Valorizing Assorted Logging Residues: Response Surface Methodology in the Extraction Optimization of a Green Norway Spruce Needle-Rich Fraction To Obtain Valuable Bioactive Compounds.

During stemwood harvesting, substantial volumes of logging residues are produced as a side stream. Nevertheless, industrially feasible processing methods supporting their use for other than energy generation purposes are scarce. Thus, the present study focuses on biorefinery processing, employing response surface methodology to optimize the pressurized extraction of industrially assorted needle-rich spruce logging residues with four solvents. Eighteen experimental points, including eight center point replicates, were used to optimize the extraction temperature (40-135 °C) and time (10-70 min). The extraction optimization for water, water with Na2CO3 + NaHSO3 addition, and aqueous ethanol was performed using yield, total dissolved solids (TDS), antioxidant activity (FRAP, ORAC), antibacterial properties (E. coli, S. aureus), total phenolic content (TPC), condensed tannin content, and degree of polymerization. For limonene, evaluated responses were yield, TDS, antioxidant activity (CUPRAC, DPPH), and TPC. Desirability surfaces were created using the responses showing a coefficient of determination (R2) > 0.7, statistical significance (p ≤ 0.05), precision > 4, and statistically insignificant lack-of-fit (p > 0.1). The optimal extraction conditions were 125 °C and 68 min for aqueous ethanol, 120 °C and 10 min for water, 111 °C and 49 min for water with Na2CO3 + NaHSO3 addition, and 134 °C and 41 min for limonene. The outcomes contribute insights to industrial logging residue utilization for value-added purposes.

Inspired by nature: Fiber networks functionalized with tannic acid and condensed tannin-rich extracts of Norway spruce bark show antimicrobial efficacy.

This study demonstrated the antibacterial and antiviral potential of condensed tannins and tannic acid when incorporated into fiber networks tested for functional material purposes. Condensed tannins were extracted from industrial bark of Norway spruce by using pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE), followed by purification of extracts by using XADHP7 treatment to obtain sugar-free extract. The chemical composition of the extracts was analyzed by using HPLC, GC‒MS and UHPLC after thiolytic degradation. The test matrices, i.e., lignocellulosic handsheets, were produced and impregnated with tannin-rich extracts, and tannic acid was used as a commercial reference. The antibacterial and antiviral efficacy of the handsheets were analyzed by using bioluminescent bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus RN4220+pAT19 and Escherichia coli K12+pCGLS11) and Enterovirus coxsackievirus B3. Potential bonding of the tannin-rich extract and tannic acid within the fiber matrices was studied by using FTIR-ATR spectroscopy. The deposition characteristics (distribution and accumulation patterns) of tannin compounds and extracts within fiber networks were measured and visualized by direct chemical mapping using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and digital microscopy. Our results demonstrated for the first time, how tannin-rich extracts obtained from spruce bark side streams with green chemistry possess antiviral and antibacterial properties when immobilized into fiber matrices to create substitutes for plastic hygienic products, personal protection materials such as surgical face masks, or food packaging materials to prolong the shelf life of foodstuffs and prevent the spread of infections. However, more research is needed to further develop this proof-of-concept to ensure stable chemical bonding in product prototypes with specific chemistry.

Enzyme-assisted extraction of anthocyanins and other phenolic compounds from blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) press cake: From processing to bioactivities.

The effects of commercial enzymes (pectinases, cellulases, beta-1-3-glucanases, and pectin lyases) on the recovery of anthocyanins and polyphenols from blackcurrant press cake were studied considering two solid:solvent ratios (1:10 and 1:4 w/v). ß-glucanase enabled the recovery of the highest total phenolic content - 1142 mg/100 g, and the extraction of anthocyanins was similar using all enzymes (∼400 mg/100 g). The use of cellulases and pectinases enhanced the extraction of antioxidants (DPPH - 1080 mg/100 g; CUPRAC - 3697 mg/100 g). The freeze-dried extracts presented antioxidant potential (CUPRAC, DPPH), which was associated with their biological effects in different systems: antiviral activity against both non-enveloped viruses (enterovirus coxsackievirus A-9) and enveloped coronaviruses (HCoV-OC43), and cytotoxicity towards cancer cells (A549 and HCT8). No cytotoxic effects on normal human lung fibroblast (IMR90) were observed, and no anti-inflammatory activity was detected in lipopolysaccharides-treated murine immortalised microglial cells.

Behaviour of Extractives in Norway Spruce (Picea abies) Bark during Pile Storage.

The current practices regarding the procurement chain of forest industry sidestreams, such as conifer bark, do not always lead to optimal conditions for preserving individual chemical compounds. This study investigates the standard way of storing bark in large piles in an open area. We mainly focus on the degradation of the most essential hydrophilic and hydrophobic extractives and carbohydrates. First, two large 450 m3 piles of bark from Norway spruce (Picea abies) were formed, one of which was covered with snow. The degradation of the bark extractives was monitored for 24 weeks. Samples were taken from the middle, side and top of the pile. Each sample was extracted at 120 °C with both n-hexane and water, and the extracts produced were then analysed chromatographically using gas chromatography with flame ionisation or mass selective detection and high-performance liquid chromatography. The carbohydrates were next analysed using acidic hydrolysis and acidic methanolysis, followed by chromatographic separation of the monosaccharides formed and their derivatives. The results showed that the most intensive degradation occurred during the first 4 weeks of storage. The levels of hydrophilic extractives were also found to decrease drastically (69% in normal pile and 73% in snow-covered pile) during storage, whereas the decrease in hydrophobic extractives was relatively stable (15% in normal pile and 8% in snow-covered pile). The top of the piles exhibited the most significant decrease in the total level of extractives (73% in normal and snow-covered pile), whereas the bark in the middle of the pile retained the highest amount of extractives (decreased by 51% in normal pile and 47% in snow-covered pile) after 24-week storage.

Jabuticaba (Myrciaria jaboticaba) Peel as a Sustainable Source of Anthocyanins and Ellagitannins Delivered by Phospholipid Vesicles for Alleviating Oxidative Stress in Human Keratinocytes.

The Brazilian berry scientifically known as jabuticaba is a fruit covered by a dark purple peel that is still rich in bioactives, especially polyphenols. Considering that, this work was aimed at obtaining an extract from the peel of jabuticaba fruits, identifying its main components, loading it in phospholipid vesicles specifically tailored for skin delivery and evaluating their biological efficacy. The extract was obtained by pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE), which is considered an easy and low dissipative method, and it was rich in polyphenolic compounds, especially flavonoids (ortho-diphenols and condensed tannins), anthocyanins (cyanidin 3-O-glucoside and delphinidin 3-O-glucoside) and gallic acid, which were responsible for the high antioxidant activity detected using different colorimetric methods (DPPH, FRAP, CUPRAC and metal chelation). To improve the stability and extract effectiveness, it was incorporated into ultradeformable phospholipid vesicles (transfersomes) that were modified by adding two different polymers (hydroxyethyl cellulose and sodium hyaluronate), thus obtaining HEcellulose-transfersomes and hyaluronan-transfersomes. Transfersomes without polymers were the smallest, as the addition of the polymer led to the formation of larger vesicles that were more stable in storage. The incorporation of the extract in the vesicles promoted their beneficial activities as they were capable, to a greater extent than the solution used as reference, of counteracting the toxic effect of hydrogen peroxide and even of speeding up the healing of a wound performed in a cell monolayer, especially when vesicles were enriched with polymers. Given that, polymer enriched vesicles may represent a good strategy to produce cosmetical and cosmeceutical products with beneficial properties for skin.

Chemical Analysis and Anthelmintic Activity Against Teladorsagia Circumcincta of Nordic Bark Extracts In vitro.

Helminth parasitic infections are common in small ruminants in Norway; infection is usually treated with anthelmintic drugs, but anthelmintic resistance is an increasing problem. It is necessary to identify strategies to reduce the use of anthelmintic drugs and mitigate the impact of anthelmintic resistance. Condensed tannin (CT)-rich forages have been shown to reduce the helminth burden in small ruminants, but these forages have limited cultivation potential in Scandinavia. A good source for CT in cold climatic regions may be the bark of several commercially utilized tree species. In the present study, we determined the content and characterized the type of CT in bark extracts of pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), spruce (Picea abies L.), and birch (Betula pubescens). Extracts of selected bark samples were tested for their anthelmintic efficacy against the ovine infectious nematode Teladorsagia circumcincta. Total CT content was higher in the bark from younger (10-40 years old) pine and spruce trees; it decreased with tree age in pine, whereas it remained relatively stable in the bark of spruce and birch. Pine trees consisted of 100% procyanidins, whereas prodelphinins were present in most spruce (4-17%) and all birch samples (5-34%). Our studies clearly showed that there is variation in the anthelmintic activity of water and acetone extracts of bark samples collected from various sites around Norway, as this was measured with two independent in vitro assays, the egg hatch and larvae motility assays. The anthelmintic activity of some extracts was consistent between the two assays; for example, extracts from the three samples with the highest CT content showed very high activity in both assays, whereas the extract from the sample with the lowest CT content showed the lowest activity in both assays. For other extracts, activity was not consistent across the assays, which could be attributed to the susceptibility of the different stages of the parasitic life cycle. We demonstrated that bark extracts from commercially used trees in Scandinavia have the potential to be used as alternatives to anthelmintics. Further work should focus on refining the associations between bark extracts and anthelmintic activity to identify the best strategies to reduce the input of anthelmintic drugs in livestock production systems.

Toxicological and bioactivity evaluation of blackcurrant press cake, sea buckthorn leaves and bark from Scots pine and Norway spruce extracts under a green integrated approach.

Aqueous extracts from blackcurrant press cake (BC), Norway spruce bark (NS), Scots pine bark (SP), and sea buckthorn leaves (SB) were obtained using maceration and pressurized hot water and tested for their bioactivities. Maceration provided the extraction of higher dry matter contents, including total phenolics (TPC), anthocyanins, and condensed tannins, which also impacted higher antioxidant activity. NS and SB extracts presented the highest mean values of TPC and antioxidant activity. Individually, NS extract presented high contents of proanthocyanidins, resveratrol, and some phenolic acids. In contrast, SB contained a high concentration of ellagitannins, ellagic acid, and quercetin, explaining the antioxidant activity and antibacterial effects. SP and BC extracts had the lowest TPC and antioxidant activity. However, BC had strong antiviral efficacy, whereas SP can be considered a potential ingredient to inhibit α-amylase. Except for BC, the other extracts decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in HCT8 and A549 cells. Extracts did not inhibit the production of TNF-alpha in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated THP-1 macrophages but inhibited the ROS generation during the THP-1 cell respiratory burst. The recovery of antioxidant compounds from these by-products is incentivized for high value-added applications.

Ellagitannins from jabuticaba (Myrciaria jaboticaba) seeds attenuated inflammation, oxidative stress, aberrant crypt foci, and modulated gut microbiota in rats with 1,2 dimethyl hydrazine-induced colon carcinogenesis.

Since dietary factors are thought to be responsible for high colon cancer risk, we investigated the chemopreventive effect of jabuticaba seed extract (LJE) by administering yogurt with or without LJE against 1,2 dimethyl hydrazine (DMH)-induced colon carcinogenesis in rats. Results showed that LJE contained a total phenolic content of 57.16 g/100 g of seed extract in which 7.67 and 10.09 g/100 g represented total flavonoids and ellagitannins, respectively. LJE protected DNA and human LDL against induced in vitro oxidation, which was associated with the ellagitannin content and with the free-radical scavenging and reducing capacities. LJE alone had a non-clastogenicity/aneugenicity property, but in combination with cisplatin, it enhanced the chromosome aberrations in cancer cells. In colon cancer-induced rats, yogurt with or without LJE caused a reduction in pro-inflammatory parameters, decreased the RNA expression of antiapoptotic cytokines and increased the expression of proapoptotic cytokines. Moreover, LJE attenuated colon cancer initiation and progression by decreasing aberrant crypt foci and LJE recovered the gut microbiome. Together, this evidence suggests that LJE provides chemopreventive protection against colon cancer development by reducing inflammation and increasing proapoptotic pathways.

Extraction optimization of bioactive compounds from ora-pro-nobis (Pereskia aculeata Miller) leaves and their in vitro antioxidant and antihemolytic activities.

Ora-pro-nobis (Pereskia aculeata Miller) is a non-conventional food plant common in Brazil. The objective of this study was to optimize the extraction of bioactive phenolic compounds from ora-pro-nobis leaves by employing solvent mixtures. Ten extracts were obtained with water, ethanol, acetone, and their binary and ternary mixtures, evaluating the chemical composition, antioxidant activity and bioactivities in vitro. The response surface methodology was applied to model the results and calculate the optimal solvent composition, which is 60% water, 40% ethanol and 0% acetone. The optimized extract is rich in phenolic compounds (64 mg GAE/g) and proteins (823 mg/g) and presents antioxidant activity (in intracellular media as well) and inhibits lipid peroxidation (32%) along with hypotonic hemolysis (H50 = 0.339%), it does not present toxicity in vitro against cancer and normal cells. This is the first report of chicoric, caffeoyl-hexaric and coumaroyl-hexaric acids and some glycosylate derivatives of flavonols in ora-pro-nobis leaves.

Profiling beneficial phytochemicals in a potato somatic hybrid for tuber peels processing: phenolic acids and anthocyanins composition.

The purpose of this study was to characterize the peels of a CN1 somatic hybrid obtained from two dihaploid potato lines (Cardinal H14 and Nicola H1) in terms of the health-promoting phenolic compounds (phenolic acids and anthocyanins). The CN1 hybrid is defined by a pink tuber skin color making it different from the light-yellow-skinned "Spunta," which is the most commonly grown potato cultivar in Tunisia. Oven-dried peel samples derived from CN1 hybrid and cv. Spunta were ground, and phenolic compounds were extracted with water or methanol for quantification. Lyophilized peels were used for the phenolic acid and anthocyanin analyses. Higher total quantities of phenolic compounds were recovered in methanol extracts compared with water extracts. A slightly higher concentration of phenolic acids (100 mg/100 g DW) was obtained in the lyophilized peels extract of CN1 hybrid than in the cv. Spunta corresponding sample (83 mg/100 g DW). The profiles of the chlorogenic acid isomers were almost identical in both of CN1 hybrid and cv. Spunta. Caffeic acid (CA) and three caffeoylquinic acids (CQAs): 3-CQA, 4-CQA, and 5-CQA, were identified from both genotypes, 5-CQA being the dominant form in both potatoes. Since the CN1 hybrid has a pink skin color, its anthocyanin profile was also determined. The anthocyanin quantity in the CN1 peels was 5.07 mg/100 g DW, involving six different anthocyanins that were identified within the extract, namely, Pelargonidin-3-rutinoside-5-glucoside, peonidin-3-rutinoside-5-glucoside, coumaroyl ester of pelargonidin-3-rutinoside-5-glucoside, coumaroyl ester of peonidin-3-rutinoside-5-glucoside, feruloyl ester of pelargonidin-3-rutinoside-5-glucoside, and feruloyl ester of peonidin-3-rutinoside-5-glucoside. These results suggest that the peel waste of CN1 somatic hybrid can be considered as a promising source of high-value compounds for food industry.

Accumulation of Phenolic Acids during Storage over Differently Handled Fresh Carrots.

Carrots contain a significant content of phenolic compounds, mainly phenolic acids. Technological processing of carrots inflicts wounding stress and induces accumulation of these compounds, especially caffeic acid derivatives, in the periderm tissue. In this study, the effect of minimal processing (polishing, washing, peeling, and grating) on the retention of soluble phenolic acids in carrots was monitored during cold storage. Storage for up to 4 weeks and 24 h was used for whole and grated carrot samples, respectively. Total phenolic acid levels found in differently processed carrots varied greatly at the beginning of the storage period and on dry weight basis they ranged from 228 ± 67.9 mg/kg (grated carrot) to 996 ± 177 mg/kg (machine washed). In each case, processing followed by storage induced phenolic acid accumulation in the carrots. At the end of the experiment (4 weeks at +8 °C), untreated and machine-washed carrots contained ca. 4-fold more phenolic acids than at day 0. Similarly, polished carrots contained 9-fold and peeled carrots 31-fold more phenolic acids than at day 0. The phenolic acid content in grated carrot doubled after 24 h storage at +4 °C. Individual phenolic acids were characterized by high resolution mass spectrometry. MS data strongly suggest the presence of daucic acid conjugates of phenolic acids in carrot. Storage time did not have statistically similar effect on all compounds and generally in a way that dicaffeoyldaucic acid had the highest increase. This research provides important information for primary production, packaging, catering, the fresh-cut industry and consumers regarding the selection of healthier minimally processed carrots.

Clonal Variation in the Bark Chemical Properties of Hybrid Aspen: Potential for Added Value Chemicals.

This study aims to promote comprehensive utilization of woody biomass by providing a knowledgebase on the utility of aspen bark as a new alternative source for fossil-based chemicals. The research focused on the analysis of clonal variation in: (1) major chemical components, i.e., hemicelluloses, cellulose, and lignin; (2) extraneous materials, i.e., bark extractives, and suberic acid; (3) condensed tannins content and composition; and (4) screening differences in antioxidative properties and total phenolic content of hot water extracts and ethanol-water extracts of hybrid aspen bark. Results of this study, the discovery of clonal variation in utilizable chemicals, pave the way for further research on added-value potential of under-utilized hybrid aspen and its bark. Clonal variation was found in notable part of chemicals with potential for utilization. Based on the results, an appropriate bark raw material can be selected for tailored processing, thus improving the resource efficiency. The results also indicate that by applying cascade processing concepts, bark chemical substances could be more efficiently utilized with more environmentally friendly methods.

Fate of Antioxidative Compounds within Bark during Storage: A Case of Norway Spruce Logs.

Softwood bark is an important by-product of forest industry. Currently, bark is under-utilized and mainly directed for energy production, although it can be extracted with hot water to obtain compounds for value-added use. In Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) bark, condensed tannins and stilbene glycosides are among the compounds that comprise majority of the antioxidative extractives. For developing feasible production chain for softwood bark extractives, knowledge on raw material quality is critical. This study examined the fate of spruce bark tannins and stilbenes during storage treatment with two seasonal replications (i.e., during winter and summer). In the experiment, mature logs were harvested and stored outside. During six-month-storage periods, samples were periodically collected for chemical analysis from both inner and outer bark layers. Additionally, bark extractives were analyzed for antioxidative activities by FRAP, ORAC, and H2O2 scavenging assays. According to the results, stilbenes rapidly degraded during storage, whereas tannins were more stable: only 5-7% of the original stilbene amount and ca. 30-50% of the original amount of condensed tannins were found after 24-week-storage. Summer conditions led to the faster modification of bark chemistry than winter conditions. Changes in antioxidative activity were less pronounced than those of analyzed chemical compounds, indicating that the derivatives of the compounds contribute to the antioxidative activity. The results of the assays showed that, on average, ca. 27% of the original antioxidative capacity remained 24 weeks after the onset of the storage treatment, while a large variation (2-95% of the original capacity remaining) was found between assays, seasons, and bark layers. Inner bark preserved its activities longer than outer bark, and intact bark attached to timber is expected to maintain its activities longer than a debarked one. Thus, to ensure prolonged quality, no debarking before storage is suggested: outer bark protects the inner bark, and debarking enhances the degradation.

Impact of enzymatic hydrolysis on the nutrients, phytochemicals and sensory properties of oil hemp seed cake (Cannabis sativa L. FINOLA variety).

Enzymatic hydrolysis of the oil hemp seed (FINOLA variety) cake and defatted hemp seed cake by SC-CO2 was carried out using Flavorpro 750 MDP and Promod 439 L enzymes, and proximate composition, proanthocyanidins, phytic acid, lignanamides and cannabinoids were determined from the separated phases. CIELAB* color parameters were measured, while trained panelists evaluated taste, color, and smell in 1-9 Hedonic scale. Ten lignanamides, seven cannabisin-type and three grossamide-type, were found, from the cannabinoids, only cannabidiolic acid was detected. Protein, fat, ash, lignanamides and proanthocyanidins remained mostly in the sediments after the hydrolysis process in the Flavorpro treated samples, while dry matter, fat and ash was released mostly to liquids in Promod treated samples. The defatting process by SC-CO2 resulted in a higher lightness and the enzymatic processing did not have effect on the color attributes. Sediments from the enzymatic treatment were tastier, with better color and smell than liquids.

Bilberry and Sea Buckthorn Leaves and Their Subcritical Water Extracts Prevent Lipid Oxidation in Meat Products.

The aim of this study was to find new sustainable, Nordic natural antioxidant sources, develop subcritical water extraction (SWE) process for recovering the antioxidant compounds from the most potential raw materials, and to test their antioxidative effects in meat products. The antioxidant capacities of water and 50% ethanol (aq) extracts of 13 berry, grain, and horticultural plant materials as well as hexane/ethanol extracted stilbene fractions from pine heartwood and spruce inner bark were measured in hydrophilic and lipophilic systems. Tree, bilberry leaf (BL), and sea buckthorn leaf (SBL) extracts showed the highest antioxidant capacities. BL and SBL were selected for the development of SWE. The optimal conditions for recovering maximal antioxidative capacities were 110 °C/1 min for SBL and 120 °C/1 min for BL. Dried BL and SBL and the respective optimized subcritical water extracts were applied in chicken slices and pork sausage, and their ability to prevent lipid oxidation was evaluated during 8 and 20 days storage, respectively, at 6 °C. All tested plant ingredients effectively prevented lipid oxidation in the products compared to the control samples. Sensory acceptance of the plant ingredients was good, especially in the chicken product. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the antioxidant effects of SW extracted berry leaves in meat products.

Tannins of Conifer Bark as Nordic Piquancy-Sustainable Preservative and Aroma?

Bark of Norway spruce and Scots pine trees contain large amounts of condensed tannins. Tannins extracted with hot water could be used in different applications as they possess antioxidative and antimicrobial activities. The use of bark tannins as e.g., food preservatives calls for increases in our knowledge of their antioxidative activities when applied in foodstuffs. To assess the ability of bark tannins to prevent lipid oxidation, hot water extracts were evaluated in a liposome model. Isolated tannins were also applied in dry-cured, salty meat snacks either as liquid extracts or in dry-powder form. Consumer acceptance of the snacks was tested by a sensory evaluation panel where outlook, odor, taste, and structure of the snacks were evaluated and compared to a commercial product without tannin ingredients. Our results show that conifer bark tannin-rich extracts have high capacity to prevent lipid oxidation in the liposome model. The efficacies of pine and spruce bark extracts were ten to hundred folds higher, respectively, than those of phenolic berry extracts. The bark extracts did not significantly influence the odor or taste of the meat snacks. The findings indicate that bark extracts may be used as sustainable food ingredients. However, more research is needed to verify their safety.

Lipid oxidation inhibition capacity of plant extracts and powders in a processed meat model system.

A meat model system was used for screening lipid oxidation inhibiting capacity of diverse horticultural plant materials. In the model, heme-containing sarcoplasmic proteins from the meat water-phase were homogenized with linoleic acid and thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS) were measured. 23 Plant materials were investigated at three high (50, 100, and 200 ppm) concentrations and five plant extracts were tested at three low (5, 10, and 20 ppm) concentrations over time. In the high concentration sets, summer savory freeze-dried powder, beetroot leaves extracted with 50% ethanol, and an olive polyphenol powder extracted from wastewater, inhibited oxidation the most effectively. After two weeks and at 200 ppm concentration, oxidation was reduced to 17.2%, 16.6% and 13.5% of the blank sample with no added antioxidants respectively. In the low concentration set, spray dried rhubarb juice inhibited oxidation the most after two weeks at 5 ppm where oxidation was reduced to 68.3% of the blank sample with no added antioxidants.

Nutritional Value of Commercial Protein-Rich Plant Products.

The goal of this work was to analyze nutritional value of various minimally processed commercial products of plant protein sources such as faba bean (Vicia faba), lupin (Lupinus angustifolius), rapeseed press cake (Brassica rapa/napus subsp. Oleifera), flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum), oil hemp seed (Cannabis sativa), buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), and quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa). Basic composition and various nutritional components like amino acids, sugars, minerals, and dietary fiber were determined. Nearly all the samples studied could be considered as good sources of essential amino acids, minerals and dietary fiber. The highest content of crude protein (over 30 g/100 g DW) was found in faba bean, blue lupin and rapeseed press cake. The total amount of essential amino acids (EAA) ranged from 25.8 g/16 g N in oil hemp hulls to 41.5 g/16 g N in pearled quinoa. All the samples studied have a nutritionally favorable composition with significant health benefit potential. Processing (dehulling or pearling) affected greatly to the contents of analyzed nutrients.

Postprandial glycaemic response to berry nectars containing inverted sucrose.

Sucrose is commonly used for sweetening berry products. During processing and storage of berry products containing added sucrose, sucrose is inverted to glucose and fructose. We have previously shown that postprandial glycaemic response induced by intact sucrose is attenuated when sucrose is consumed with berries rich in polyphenols. It is not known how inversion of sucrose affects glycaemic response. We investigated postprandial glycaemic and insulinaemic responses to blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) and lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) nectars and a reference drink (water) sweetened with glucose and fructose, representing completely inverted sucrose. The nectars and reference drink (300 ml) contained 17·5 g glucose and 17·5 g fructose. Polyphenol composition of the nectars was analysed. A total of eighteen healthy volunteers participated in a randomised, controlled, cross-over study. Blood samples were collected at fasting and six times postprandially during 120 min. Inverted sucrose in the reference drink induced glycaemic and insulinaemic responses similar to those previously observed for intact sucrose. In comparison with the reference, the blackcurrant nectar attenuated the early glycaemic response and improved glycaemic profile, and the lingonberry nectar reduced the insulinaemic response. The responses induced by inverted sucrose in the berry nectars are similar to those previously observed for berry nectars containing intact sucrose, suggesting that inversion has no major impact on glycaemic response to sucrose-sweetened berry products. The attenuated glycaemic response after the blackcurrant nectar may be explained by inhibition of intestinal absorption of glucose by blackcurrant anthocyanins.

Consumption of chokeberry (Aronia mitschurinii) products modestly lowered blood pressure and reduced low-grade inflammation in patients with mildly elevated blood pressure.

Previous studies suggest that consumption of chokeberries may improve cardiovascular disease risk factor profiles. We hypothesized that chokeberries (Aronia mitschurinii) have beneficial effects on blood pressure, low-grade inflammation, serum lipids, serum glucose, and platelet aggregation in patients with untreated mild hypertension. A total of 38 participants were enrolled into a 16-week single blinded crossover trial. The participants were randomized to use cold-pressed 100% chokeberry juice (300 mL/d) and oven-dried chokeberry powder (3 g/d), or matched placebo products in random order for 8 weeks each with no washout period. The daily portion of chokeberry products was prepared from approximately 336 g of fresh chokeberries. Urinary excretion of various polyphenols and their metabolites increased during the chokeberry period, indicating good compliance. Chokeberries decreased daytime blood pressure and low-grade inflammation. The daytime ambulatory diastolic blood pressure decreased (-1.64 mm Hg, P = .02), and the true awake ambulatory systolic (-2.71 mm Hg, P = .077) and diastolic (-1.62 mm Hg, P = .057) blood pressure tended to decrease. The concentrations of interleukin (IL) 10 and tumor necrosis factor α decreased (-1.9 pg/mL [P = .008] and -0.67 pg/mL [P = .007], respectively) and tended to decrease for IL-4 and IL-5 (-4.5 pg/mL [P = .084] and -0.06 pg/mL [P = .059], respectively). No changes in serum lipids, lipoproteins, glucose, and in vitro platelet aggregation were noted with the chokeberry intervention. These findings suggest that inclusion of chokeberry products in the diet of participants with mildly elevated blood pressure has minor beneficial effects on cardiovascular health.