Bioavailable Phenolic Compounds from Olive Pomace Present Anti-Neuroinflammatory Potential on Microglia Cells.

The neuroinflammatory process is considered one of the main characteristics of central nervous system diseases, where a pro-inflammatory response results in oxidative stress through the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS). Olive (Olea europaea L.) pomace is a by-product of olive oil production that is rich in phenolic compounds (PCs), known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This work looked at the antioxidant and anti-neuroinflammatory effects of the bioavailable PC from olive pomace in cell-free models and microglia cells. The bioavailable PC of olive pomace was obtained through the process of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of fractionated olive pomace (OPF, particles size < 2 mm) and micronized olive pomace (OPM, particles size < 20 µm). The profile of the PC that is present in the bioavailable fraction as well as its in vitro antioxidant capacity were determined. The anti-neuroinflammatory capacity of the bioavailable PC from olive pomace (0.03-3 mg L-1) was evaluated in BV-2 cells activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 24 h. The total bioavailable PC concentration and antioxidant activity against peroxyl radical were higher in the OPM than those observed in the OPF sample. The activation of BV-2 cells by LPS resulted in increased levels of ROS and nitric oxide (NO). The bioavailable PCs from both OPF and OPM, at their lowest concentrations, were able to reduce the ROS generation in activated BV-2 cells. In contrast, the highest PC concentration of OPF and OPM was able to reduce the NO levels in activated microglial cells. Our results demonstrate that bioavailable PCs from olive pomace can act as anti-neuroinflammatory agents in vitro, independent of particle size. Moreover, studies approaching ways to increase the bioavailability of PCs from olive pomace, as well as any possible toxic effects, are needed before a final statement on its nutritional use is made.

Do ultrasound form spontaneously nitrous pigments in nitrite-free pork meat batter?

The effects of ultrasound (US) on myoglobin modification, nitrous pigment formation, color, and total and free sulfhydryl content in nitrite-free pork meat batter were assessed. Five treatments were elaborated: Control (without US); TUS10'12 and TUS20'12 (sonication at 25 kHz, at 12 °C for 10 and 20 min, respectively); TUS10'18 and TUS20'18 (sonication at 25 kHz, at 18 °C for 10 and 20 min, respectively). Sonication for 20 min at 12 °C increased OxyMb and DeoxyMb pigments while reducing MetMb levels. This US condition also yielded higher red color indices and lower yellow color indices. Moreover, TUS20'12 exhibited enhanced nitrous pigment formation and decreased FerrylMb and free sulfhydryl (SH) values, indicating reduced oxidation in OxyMb and DeoxyMb pigments. In conclusion, the findings demonstrate that US can impart a cured color to nitrite-free meat products.

Grain Germination Changes the Profile of Phenolic Compounds and Benzoxazinoids in Wheat: A Study on Hard and Soft Cultivars.

Pre-harvest sprouting is a frequent problem for wheat culture that can be simulated by laboratory-based germination. Despite reducing baking properties, wheat sprouting has been shown to increase the bioavailability of some nutrients. It was investigated whether wheat cultivars bearing distinct grain texture characteristics (BRS Guaraim, soft vs. BRS Marcante, hard texture) would have different behavior in terms of the changes in phytochemical compounds during germination. Using LC-Q-TOF-MS, higher contents of benzoxazinoids and flavonoids were found in the hard cultivar than in the soft one. Free phytochemicals, mainly benzoxazinoids, increased during germination in both cultivars. Before germination, soft and hard cultivars had a similar profile of matrix-bound phytochemicals, but during germination, these compounds have been shown to decrease only in the hard-texture cultivar, due to decreased levels of phenolic acids (trans-ferulic acid) and flavonoids (apigenin) that were bound to the cell wall through ester-type bonds. These findings confirm the hypothesis that hard and soft wheat cultivars have distinct behavior during germination concerning the changes in phytochemical compounds, namely the matrix-bound compounds. In addition, germination has been shown to remarkably increase the content of benzoxazinoids and the antioxidant capacity, which could bring a health-beneficial appeal for pre-harvested sprouted grains.

Production of Collagens and Protein Hydrolysates with Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activity from Sheep Slaughter By-Products.

This work aimed to produce collagens and hydrolysates with antimicrobial and antioxidant activity from sheep slaughter by-products. The by-products (sheep and lamb) were treated and extracted. The collagens were hydrolyzed with the enzyme Alcalase®. The spectra of collagens and hydrolysates were similar (amide bands I, II, III, A, B). The bands presented by the collagens (α1, α2, ß) were characteristic of type I collagen. The hydrolysates showed molecular weight peptides equal to/lower than 15 kDa. Collagens had a denaturation temperature of 39.32 (lamb) and 36.38 °C (sheep), whereas the hydrolysates did not undergo thermal transition. Hydrolysates showed lower values of antioxidant activity (AA) than the collagens. The collagens from lamb and from sheep displayed an AA of 13.4% (concentration of 0.0002%) and 13.1% (concentration of 0.0005%), respectively. At the concentration of 0.0020%, the lamb hydrolysates displayed an AA of 10.2%, whereas the sheep hydrolysates had an AA of only 1.98%. Collagen also showed higher antimicrobial activity compared to hydrolysates, requiring a lower concentration to inhibit the microorganisms tested. Sheep slaughter by-products proved to be a viable source for obtaining protein hydrolysates and collagens with antimicrobial and antioxidant activity, which can be applied in the development of nutraceuticals beneficial to human health.

Enzymatic hydrolysis (pepsin) assisted by ultrasound in the functional Properties of hydrolyzates from different collagens / Hidrólise enzimática (pepsina) assistida por ultrassom nas propriedades Funcionais de hidrolisados de diferentes colágenos

ABSTRACT: Enzymatic hydrolysis (pepsin) assisted with or without ultrasound in the functional properties of hydrolyzates from different collagens were analyzed. Degree of hydrolysis, antioxidant activity (DPPH) and antimicrobial activity (MIC) were assessed. The treatment that resulted in greater antioxidant activity for the fiber sample was with the use of 4% of enzyme and concomitant ultrasound (40.7%), leading to a degree of hydrolysis of 21.7%. For the powdered fiber sample the hydrolysis treatment with use of 4% of enzyme resulted in lower protein content (6.97mg/mL), higher degree of hydrolysis (19.9%) and greater antioxidant activity (38.6%). The hydrolyzates showed inhibitory capacity against gram-negative bacteria Salmonella choleraesuis and gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. It can be concluded that enzymatic hydrolysis concomitant or not with the use of ultrasound increased the functionality of the fiber and powdered fiber samples, for the other samples its use as supplementary treatment was not productive, due to the worse results of antioxidant activity (DPPH) reported. However, it provided greater hydrolysis degree.

RESUMO: Foram avaliados os efeitos da hidrólise enzimática (pepsina) assistida com ou sem ultrassom nas propriedades funcionais de hidrolisados de diferentes colágenos. Foi analisado o grau de hidrólise, a atividade antioxidante (DPPH) e a atividade antimicrobiana (MIC). O tratamento que possibilitou maior atividade antioxidante para a amostra fibra foi com a utilização de 4% de enzima e ultrassom concomitante (40,7%), levando a um grau de hidrólise de 21,7%. Para a amostra fibra pó o tratamento de hidrólise com uso de 4% de enzima resultou em menor teor de proteína (6,97mg/mL), maior grau de hidrólise (19,9%) e maior atividade antioxidante (38,6%). Os hidrolisados mostraram capacidade inibitória contra a bactéria gram-negativa Salmonella choleraesuis e gram-positiva Staphylococcus aureus. Pode-se concluir que a hidrólise enzimática concomitante, ou não, ao uso do ultrassom apresentou aumento da funcionalidade das amostras fibra e fibra pó. Para as demais amostras, sua utilização como tratamento complementar, a hidrólise não foi interessante, devido aos piores resultados de atividade antioxidante (DPPH) encontrados. Porém, proporcionou maior grau de hidrólise.

Formation of homogeneous groups of bovine milk production units via multivariate statistical techniques / Formação de grupos homogêneos de unidades de produção de leite bovino através de técnicas estatísticas multivariadas

ABSTRACT: Milk supply chain in Brazil exhibits significant production system heterogeneity in all federal units. Thus, the objective of this study was to form homogeneous groups of bovine milk production units based on the chemical and microbiological quality of the milk via multivariate statistical techniques. A total of 1,541 milk producing units (MPUs), corresponding to 44,089 samples, were analyzed. The first three principal components accounted for 81.38% of the total variation in the data. Principal component 1 (PC1) was associated with the chemical quality of milk (fat, protein [PROT] and total dry extract [TDE] content), while PC2 and PC3 were associated with microbiological quality (somatic cell count [SCC] and total bacterial count [TBC]). The concurrent analysis of the two two-dimensional projections characterized the different productive strata by their quality attributes and identified the positive/negative points of milk microbiological characteristics in each production group. Thus, the dimensionality of the set of 1,541 MPUs was reduced to 15 homogeneous production groups. This method optimizes the use of the dairy industry monthly database and characterizes all the heterogeneities present in dairy production systems.

RESUMO: A cadeia produtiva brasileira de leite possui expressiva heterogeneidade de sistemas de produção em todas as unidades federativas. Assim, objetivou-se formar grupos homogêneos de unidades de produção de leite bovino através de técnicas estatísticas multivariadas, com base na qualidade química e microbiológica do leite. Foram utilizadas 1.541 unidades produtoras de leite (UPL), totalizando 44.089 amostras analisadas. Os três primeiros componentes principais explicaram 81,38% da variação total dos dados. O componente principal 1 associou-se à qualidade química do leite (gordura, proteína e extrato seco total), enquanto os componentes principais 2 e 3 com a qualidade microbiológica (contagem de células somáticas e contagem bacteriana total). Com a análise conjunta das três projeções bidimensionais, caracterizaram-se os distintos estratos produtivos quanto aos seus atributos de qualidade e identificaram-se os pontos positivos/negativos das características microbiológicas do leite de cada um dos grupos de produção. Assim, obteve-se uma redução da dimensionalidade do conjunto de 1.541UPL em 15 grupos de produção homogêneos, otimizando a utilização da base de informações mensais das indústrias lácteas, e caracterizando a totalidade das heterogeneidades presentes em sistemas de produção leiteiros.

Qualidade do leite em diferentes sistemas de produção, ano e estação climática / Milk quality in different production systems, year and weather seasons

Objetivou-se avaliar a qualidade do leite produzido sob distintos níveis tecnológicos, durante três anos nas quatro estações climáticas, na região sul do Brasil. Os parâmetros de qualidade do leite avaliados foram: gordura, proteína, lactose, sólidos totais, contagem de células somáticas e contagem bacteriana total, oriundas de 346 propriedades classificadas em três sistemas de produção (não especializado, semi especializado, especializado). Os dados foram analisados por modelo misto com medida repetida no tempo, tendo como efeito fixo o sistema de produção, ano e estação, e efeito aleatório a propriedade designada em cada sistema de produção. Observou-se percentual elevado de amostras em desacordo com a Instrução Normativa Brasileira nº 62/2011. O sistema de produção afetou a contagem bacteriana total e o teor de gordura, com valores superiores para ambas no sistema não especializado. Todas as variáveis foram influenciadas pela estação do ano, sendo que no outono o leite apresentou percentuais superiores de gordura, proteína, sólidos totais e inferior de CBT. O teor de lactose foi influenciada pelo sistema de produção e pela estação do ano, demonstrando a influência dos fatores estudados na qualidade do leite produzido.

This study aimed evaluate the quality of milk yield under different technological levels, for three years in the four seasons, in southern Brazil. The quality parameter of milk were evaluated: fat, protein, lactose, total solids, somatic cell count and total bacterial count, collected from 346 dairy farms classified in three levels of the production systems (specialized, partially specializes and nonspecialized). Data were analyzed by mixed model with repeated measures in time, with the fixed effect production systems, years and seasons, and random effect property designated in each production system. We observed a high percentage of samples in disagreement with Federal Normative Instruction 62/2011 (IN 62), created to establish quality parameters for milk in the country. The production system affected the total bacterial count and fat content, with higher values for both in the nonspecialized system. All variables were influenced by the season, and in the fall the milk had a higher percentage of fat, protein, total solids and lower CBT. The lactose content was influenced by production systema and the season, demonstrating the influence of the factors studied in the quality of milk yield.