Physicochemical and functional properties of new sports drink with ricotta cheese whey and a brazilian passion fruit variety.

The present study investigated the bioaccessibility of minerals, bioactive compounds, and sensory acceptance of isotonic beverages formulated with Ricotta cheese whey (RCW) and passion fruit cv. BRS Sertão Forte. Three formulations were developed: I1 with 50% RCW and 5% passion fruit pulp, I2 with 50% RCW and 8.5% pulp, and I3 with 30% RCW and 12% pulp. I3 showed higher ascorbic acid content and antioxidant activity, exhibited the highest scores in the consumer test, and maintained its physicochemical stability and microbiological safety during the storage at 7 °C for 56 days. (-)-Epicatechin gallate, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, and cis-resveratrol were the main phenolic compounds quantified in the isotonic beverages. I1 and I3 exhibited high bioaccessibility of the minerals K, Na, and Mg (37-70%) compared to I2, which showed bioaccessibility between 31 and 40%. The beverages developed are innovative alternatives for the market of supplements for athletes, combining the use of a dairy industry by-product and a new variety of passion fruit to date little-explored economically. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-022-05636-5.

Intestinal anti-inflammatory activity of xique-xique (Pilosocereus gounellei A. Weber ex K. Schum. Bly. Ex Rowl) juice on acetic acid-induced colitis in rats.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by severe mucosal damage in the intestine and a deregulated immune response. Natural products derived from plants that are rich in bioactive compounds are used by many patients with IBD. Xique-xique (Pilosocereus gounellei) is a cactus of the Caatinga family that has been used by the local population for food and medicinal purposes. The intestinal anti-inflammatory effect of xique-xique cladode juice was evaluated in the present study. A dose of 5 mL kg-1 had a protective effect on intestinal inflammation, with an improvement in macroscopic damage, and a decrease in pro-inflammatory markers and oxidative stress, in addition to preserving the colonic tissue. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed the downregulation of IL-17, NF-κB, and iNOS, and upregulation of SOCs-1, ZO-1, and MUC-2. These protective effects could be attributed to the phenolic compounds as well as the fibers present in xique-xique juice. Further studies are needed before suggesting the use of xique-xique juice as a new alternative for treating IBD.

Bioaccessibility and antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds in frozen pulps of Brazilian exotic fruits exposed to simulated gastrointestinal conditions.

This study characterized the phenolic profile in siriguela, umbu-cajá and mangaba, as well in their frozen pulps (FPs). The bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity of the FP dialysates were determined following exposure to simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The profile of phenolic compounds identified in fruit and FPs were relatively similar. After pulp processing, increases of 33.60% and 68.72% in free phenolics were observed for mangaba and umbu-cajá, respectively, whereas in siriguela, the free phenolic was reduced by 56.55%. Generally, phenolic levels decreased after exposure to simulated gastric conditions in all FPs. The bioaccessibility of phenolics varied among the evaluated FPs. The highest bioaccessibility was observed for gallic acid in the umbu-cajá FP (73.92%) and the lowest for gentisic acid in the mangaba FP (8.71%). Siriguela and umbu-cajá FP dialysates presented the highest capacity for the capture of the radical 2,2'-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl hydrate, whereas the mangaba FP dialysate demonstrated the highest iron reducing capacity.

Activity and contents of polyphenolic antioxidants in the whole fruit, flesh and peel of three apple cultivars.

The concentration of polyphenolic compounds, such as flavanols and anthocyanins, and the antioxidant activity in apples (Malus domestica Borkh) seem to differ with cultivar, maturity stage, environmental conditions and the part of the fruit. In this work, the total phenolic, flavanol and anthocyanin content and antioxidant activity were measured in the flesh, whole fruit and peel from apple cultivars Fuji, Epagri COOP24 and Epagri F5P283 cultivated in Southern Brazil. Total phenolic content assayed by Folin-Ciocalteu method, flavanol by modified p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde method, anthocyanin content by pH differential method and antioxidant activity measured using ABTS assay. One-way analysis of variance, Tukey's test and correlation analysis were performed. Within each cultivar, the total phenolic, flavanol and anthocyanin contents and antioxidant activity were highest in the peels, followed by the whole fruit and the flesh. In the peel, whole fruit and flesh the Epagri F5P283 apple had the highest total phenolic contents and the highest total antioxidant activity, while that Epagri COOP24 was highest in flavanols and anthocyanins. Total phenolic content was positively associated with total antioxidant activity in flesh, whole fruit and peel. These results demonstrate that phenolic compounds have a significant contribution to the total antioxidant activity which varies considerably depending of the part of the fruit and of the apple cultivar analyzed.