Micronutrients in Food Supplements for Pregnant Women: European Health Claims Assessment.

Micronutrients play a critical role in pregnant women, a vulnerable group with higher nutritional requirements. The first strategy to achieve adequate micronutrients intake should always be through a healthy and balanced diet. In the case where the diet is not enough to meet these requirements, food supplements should be prescribed under supervision to complement the diet, and these products must bear reliable information about the declared nutritional contents and health benefits. Based on the data provided by the Coordinated System of Fast Interchange of Information (SCIRI) and to know the current national situation, this work addresses the assessment of the content and the adequacy of health claims related to some micronutrients (vitamin C, vitamin B9, iron, copper, manganese, zinc, calcium, magnesium) contained in food supplements for pregnant women commercialized in Spain. Analytical results coincided with the declared values and were covered by the ranges of tolerances, and samples met the requirements to use health claims. Although the samples could even include more claims, manufacturers could have selected those which either best addressed pregnant women's conditions or best aligned with marketing intentions. This study confirms an adequate use of health claims in food supplement samples, which could be interesting for strengthening consumers' confidence in the benefits shown in the labeling and for encouraging the use of health claims as a useful tool for making better-informed purchasing decisions.

Wild Vitex agnus-castus L.: Phytochemical Characterization, Acute Toxicity, and Bioactive Properties.

Wild Vitex agnus-castus (VAC) is a Mediterranean plant that is rich in bioactive metabolites. This study aimed to validate, for the first time, the beneficial use of VAC fruits and fruit decoctions (VFDs) through in vitro and in vivo trials. Forty-one volatile components were detected in VAC fruits, with 1,8-cineole (30.3%) comprising the majority. The antioxidant activity of VFD was measured by using different in vitro methods (EC50 of 0.16 mg/mL by ß-carotene bleaching inhibition assay) and by measuring the DNA protection power. Using the disc diffusion assay, the antimicrobial activity of VFD was evaluated, and it exhibited a noticeable anticandidal activity. VFD did not cause any toxicity or mortality in rats treated with doses > 200 mg/kg. Using the acetic acid writhing test, the antinociceptive activity of VFD was measured. Our results showed that VFD at 200 mg/kg exhibited a higher analgesic activity (81.68%) than acetylsalicylic acid used as a positive control (74.35%). Its gastroprotective ability was assessed by HCl/ethanol-induced gastric lesions, which were remarkably inhibited (84.62%) by intraperitoneal administration of VFD. This work helps to validate the popular use of VAC to treat nociceptive, inflammatory, and gastric disorders and encourages researchers to further investigate the identification of pharmacological compounds from this species.

Dwarf Kiwi (Actinidia arguta Miq.), a Source of Antioxidants for a Healthy and Sustainable Diet.

The feasibility of using dwarf kiwi fruits (Actinia arguta Miq.) as a healthy and sustainable food, compared to other types of commercial kiwi fruits, was evaluated in the present study. The overall antioxidant capacity of these fruits was assessed by either extraction-dependent methods (ABTS, ORAC) or the direct method called Quick, Easy, New, CHEap, Reproducible (QUENCHER) (DPPH, FRAP, Folin-Ciocalteu), applied for the first time to analyze kiwi fruits. With this methodology, all the molecules with antioxidant capacity are measured together in a single step, even those with high molecular weight or poor solubility in aqueous extraction systems, such as antioxidant dietary fiber. The effect of kiwi extracts on physiological and induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production on IEC-6 cells was also analyzed, as well as total phenolic content (TPC) by Fast Blue BB, flavonols, hydroxycinnamic acids, and hydroxybenzoic acids. A. arguta fruits showed the highest values in all the antioxidant assays, being remarkably higher than the other kiwi species for Q-FRAP and Q-DPPH. Dwarf kiwi showed the highest potential in reducing physiological ROS and the highest values of TPC (54.57 mgGAE/g), being hydroxybenzoic acids the main phenolic family found (2.40 mgGAE/g). Therefore, dwarf kiwi fruits are a natural source of antioxidants compared to conventional kiwi fruits, being a sustainable and healthy alternative to diversify fruits in the diet.

Extracts Rich in Nutrients as Novel Food Ingredients to Be Used in Food Supplements: A Proposal Classification.

Consumers' commitment to healthy lifestyles and a varied diet has experienced rapid growth in recent decades, causing an increase in the demand of better food quality and variety. The food industry has opted for innovation and the search for new sources of food, and these trends led to the need to develop a European regulatory framework. Novel foods are under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 (formerly Regulation (EC) No 258/97), and this concept includes all food not used in an important measure for human consumption in the EU before 15 May 1997, and which is included in any of the food categories established. Currently, there are 26 extracts authorized as novel foods or ingredients, being one of the most numerous groups. These extracts are concentrated sources of nutrients, and 23 of them can be used in food supplements. Given their heterogeneous composition and the perceptive risk assessments performed, sometimes, the authorizations are limited to certain population groups. The present work is a comprehensive review of the extracts rich in nutrients authorized as novel ingredients to be used in food supplements within the EU. A classification is proposed according to their source of origin, resulting in four main groups: extracts of plant, animal, algae, and fungal origins. A description of each extract as well as the evaluation of the potential use restriction and health benefits are also addressed.

A Review of the Role of Micronutrients and Bioactive Compounds on Immune System Supporting to Fight against the COVID-19 Disease.

Micronutrients are critical for an adequate function of the immune system and play a vital role in promoting health and nutritional well-being. The present work is aimed at reviewing (1) the role of micronutrients in helping the immune system to fight against the COVID-19 disease through the diet with food or food supplements and (2) the potential use of food health claims regarding immune function according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) requirements. Till date, there are some health claims authorized by the European Commission that refer to the role of certain essential nutrients (vitamins B6, B9, B12, A, D, C, and Cu, Fe, Se) to contribute to the proper functioning of the immune system. Vitamins D, C, Zn, and Se, have been thoroughly studied as a strategy to improve the immune system to fight against COVID-19 disease. From all the micronutrients, Vitamin D is the one with more scientific evidence suggesting positive effects against COVID-19 disease as it is linked to a reduction of infection rates, as well as an improved outcomes in patients. To validate scientific evidence, different clinical trials are ongoing currently, with promising preliminary results although inconclusive yet.

Assessment of Health Claims Related to Folic Acid in Food Supplements for Pregnant Women According to the European Regulation.

Pregnant women are a vulnerable group with increased nutritional requirements. The daily intake of folic acid, a crucial vitamin for embryonic development, must be reinforced through supplementation, as sometimes diets are not well equilibrated. As consumers increasingly rely on food supplements, it is vital to properly inform them about the health benefits provided by supplements' consumption to ensure their safe use. The objective of this work was to assess the compliance level of health claims related to folic acid in food supplements commercialized in Spain according to the European regulation. Authors performed (1) a review of health-related claims approved for folic acid in Europe, (2) a market research of food supplements commercialized in Spain with those claims, and (3) a selection of food supplements for chemical analysis in the lab to assess these claims. The results showed that nine health-related claims are currently approved for folic acid in Europe. The analytical results for folic acid content in the selected samples were consistent with the declared values and within the tolerance ranges established in the European Guidance document. All samples included accurate dosages and met the legal requirements (European Regulations 1924/2006, 432/2012, 1169/2011) for all approved claims for folic acid.

Nutritional and Phytochemical Composition of Mediterranean Wild Vegetables after Culinary Treatment.

Studies are scarce on the nutritional and phytochemical composition of wild edible Mediterranean plants after culinary processing. This work provides the nutritional composition after culinary treatment (including dietary fiber and mineral composition) and bioactive compounds (folates, vitamin C and organic acids) of wild Rumex pulcher L., Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke. leaves, and wild Asparagus acutifolius L., Bryonia dioica Jacq., Humulus lupulus L., Tamus communis L. young shoots. Shoots better preserved their nutrients than leaves, due to their different tissue structure. Fresh and cooked wild greens present high dietary fiber values, and remained at remarkable levels after boiling. Na, K, Mg and Zn were lost in about 50% due to culinary processing, while Ca, Cu, Fe and Mn were more stable. Boiled leaves of S. vulgaris remained as a good Mn source. A portion of 100 g of most of the cooked analyzed species could cover a relevant percentage of the daily requirement of folates (R. pulcher and A. acutifolius providing more than 80%) and vitamin C (T. communis and A. acutifolius providing more than 35%).

Potential Nutrition and Health Claims in Deastringed Persimmon Fruits (Diospyros kaki L.), Variety 'Rojo Brillante', PDO 'Ribera del Xúquer'.

In Europe, nutrition and health claims made on food must be based on scientific evidence, which means a comprehensive evaluation by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) prior to authorisation. Processed foods are subject to numerous claims derived from the presence of bioactive compounds; however, natural food products, often the original sources of those compounds, are not habitually the subject of these claims. Although the consumption of persimmon fruit has important health benefits, up to date no specific health claims are authorised for this fruit. In this work, 'Rojo Brillante' persimmon fruits (Diospyros kaki L.), Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) 'Ribera del Xúquer' were characterized regarding the presence of fiber (soluble and insoluble), vitamin C (ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acids), carotenoids (neoxanthin, violaxanthin, ß-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, ß- carotene) and mineral elements (Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Ca, Mg, Na, K). Different fruit batches harvested in different seasons were analyzed by standardized analytical methods (Association of Official Analytical Chemists, AOAC), high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV) and atomic absorption spectroscopy. Based on the results, Persimon® is potentially able to show two nutrition claims "Source of fiber" and "Sodium-free/salt-free". This work could set the ground for future studies and to start considering natural food products as candidates for the use of approved claims.

The frontier between nutrition and pharma: The international regulatory framework of functional foods, food supplements and nutraceuticals.

The link between diet and human health status has been repeatedly proved by strong scientific evidence, and developed societies demand food products with an added value beyond the satisfaction of hunger and the provision of nutrients. Functional foods, food supplements and nutraceuticals are at the interface between nutrition and pharma and opens the doors for seeking new therapeutic alternatives for the prevention of nutrition-related diseases. The present review is aimed at clarifying the differences between functional foods, food supplements and nutraceuticals as well as describing its regulatory framework in Europe, United States and Japan. Specific harmonized regulation for these products is needed. Functional foods, food supplements and nutraceuticals exert health-promoting properties and could be considered as potential candidates in the management of chronic diseases in combination with prescribed medication. Further research is essential for establishing which nutrition-pharma combinations are most favorable and suitable for each chronic disease.

Nutritional properties, identification of phenolic compounds, and enzyme inhibitory activities of Feijoa sellowiana leaves.

The nutritional values, the identification of individual phenolic compounds as well as the functional properties (in vitro acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and pancreatic lipase inhibition) of Tunisian Feijoa sellowiana (O.Berg) leaves were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array and mass spectrometry detector. Feijoa Sellowiana  leaves Extract (FSLE) were evaluated in the present work. Macronutrient components (proteins, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, lipids, and ashes) of FSLE as well as their fatty acids and mineral content were determined. The individual phenolic composition was characterized by the presence of flavonols (mostly quercetin glycosides), flavan-3-ols (procyanidins and catechins), and phenolic acid derivatives. To understand the possible inhibition mechanism exerted by the extract components, enzyme kinetic studies using derived Lineweaver-Burk (LB) plots and Michaelis-Menten were performed. The obtained results evidenced that FSLE exhibited important AChE inhibitory effect, behaving as a noncompetitive inhibitor. Furthermore, the leaves' extract inhibited irreversibly the pancreatic lipase, with maximum inhibition (70%) achieved at 1 mg/ml. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: In many countries of the world, Feijoa Sellowiana leaves are used as an alternative to tea drinks and as a folkloric medicine. Moreover, it is well known that the phytochemical compounds are a practical alternative for the prevention of many chronic diseases such as Alzheimer's and obesity. For this reason, the present study aimed to evaluate the nutritional, individual phenolic compounds, and functional properties of Feijoa Sellowiana leaves to valorize them as a food and pharmaceutical bioactive human source.

Wild edible Swiss chard leaves (Beta vulgaris L. var. cicla): Nutritional, phytochemical composition and biological activities.

Nutritional, soluble carbohydrates and aroma volatile profiles of Tunisian wild Swiss chard leaves (Beta vulgaris L. var. cicla) have been characterized. The chemical composition of an ethanol chard leaves extract, as well as its in vitro antioxidant, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition activities were carefully evaluated. The results of the proximate composition showed that total carbohydrate fraction, mainly as dietary fiber were the major macronutrient (2.43 g/100 g fw), being the insoluble dietary fiber the predominant fraction (2.30 g/100 g). In addition, leaves of Beta vulgaris L. were especially rich in Mg, Fe and Ca (4.54, 2.94 and 2.28 mg/100 g fw) and very poor in Na (0.09 mg/100 g fw). Volatile profile revealed that non-terpene derivatives and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons were the essential classes of volatiles in the chard leaves. Myricitrin, p-cumaric acid and rosmarinic acid were characterized. Moreover, the ethanol extract of wild Swiss chard leaves revealed significant antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, a good enzyme inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities were observed. These findings highlighted the potential health benefits of wild Swiss Chard as a source of nutritional and bioactive compounds.

Chestnut and lemon balm based ingredients as natural preserving agents of the nutritional profile in matured "Serra da Estrela" cheese.

Chestnut flowers, lemon balm plants and their decoctions were incorporated into "Serra da Estrela" cheese, to assess their potential to preserve its nutritional properties and provide new foodstuffs. The analyses were carried out after the normal ripening period of 1month and after 6months of storage. The most abundant nutrients were proteins and fats. The most abundant minerals were Ca and Na, while C16:0 and C18:1 were the main fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids were the most abundant, followed by the monounsaturated. Moisture seemed to be lower in the samples with the plants incorporated. The dried plants, when incorporated, seemed to be more efficient as preservers then the decoctions, although these better preserved the proteins. These plants can be regarded as promising natural preservers in foodstuffs cheese, given the preservation of key parameters and the slight impact on the nutritional value.

Bioactivity, proximate, mineral and volatile profiles along the flowering stages of Opuntia microdasys (Lehm.): defining potential applications.

Opuntia spp. flowers have been traditionally used for medical purposes, mostly because of their diversity in bioactive molecules with health promoting properties. The proximate, mineral and volatile compound profiles, together with the cytotoxic and antimicrobial properties were characterized in O. microdasys flowers at different maturity stages, revealing several statistically significant differences. O. microdasys stood out mainly for its high contents of dietary fiber, potassium and camphor, and its high activities against HCT15 cells, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus versicolor and Penicillium funiculosum. The vegetative stage showed the highest cytotoxic and antifungal activities, whilst the full flowering stage was particularly active against bacterial species. The complete dataset has been classified by principal component analysis, achieving clearly identifiable groups for each flowering stage, elucidating also the most distinctive features, and comprehensively profiling each of the assayed stages. The results might be useful to define the best flowering stage considering practical application purposes.

Mineral and trace elements content in 30 accessions of tomato fruits (Solanum lycopersicum L.,) and wild relatives (Solanum pimpinellifolium L., Solanum cheesmaniae L. Riley, and Solanum habrochaites S. Knapp & D.M. Spooner).

Tomato quality and its potential health benefits are directly related to its chemical composition. The characterization of nutritional properties of Solanum germplasm is essential to choose suitable donor parents for breeding programs. In this sense, wild species could be very useful for tomato fruit quality genetic improvement. With this objective, in this work, we characterize micronutrients content in Eulycopersicon germplasm (20 cultivars of S. lycopersicum L. and 10 accessions of wild relatives) analyzing mineral (Na, K, Ca, Mg) and trace elements (Cu, Fe, Zn, Mn) and applying multidimensional analysis (principal component and cluster analysis). The classification obtained and the comparison of cultivars performance showed that wild accessions belonging to S. cheesmaniae (L. Riley), S. pimpinellifolium L., and S. habrochaites S. Knapp & D.M. Spooner can be of great usefulness in breeding programs to improve mineral content characteristics of conventional S. lycopersicum varieties due to its higher mineral content.