Influence of Dietary Supplementation of Ensiled Devil Fish and Staphylococcus saprophyticus on Equine Fecal Greenhouse Gases Production.

The present context was designed to investigate the efficacy of devil fish (DF; Plecostomus sp.) silage and Staphylococcus saprophyticus on fermentation characteristics as well as greenhouse gases production mitigation attributes in horses. Four levels of ensiled DF at 0 (control DF0), 6 (DF6), 12 (DF12), and 18 (DF18) % were added into the diet. Moreover, three doses of S. saprophyticus (0, 1, and 3 mL/g dry matter [DM]) were used for in vitro fecal fermentation. The use of ensiled DF resulted in increased (P < .0001) pH during fermentation. The asymptotic gas production was the highest (P < .0001) in DF6, whereas other supplementation caused lower production than that of control. Lag time for the asymptotic gas production decreased (P < .05) with increasing dietary DF doses. Inclusion of S. saprophyticus resulted in the lowest (P < .05) gas production and mL/0.5 g DM incubated and thus, the reduced gas production up to 23.17% than that of control. The interaction of DF × S. saprophyticus showed the lowest gas production at DF18, whereas the highest production was estimated at DF6 without S. saprophyticus after 48 hours. The lowest emission of CO2 (P < .0001) was observed in DF18 inclusion, which was 15.25% lower than that of control at 48 hours of fermentation. In contrast, the lowest hydrogen (H2) production was estimated in DF0, whereas DF18 exhibited the highest. Inclusion of DF12 and DF18 reduced (P < .05) methane (CH4) emission by 58.24% and 59.33%, respectively. However, DF, S. saprophyticus, and DF × S. saprophyticus interaction had no significant effect (P > .05) on CH4 production. In conclusion, ensiled DF and S. saprophyticus could be supplemented in equine diet as promising alternatives to corn for mitigating the emission of greenhouse gases effectively.

Moderate consumption of a soluble green/roasted coffee rich in caffeoylquinic acids reduces cardiovascular risk markers: results from a randomized, cross-over, controlled trial in healthy and hypercholesterolemic subjects.

PURPOSE: Coffee is rich in bioactive compounds with health beneficial properties, with green coffee presenting higher phenol content than roasted. We evaluated the effects of regularly consuming realistic amounts of a green/roasted coffee blend on cardiovascular health-related biomarkers. METHODS: A randomized, cross-over, controlled study was carried out in 25 normocholesterolemic [total cholesterol (TC) < 200 mg/dL] and 27 hypercholesterolemic (TC 200-240 mg/dL) subjects. During 8 weeks, volunteers consumed 6 g/day of soluble green/roasted (35:65) coffee or a control beverage (water or an isotonic drink). Blood pressure, heart rate and body weight were monitored at the end of each intervention, and serum lipids [TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, VLDL-C, triglycerides and phospholipids], cytokines and chemokines (IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17, G-CSF, GM-CSF, MCP-1, MIP-1ß, TNF-α, INF-γ), adhesion molecules (ICAM-1, VCAM-1), and C-reactive protein were measured. Plasma antioxidant capacity (FRAP, ORAC and ABTS methods), and lipid (malondialdehyde, MDA) and protein (carbonyl groups, CG) oxidation were also determined. RESULTS: Attending to the general lineal model of variance for repeated measures, after the green/roasted coffee intervention significant reductions in TC, LDL-C, VLDL-C and triglycerides levels (p = 0.006, 0.001, 0.003 and 0.017, respectively), and a significant group effect were observed (0.001, < 0.001, 0.019 and 0.027, respectively). Only within the hypercholesterolemic group, attending to the Bonferroni test, the aforementioned lipid parameters were significantly lower after regular green/roasted coffee intake compared to baseline values. Moreover, after the coffee stage, plasma antioxidant capacity improved, according to the increase in ORAC and FRAP values (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively) and decrease of MDA (p = 0.015) and CG (p < 0.001) levels, without differences between groups. Systolic (p = 0.001) and diastolic (p < 0.001) blood pressure, heart rate (p = 0.035), and body weight (p = 0.017) were reduced in both normo- and hypercholesterolemic groups. CONCLUSION: Regular consumption of moderate amounts of a soluble green/roasted (35:65) coffee blend may contribute to improve cardiovascular health in moderately hypercholesterolemic people, as reducing serum lipids, blood pressure and body weight effects, as well as increasing plasma antioxidant capacity, have been observed. Moreover, positive influences on blood pressure, body weight, and plasma antioxidant capacity were obtained in the healthy group. Therefore, incorporation of green coffee beans into the coffee brew can be recommended as part of a dietary strategy to protect from cardiovascular disease.

Antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects of green coffee and yerba mate extracts, their main hydroxycinnamic acids, methylxanthine and metabolites in different human cell lines.

This work aimed at studying the effects of green coffee bean (GCBE) and yerba mate (YME) extracts, their main phenolic components (5-caffeoylquinic acid, 5-CQA; 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 3,5-DCQA) and metabolites (ferulic acid, FA; caffeic acid, CA; dihydrocaffeic acid, DHCA; and dihydroferulic acid, DHFA) along with caffeine (CAF) on the viability and proliferation of different human cell lines. Extracts (10-1000 µg/mL) and standards (10-1000 µM) were assayed in colon (Caco-2), lung (A549), oesophageal (OE-33), urinary bladder (T24) human carcinoma cells, and a non-cancer cell line (CCD-18Co). YME significantly reduced viability of cancer cells at all assayed concentrations, the higher doses also reducing cell proliferation. GCBE effects on cell viability were more effective at 100 and 1000 µg/mL, showing modest effects on cell proliferation. The highest doses of 5-CQA and 3,5-DCQA reduced cell viability and proliferation in all cell lines, whereas FA, DHCA and DHFA had lower and variable effects. Caffeine had no effect. Dietary-attainable concentrations (0.1, 1 and 10 µg/mL) of YME were tested for cytotoxicity and reactive oxygen species generation, showing no cytotoxic effect. Low concentrations of all tested compounds were non-cytotoxic to CCD-18Co cells. CONCLUSION: YME and to a lower degree GCBE, their phenolic components and metabolites may decrease cancer cell viability and proliferation.

A phenolic extract from grape by-products and its main hydroxybenzoic acids protect Caco-2 cells against pro-oxidant induced toxicity.

Grape/wine industry produces large amounts of by-products, however knowledge on their health-promoting qualities is limited. This study investigated the effects of a grape phenolic extract (GPE) and its phenolic compounds, gallic acid (GA) and syringic acid (SA) on human intestinal Caco-2 cells, directly or after cytotoxicity induced by tert-butylhydroperoxide (t-BOOH). Direct treatment with 0.1-10 µg/mL GPE, or 0.1-10 µM GA and SA produced no major cytotoxic effect, either changes in antioxidant defences (glutathione content, glutathione peroxidase and reductase activities) or protein damage (carbonyl groups). However, 10 µg/mL GPE, 1 and 10 µM GA and 10 µM SA decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Pre-treatment with GPE, SA and GA at the same concentrations for 20 h showed that 10 µg/mL GPE and 10 µM GA or SA significantly counteracted ROS increase induced by t-BOOH. 10 µg/mL GPE and 1-10 µM GA or 10 µM of SA significantly reduced pro-oxidant-induced cytotoxicity. 1-10 µg/mL GPE, 1-10 µM GA and 10 µM SA significantly recovered both depleted glutathione and enhanced glutathione reductase and peroxidase activities, and reduced protein oxidative damage. Therefore, treatment with realistic concentrations of GPE and its main hydroxybenzoic acids protected Caco-2 cells against induced oxidative stress.

Simultaneous determination of long-chain aliphatic aldehydes and waxes in olive oils.

A procedure for the simultaneous determination of long-chain aliphatic aldehydes, and aliphatic and triterpenic waxes in virgin olive oils is described. A fraction containing these compounds was isolated from the oil using solid-phase extraction on silica-gel cartridges. The fraction was analyzed by capillary GC on 35%-dimethyl-65%-diphenylpolysiloxane phase using on-column injection. In extra virgin olive oils, the long-chain aliphatic aldehydes with even carbon atom numbers from C22 to C30 were identified by comparison of retention times and mass spectra with those of synthesized standards. The concentration of total aldehydes ranged from 20.2 to 108.0 mg/kg-n-hexacosanal being the most abundant aldehyde. The determination of aliphatic waxes was achieved with similar or better precision than that of the EU official methods.

Reduction of oil bitterness by heating of olive (Olea europaea) fruits.

Olives (Olea europaea) of the Manzanilla and Verdial varieties, harvested at the green mature stage of ripening, were heated at 30, 40, 45, and 50 degrees C during 24 h and at 40 degrees C during 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. Just after treatments, oils were physically extracted from the olives. Olive heating promotes a reduction of oil bitterness in direct relationship to the time and temperature used. Fruit heating at < or =40 degrees C during 24 h did not produce significant changes of acidity, UV absorption, peroxide index, panel test score, or oxidative stability of the obtained oils. Both longer treatments at 40 degrees C and heating at >40 degrees C yielded oils with less oxidative stability. Oils obtained from olives heated at > or =40 degrees C showed higher concentrations of chlorophylls and carotenes. For each olive variety, a good correlation between oil bitterness and content of hydroxytyrosol secoiridoid derivatives was found.

Determination of phenols, flavones, and lignans in virgin olive oils by solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array ultraviolet detection.

A simple analytical method for the quantitative determination of phenols, flavones, and lignans in virgin olive oils was developed. The polar fraction was isolated from small amounts of oil sample (2.5 g) by solid-phase extraction (SPE) using diol-phase cartridges, and the extract was analyzed by reversed-phase HPLC coupled with diode array UV detection. Chromatographic separation of pinoresinol, cinnamic acid, and 1-acetoxypinoresinol was achieved. Repeatability (RSD < 6.5%), recovery (> 90%), and response factors for each identified component were determined. SPE on amino-phase cartridges was used for isolating acidic phenols and as an aid for phenol identification. For the first time, 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl acetate was detected in olive oils. The aldehydic structure of the ligstroside aglycon was confirmed by NMR spectroscopy. The colorimetric determination of total o-diphenolic compounds by reaction with molybdate was consistent with their HPLC determination. Differences between results obtained by liquid-liquid extraction and SPE were not statistically significant.