Effects of antioxidants and additional emulsifiers on the stability of emulsified milk fat in the photo/radical oxidation system.

The effects of antioxidants on the oxidative deterioration of emulsified oils and fats differ depending on the oxidation conditions, oils and fats used, and type of emulsifier. In this study, milk fat was emulsified to obtain water-oil (O/W) emulsion using Tween20 as emulsifier. The antioxidative effects of several antioxidants with various lipophilic properties, such as δ-tocopherol (Toc), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), quercetin (Qu), green tea extract (GTE), and rooibos tea extract (RTE) were investigated, the effects of additional emulsifiers such as polyglycerol and sucrose esters of fatty acids on the oxidation stability of the emulsion were also investigated. Under oxidative conditions of 30°C in 650 lx, Toc was more effective than GTE in suppressing the increase of the peroxide value (PV, meq/kg) of the emulsified milk fat. Under these oxidative conditions, the antioxidative effect of GTE was enhanced by the addition of polyglycerol and sucrose esters of fatty acids. Under the oxidative conditions at 40°C in dark with 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) or 2,2'-azobis (2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile) (AMVN), Toc showed the most antioxidative effect on suppression of the increase of PV and anisidine value (AnV) of the emulsified milk fat. Furthermore, additional emulsifiers also showed suppressive effects on the increase of the PV and AnV of the emulsified milk fat even without any antioxidants. The effects of additional emulsifiers on the oxidative stability of O/W emulsions were enhanced with antioxidants such as Toc, EGCg, and Qu.

Persimmon fruit tannin-rich fiber reduces cholesterol levels in humans.

Bile acid-binding agents are known to lower blood cholesterol levels and have been clinically used for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. We previously showed that tannin-rich fiber from young persimmon (Diospyros kaki) fruits had bile acid-binding properties. In this study, we performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to investigate the hypocholesterolemic effects of tannin-rich fiber in humans. The subjects (n = 40, plasma total cholesterol levels 180-259 mg/dl) were divided into 3 groups and ingested cookie bars containing 0 g (placebo group, n = 14), 3 g (low-dose group, n = 13), or 5 g (high-dose group, n = 13) of tannin-rich fiber 3 times daily before meals for 12 weeks. Plasma total cholesterol levels decreased significantly in the low-dose (12 weeks, p < 0.005) and high-dose (6 weeks, p < 0.05; 12 weeks, p < 0.001) groups. In addition, plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels decreased significantly in the high-dose group (6 weeks, p < 0.05; 12 weeks, p < 0.001). These improvements were not accompanied by changes in plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol or plasma triglyceride levels. Our findings indicate that tannin-rich fiber from young persimmon fruits is a useful food material for treating hypercholesterolemia.

Bile acid-binding ability of kaki-tannin from young fruits of persimmon (Diospyros kaki) in vitro and in vivo.

The bile acid-binding ability of a highly polymerized tannin (kaki-tannin) extracted from dried-young fruits of persimmon (Diospyros kaki) was examined. The kaki-tannin was composed mainly of epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin-3-O-gallate and epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate. Bile acid-binding ability of kaki-tannin was examined against cholic acid, glycocholic acid, taurocholic acid and deoxycholic acid in vitro, and its effect on fecal bile acid excretion in mice was also examined. Although the bile acid-binding ability of kaki-tannin was weaker than that of cholestyramine, kaki-tannin adsorbed all the bile acids tested and significantly promoted fecal bile acid excretion in mice when supplied at 1% (w/w) in the diet.