Conventional water bath heating on undried brewer's spent grain: Functionality, fatty acids, volatiles, polyphenolic and antioxidant properties.

Brewers' spent grain (BSG) contains bioactive compounds. It was hypothesized that heating treatments using conventional water bath heating (CWH) on brewers' spent grain (BSG) would modify the functionality, chemical constituents and antioxidant activities of BSG. Different temperatures and time exposures (80, 90 and 100 °C at 15, 30 and 60 min) were applied on fresh undried BSG. CWH at 80 °C increased the amount of flavan-3-ols, while 100 °C at 30 and 60 min improved the ABTS (2,2'-Azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) value. CWH significantly declined saturated fatty acid and enhanced the poly-unsaturated fatty acid. Moreover, CWH discharged pungent, floral, spice and mushroom odor perceptions and formed fruity, sweet and pleasant odor perceptions, as well as essential-oil-related compounds. Additionally, CWH improved water-holding and oil-holding capacities. In conclusion, CWH as a low-cost treatment improved the functionality, fatty acid composition and aromatic profile of BSG.

Importance for humans of recently discovered protein compounds - yolkin and yolk glycopeptide 40, present in the plasma of hen egg yolk.

Vitellogenin (Vt) is considered the primary protein precursor of egg yolk, serving as a source of protein- and lipid-rich nutrients for the developing embryo. However, recent research has revealed that the functions of Vt and Vt-derived polypeptides, such as yolkin (Y) and yolk glycopeptide 40 (YGP40), extend beyond their nutritional roles as a source of amino acids. Emerging evidence has demonstrated that both Y and YGP40 possess immunomodulatory properties and can contribute to host immune defenses. Additionally, Y polypeptides have been shown to exhibit neuroprotective activity, participating in the modulation of neurons' survival and activity, inhibiting neurodegeneration processes, and improving cognitive functions in rats. These non-nutritional functions not only enhance our understanding of the physiological roles of these molecules during embryonic development but also offer a promising basis for the potential application of these proteins in human health.

Nuts as functional foods: Variation of nutritional and phytochemical profiles and their in vitro bioactive properties.

The aim of the present study was to examine the nutritional (fat, fatty acids, minerals, sugars) and bioactive compounds (polyphenols, tocochromanols, triterpene) and their influence on in vitro anti-diabetic (pancreatic α-amylase and intestinal α-glucosidase), anti-obesity (pancreatic lipase) and anti-cholinergic (AChE and BuChE) inhibitory activity of 8 different popular nuts-pecan, pine, hazelnuts, pistachio, almonds, cashew, walnuts, and macadamia. The total content of phenolic compounds in nuts ranged from 432.9 (walnuts) to 5.9 (pistachio) mg/100 g. The dominant polyphenols are polymeric procyanidins (walnuts - 415.1 mg/100 g). Nuts are rich in tocochromanols (832.9-4377.5 µg/100 g), especially α- and γ-tocopherols. The highest content of α-tocopherol (vitamin E) was detected in hazelnuts and almonds (2551.0 and 2489.7 µg/100 g, respectively) while the lowest amounts were detected in macadamia, cashew and walnuts. The most abundant in nuts are oleanic and pomolic acids (35 and 22 % of total, respectively), while betulin, uvaol and erythrodiol are less characteristic triterpenes for nuts (<1%). Pine nuts are the nuts with the highest content of triterpene (690.3 mg/100 g). Pistachio and almonds are the richest in total fat (>45 %), but monounsaturated (17.5-79.3 %; hazelnuts, almonds, cashew, macadamia, pistachio and pecan) and polyunsaturated (7.5-69.3 %; pine, walnuts) are the dominant fatty acids. Moreover, nuts are low in Cu, Zn, Mn and Na content, but rich in K (464.5-1772.3 mg/100 g) and Mg (197.0-502.5 mg/100 g). Macadamia, walnuts and cashew are good sources of Se. Pistachio, almonds and cashew were characterized by the highest content of sugars, but the dominant sugar was saccharose (58.2-2399.3 mg/100 g). All nuts showed high activity in inhibiting intestinal α-glucosidase (>90 %), but lower ability to inhibit pancreatic α-amylase and pancreatic lipase activity. The activity in inhibiting acetyl- and butylcholinesterase was up to 30 %. As described above, all nuts contain various compounds that improve the nutritional value. Therefore they should be one of the important components of the daily human diet rich in functional foods.

Effect of Two Combined Functional Additives on Yoghurt Properties.

The aim of the research was the analysis of yoghurts enriched with blue honeysuckle berries dry polyphenolic extract and new preparation of resistant starch. The additives were introduced individually at concentration 0.1% (w/v) and in mixture at final concentration of 0.1 and 0.2% of both components. Yogurt microflora, pH, and its physicochemical and antioxidant properties were examined over 14 days of storage under refrigerated conditions. Studies showed that both substances can be successfully used in yoghurt production. Yoghurt microflora es. S. thermophilus and Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus counts appeared to be higher in samples supplemented with these additives comparing to control yoghurt by 3-8%. More stimulating effect on their growth, especially on S. thermophilus, revealed resistant starch. Addition of this polysaccharide improved also the rheological properties of yogurts, which showed higher viscosity than samples produced without it. Addition of honeysuckle berries preparation significantly influenced the yogurts' color, giving them deep purple color, and their antioxidant potential. During storage, contents of anthocyanin and iridoid compounds were decreasing, but antioxidant activity in the products remained stable.

Comparative Studies of Yolkin Preparations Isolated from Egg Yolks of Selected Bird Species.

The results of our research have proven that yolkin preparations isolated from eggs of different bird species show a high similarity in polypeptide composition. Despite the small differences in protein patterns, all of yolkin preparations showed also strong immunomodulatory activity, comparable with yolkin obtained previously from hen egg yolk. It can therefore be deducted that the presence of this polypeptide complex in the egg is not accidental and performs an important biological function for developing embryo.

Oxidative Stress at Birth Is Associated with the Concentration of Iron and Copper in Maternal Serum.

Oxidative stress (OS) in the foetal and neonatal periods leads to many disorders in newborns and in later life. The nutritional status of pregnant women is considered to be one of the key factors that triggers OS. We investigated the relationship between the concentration of selected mineral elements in the blood of pregnant women and the concentration of 3'nitrotyrosine (3'NT) as a marker of OS in the umbilical cord blood of newborns. The study group consisted of 57 pregnant women and their newborn children. The concentrations of magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) in maternal serum (MS) were measured by the flame atomic absorption/emission spectrometry (FAAS/FAES) method. The concentration of 3'NT in umbilical cord serum (UCS) of newborns was determined by the ELISA method. A positive correlation between MS Fe and UCS 3'NT in male newborns was shown (rho = 0.392, p = 0.053). Significantly higher UCS 3'NT was demonstrated in newborns, especially males, whose mothers were characterized by MS Fe higher than 400 µg/dL compared to those of mothers with MS Fe up to 300 µg/dL (p < 0.01). Moreover, a negative correlation between the MS Cu and UCS 3'NT in male newborns was observed (rho = -0.509, p = 0.008). Results of the study showed the need to develop strategies to optimize the nutritional status of pregnant women. Implementation of these strategies could contribute to reducing the risk of pre- and neonatal OS and its adverse health effects in the offspring.

Egg yolk proteins and peptides with biological activity.

Many proteins of food reveal biological activity. In the sequence of these proteins also numerous biologically active peptides are encrypted. These peptides are released during proteolysis naturally occurring in the gastrointestinal tract, food fermentation or during designed enzymatic hydrolysis in vitro. Biopeptides may exert multiple activities, affecting the cardiovascular, endocrine, nervous and immune systems. An especially rich source of bioactive proteins and biopeptides is egg. Bioactive peptides released from egg white proteins have been well described, whereas egg yolk proteins as precursors of biopeptides are less well characterized. This manuscript describes biologically active proteins and peptides originating from egg yolk and presents their potential therapeutic role.

Biological and functional properties of proteolytic enzyme-modified egg protein by-products.

Enzymatic hydrolysis led to improve functional properties and biological activity of protein by-products, which can be further used as protein ingredients for food and feed applications. The effects of proteolytic enzyme modification of egg-yolk protein preparation (YP) and white protein preparation (WP), obtained as the by-products left during the course of lecithin, lysozyme, and cystatin isolation on their biological and functional properties, were evaluated by treating a commercial Neutrase. The antihypertensive and antioxidative properties of YP and WP hydrolysates were evaluated based on their angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory activity and radical scavenging (DPPH) capacity, ferric reducing power, and chelating of iron activity. The functionality of obtained hydrolysates was also determined. Neutrase caused a degree of hydrolysis (DH) of YP and WP by-products: 27.6% and 20.9%, respectively. In each of them, mixture of peptides with different molecular masses were also observed. YP hydrolysate showed high levels of antioxidant activity. The scavenging capacity, ferric reducing power, and chelating capacity were observed at the level: 0.44 µmol/L Trolox mg(-1), 177.35 µg Fe(2+) mg(-1), and 549.87 µg Fe(2+) mg(-1), respectively. YP hydrolysate also exhibited significant ACE-inhibitory activity, in which the level was 59.2 µg. Protein solubility was significantly improved as the DH increased. WP hydrolysate showed high water-holding capacity of 43.2. This study indicated that YP and WP hydrolysates could be used in foods as natural antioxidants and functionality enhancers.