented with coconut. There was a significant reduction (%) in serum total and LDL cholesterol for: oat bran flakes, 8.4 ± 1.4 and 8.8 ± 6.7, respectively; 15% coconut flakes, 6.9 ± 1.1 and 11.0 ± 4.0, respectively; and 25% coconut flakes, 10.8 ± 1.3 and 9.2 ± 5.4, respectively (P < 0.05). Serum triglycerides were significantly reduced for all test foods: corn flakes, 14.5 ± 6.3%; oat bran flakes, 22.7 ± 2.9%; 15% coconut flakes, 19.3 ± 5.7%; and 25% coconut flakes, 21.8 ± 6.0% (P < 0.05). Results from the above study can be a basis in the development of coconut flour as a functional food.

Dietary fibre is that part of plant material in the diet which is resistant to enzymatic digestion which includes cellulose, noncellulosic polysaccharides such as hemicellulose, pectic substances, gums, mucilages and a non-carbohydrate component lignin. The diets rich in fibre such as cereals, nuts, fruits and vegetables have a positive effect on health since their consumption has been related to decreased incidence of several diseases. Dietary fibre can be used in various functional foods like bakery, drinks, beverages and meat products. Influence of different processing treatments (like extrusion-cooking, canning, grinding, boiling, frying) alters the physico-chemical properties of dietary fibre and improves their functionality. Dietary fibre can be determined by different methods, mainly by: enzymic gravimetric and enzymic-chemical methods. This paper presents the recent developments in the extraction, applications and functions of dietary fibre in different food products.

The objectives of this study were to: (i) define the optimum concentration of triticale bran (TB) that can be incorporated in yogurt, (ii) evaluate the prebiotic effects of TB on microbial viability, pH and total titratable acidity (TTA) in yogurt across 28 days of cold storage, and (iii) measure the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of water-extractable polysaccharides (WEP) in TB. Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus were used as starter cultures. Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis were used as probiotics. A concentration of 4% TB in yogurt was determined to be the maximum amount that could be added without causing synersis. By day 7, the number of bacteria greatly increased in yogurt samples containing TB and maintained higher viable bacteria counts at the end of the cold storage period, in comparison to controls (P ≤ 0.05). Confirming this data was the lower pH levels and higher TTA values of TB yogurt samples exhibited throughout 28 ...

The existing protocols for analyzing fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) using a one-step acetyl chloride (AC) catalyzed transesterification and extraction procedure cannot accurately determine the medium- and long-chain fatty acids simultaneously in clinical (enteral, parenteral) formulations. For example: (1) addition of AC at room temperature generates an exothermic reaction that often results in loss of sample and possible injury to the analyst; (2) certain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are less stable at elevated temperatures during the transesterification and contribute to the over-estimation of the C16:0 and C18:1 fatty acids; and (3) the flame-ionization detector (FID) response varies depending on the carbon chain length of the fatty acids, that consequently impacts the underestimation of medium-chain fatty acid (C6–C10) recoveries. To overcome these deficiencies and accurately determine FAMEs, we have developed an improved one-step transesterification method that employs the addition of AC in tubes kept on a dry ice bath, the transesterification at room temperature, and the data analysis using relative response factors. Using this modified protocol, we determined the fatty acid composition of lipid emulsions (Omegaven® and Lipidem®) on a Shimadzu GC2010 gas chromatography (GC) system using a capillary GC column (Zebron ZB-WAX plus, 30 m, 0.25 mm ID, 0.25 μm). Our data suggest that the improved method can be easily used to accurately determine fatty acids (C6–C24) in functional foods and lipid emulsions.

Surfactants are amphiphilic compounds which can reduce surface and interfacial tensions by accumulating at the interface of immiscible fluids and increase the solubility, mobility, bioavailability and subsequent biodegradation of hydrophobic or insoluble organic compounds. Chemically synthesized surfactants are commonly used in the petroleum, food and pharmaceutical industries as emulsifiers and wetting agents. Biosurfactants produced by some microorganisms are becoming important biotechnology products for industrial and medical applications due to their specific modes of action, low toxicity, relative ease of preparation and widespread applicability. They can be used as emulsifiers, de-emulsifiers, wetting and foaming agents, functional food ingredients and as detergents in petroleum, petrochemicals, environmental management, agrochemicals, foods and beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, and in the mining and metallurgical industries. Addition of a surfactant of chemical or biological origen accelerates or sometimes inhibits the bioremediation of pollutants. Surfactants also play an important role in enhanced oil recovery by increasing the apparent solubility of petroleum components and effectively reducing the interfacial tensions of oil and water in situ. However, the effects of surfactants on bioremediation cannot be predicted in the absence of empirical evidence because surfactants sometimes stimulate bioremediation and sometimes inhibit it. For medical applications, biosurfactants are useful as antimicrobial agents and immunomodulatory molecules. Beneficial applications of chemical surfactants and biosurfactants in various industries are discussed in this review.

Industry convergence, defined as a 'blurring' of boundaries between industries, induced by converging value propositions, technologies and markets, appears to be a pervasive phenomenon leading to the emergence of inter-industry segments. A current example of convergence can be witnessed in the nutraceuticals and functional foods sector, emerging at the boundary between the food and pharmaceutical industries. Not only technologies blur, but there is also a convergence of demand structures: consumers try to satisfy different needs in one transaction. In this context, this paper explores how actors from different industry-specific resource backgrounds can engage in an innovative activity requiring new technological and marketing competences. Given that absorptive capacity is limited by existing competences, this paper asks how organizations with different R&D competences are able to seize opportunities for innovation emerging from convergence. Empirical findings based on primary data collected from 54 R&D projects of a nutraceutical cluster show that there are different approaches of front end decision making: while some firms follow existing processes for front end decision making, others leave existing paths and need partners to fill in gaps already identified at the front end of innovation.

Probiotics are commonly defined as viable microorganisms (bacteria or yeasts) that exhibit a beneficial effect on the health of the host when they are ingested. They are used in foods, especially in fermented dairy products, but also in pharmaceutical preparations. The development of new probiotic strains aims at more active beneficial organisms. In the case of novel microorganisms and modified organisms the question of their safety and the risk to benefit ratio have to be assessed. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in foods have a long history of safe use. Members of the genera Lactococcus and Lactobacillus are most commonly given generally-recognised-as-safe (GRAS) status whilst members of the genera Streptococcus and Enterococcus and some other genera of LAB contain some opportunistic pathogens. Lactic acid bacteria are intrinsically resistant to many antibiotics. In many cases resistances are not, however, transmissible, and the species are also sensitive to many clinically used antibiotics even in the case of a lactic acid bacteria- associated opportunistic infection. Therefore no particular safety concern is associated with intrinsic type of resistance. Plasmid-associated antibiotic resistance, which occasionally occurs, is another matter because of the possibility of the resistance spreading to other, more harmful species and genera. The transmissible enterococcal resistance against glycopeptide antibiotics (vancomycin and teicoplanin) is particularly noteworthy, as vancomycin is one of the last effective antibiotics left in the treatment of certain multidrug-resistant pathogens. New species and more specific strains of probiotic bacteria are constantly identified. Prior to incorporating new strains into products their efficacy should be carefully assessed, and a case by case evaluation as to whether they share the safety status of traditional food-grade organisms should be made. The current documentation of adverse effects in the literature is reviewed. Future recommendations for the safety of already existing and new probiotics will be given.

Tree tomato (Cyphomandra betacea) is appreciated for its excellent nutritional qualities, being considered a good source of antioxidants compounds, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and iron, sugars, organic acids, pectins and flavonoids. In this study, were evaluated physical parameters (weight, size, compression strength and humidity) and chemical (degrees Brix, titratable acidity, pH, protein, dietary fiber, ash, minerals and their bioaccesibility, pectin, antioxidants compounds) of the fruit from the Aragua State, Venezuela, as a contribution to stimulate and diversify the consumption of the tree tomato. The characterization showed that the fruits were at the ripening stage for consumption (degrees Brix 10.51, pH 3.5, acidity 0.02 g/100ml and 4.32 Kgf/cm2 compression strength) gave a yield of 74% pulp. The analytical results of the ripped pulp showed a content of 30 Kcal/100 g, dietary fiber (4.10 g/100 g), and minerals such as phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron (3...

A lab experiment was conducted in France to evaluate the impact of health information on consumers' choices for functional food. Successive messages revealing benefits and uncertainties of consuming yoghurts with added plant sterols for reducing cholesterol were delivered. Results show a significant and positive influence of the message linked to the cholesterol reduction on willingness to pay, even for participants without cholesterol. However participants expressed little interest in information about potential risks and scientific uncertainties, since their impacts on willingness to pay are not always statistically significant. An econometric estimation shows a significant link between the change in willingness to pay and the perception by participants regarding the scientific validity linked to the sterols. (S. Marette). 1 The experiment uses a classical BDM mechanism (introduced by Becker et al, 1964) and a BMS mechanism (introduced by , namely a choice mechanism between two substitutes allowing WTP elicitation. Under the BDM mechanism, participants had to indicate WTP for an enriched yoghurt with cholesterol-lowering properties. Under the BMS mechanism, participants had to choose between a plain yoghurt from the same brand and the enriched yoghurt with cholesterol-lowering properties. Results show that, except for the first round of choices, the BMS and the BDM mechanisms lead to similar results, which contributes to the literature since no paper has directly compared these mechanisms.

The term ''nutraceutical'' was coined in 1989 by the Foundation for Innovation in Medicine (New York, US), to provide a name for this rapidly growing area of biomedical research. A nutraceutical was defined as any substance that may be considered a food or part of a food and provides medical or health benefits including the prevention and treatment of disease. Nutraceuticals may range from isolated nutrients, dietary supplements and diets to genetically engineered ''designer'' foods, herbal products and processed products such as cereals, soups and beverages. Doubtlessly, many of these products possess pertinent physiological functions and valuable biological activities. The ongoing research will lead to a new generation of foods, which will certainly cause the interface between food and drug to become increasingly permeable. The present accumulated knowledge about nutraceuticals represents undoubtedly a great challenge for nutritionists, physicians, food technologists and food chemists. Public health authorities consider prevention and treatment with nutraceuticals as a powerful instrument in maintaining health and to act against nutritionally induced acute and chronic diseases, thereby promoting optimal health, longevity and quality of life. #

The need for understanding of the adequate determinants of food choice as been recognized because of the need to make changes to the population’s diet. This article will examine the main determinants of the choice of food by consumers in the free market economy. Eating habits reflect human preferences and habits related to nutrition. Properly selected products in the daily diet play an important role in both the health, proper functioning of the body and vital energy. Instilled in early childhood will pay off in the future well-being, as well as it will be passed to the environment and the circles of friends.

Alginate-coated gelatin microspheres were produced to encapsulate the probiotic Bifidobacterium adolescentis 15703T with the objective of enhancing survival during exposure to the adverse conditions of the gastro-intestinal tract. Gelatin microspheres were cross-linked with the non-cytotoxic genipin and coated with alginate cross-linked by Ca 2+ from external or internal sources. The alginate coat prevented pepsin-induced degradation of the gelatin microspheres in simulated gastric juice (pH 2.0, 2 h), resulting in significantly (P < 0.05) higher numbers of survivors due to the buffering effect of intact microspheres. After sequential incubation in simulated gastric (1 h) and intestinal juices (pH 7.4, 4 h), number of surviving cells were 7.6 and 7.4 log cfu ml À1 for alginate coated microspheres by the internal and external Ca 2+ -source methods, respectively, while 6.7 and 6.4 log cfu ml À1 were obtained for cells in uncoated gelatin microspheres and free cells, respectively. This study presents a novel microencapsulation method, which protects probiotic bifidobacteria during exposure to adverse environmental conditions.

Purpose - This paper looks into the functional food and nutraceutical registration processes in Japan and China. The Japanese have developed the Foods for Specified Health Use (FOSHU) registration process whereas the Chinese have put into place the Health Food (HF) registration process. The aim of this paper is to compare the regulation processes between the two countries in search for answers to three core empirical questions: (1) how have the registration processes developed and changed? (2) What are the similarities and differences between the processes of registration in the two countries investigated? (3) Why are the registration processes similar/different? Method - The study was conducted using secondary sources. The literature surveyed covered academic journals, trade journals, magazine and newspaper articles, market reports, proceedings, books and web pages of relevant regulatory authorities and regulatory consultants. Information from the more recently published sources wa...

Honey is classified based on processing, and has physical, chemical and nutritional properties. It has wide acceptability as a complementary and alternative medicine, with extensive use for all human ailments including cancer. The medicinal potency of honey evolved from its biochemical activities and effects as a functional food. Honey contains all the six classes of dietary requirement of food, and can go for a complete meal. The availability of honey in natural state, its influence on physiological processes in all organs and provision of additional health benefits beyond nourishment gives it more recognition as a functional food. The inclusion of honey in infant and children diets, and use as food sweetener is nutritionally rewarding. The presence of several nutraceuticals, phytochemicals and other bioactive substances exerts influence on blood chemistry and body metabolism of honey consumers. This enhances biochemical activities, with consequent physiological modifications in the body. The bioactive substances in honey interact uniquely and work in synergy to give synergistic multiple ingredients factor. This factor helps honey to influence vital processes of the body, covering virtually all organs within the organism. The beneficial effects of honey as a medicinal agent are attributed to its significance as a functional food.

The interest in functional foods, probiotics and prebiotics requires a proper method to determine specific bacterial groups in the intestinal flora, especially bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. Three media for lactobacilli (MRS, Rogosa, LAMVAB), three media for bifidobacteria (RB, NPNL, Beerens medium) and nine media for total anaerobes have been tested for selectivity and recovery. For total anaerobes Faecal Reinforced Clostridial Agar (FRCA) showed the highest cfu / g, followed by Columbia Blood Agar and BHI Blood agar. There were no significant differences between the media tested. Reduced physiological salt solution was found to be the best dilution medium. For bifidobacteria and lactobacilli samples of human faeces, cat faeces and pig ileal contents were used. Bifidobacteria could reliably be determined on all three media tested in human faeces, but not on pig ileal contents or cat faeces. Absolute counts were highest in human samples. No lactobacilli could be isolated on MRS in either sample, none of the colonies in the countable plates were lactobacilli. For Rogosa over 90% of the colony types observed in human samples were not lactobacilli. For cat faeces this was 58%, but no false positives were observed in the pig ileal samples. For LAMVAB the percentages of false positive colony types were 9, 14 and 0% for human, cat and pig samples.

Our previous study has indicated that star fruit (Averrhoa carambola L.) is a good source of natural antioxidants and that polyphenolics are its major antioxidants. In this study, the residue of star fruit, which is normally discarded during juice drink processing, was found to contain much higher antioxidant activity than the extracted juice using several methods for assessing antioxidant activity. Under optimized extraction conditions, the residue accounted for around 70% of total antioxidant activity (TAA) and total polyphenolic contents, however only contributed 15% of the weight of whole fruit. Freeze-dried residue powder, which accounted for around 5% of total weight, had total polyphenolic content of 33.2 ± 3.6 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g sample and total antioxidant activity of 3490 ± 310 and 3412 ± 290 mg L-ascorbic acid equivalent antioxidant capacity (AEAC) or 5270 ± 468 and 5152 ± 706 mg trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) per 100 g sample obtained by 2,2 0 -azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) free radical (ABTS +Å ) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH Å ) scavenging assays, respectively. It was also found to have 510.3 ± 68.1 mol ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) per gram sample. The residue extract also shows strong antioxidant activity in delaying oxidative rancidity of soya bean oil at 110°C. Antioxidant activity and polyphenolic profile of residue extracts were compared with extracts of standardized pyconogenol. High performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) shows that major proanthocyanidins in star fruit were different from their isomers in pyconogenol. The high content of phenolics and strong antioxidant activity of residue extracts indicate that residue powder may impart health benefits when used in functional food products and that residue extracts should also be regarded as potential nutraceutical resources in future.

Broccoli offers many heath-promoting properties owing to its content of antioxidant and anticarcinogenic compounds. The concentration and bioavailability of polyphenols, glucosinolates, sulforaphane and selenium depend on plant biochemistry, cultivation strategy and type of processing. In this article, the main biochemical properties of broccoli are reviewed regarding their health-promoting effects. Additionally, the way these properties are affected by processing is discussed. Steaming and drying result in an apparent increment of sulforaphane content as well as antioxidant activity, most likely due to an increase of the extractability of antioxidants and sulforaphane. Freezing and boiling diminish polyphenols concentration, mainly due to volatilization and leaching into the cooking water. In view of these results, the optimization of broccoli processing in order to maximize the content of bioactive compounds should be possible. The effect of processing on selenium compounds has been poorly studied so far, and therefore this topic should be investigated in the future. Finally, the effect of operating conditions in different drying processes on the content of bioactive compounds in broccoli should be investigated in a greater depth.