Gaba-producing lactobacilli boost cognitive reactivity to negative mood without improving cognitive performance: A human Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Cross-Over study.

BACKGROUND: Psychobiotic bacteria are probiotics able to influence stress-related behavior, sleep, and cognitive outcomes. Several in vitro and human studies were performed to assess their physiological potential, to find strains having psychotropic activity in humans, and to elucidate the metabolic pathways involved. In our previous in vitro study, we identified two strains Levilactobacillus brevis P30021 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum P30025, able to produce GABA and acetylcholine, being promising candidates to provide an effect on mood and cognitive performance. AIM: To investigate the effects of probiotics in the alleviation on the cognitive performance of moderately stressed healthy adults. Secondary outcomes were related to mood improvement, production of GABA, glutamate, acetylcholine, and choline and modification of the microbiota composition. METHODS: A 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study investigated the effects of a probiotic formulation (Levilactobacillus brevis P30021 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum P30025) on psychological, memory, and cognition parameters in 44 (Probiotic = 44, Placebo = 43) adults with a mean age of 29 ± 5.7 years old by CogState Battery test. Subjects-inclusion criteria was a mild-moderate (18.7 ± 4.06) stress upon diagnosis using the DASS-42 questionnaire. RESULTS: Probiotic treatment had no effect on subjective stress measures. The probiotic formulation showed a significant beneficial effect on depressive symptoms by reducing cognitive reactivity to sad mood (p = 0.034). Rumination significantly improved after intake of the probiotic (p = 0.006), suggesting a potential benefit in reducing the negative cognitive effects associated with depression and improving overall mental health. When stratifying the treated subjects according to the response, we found an increase in the abundance of the probiotic genera in the gut microbiota of positive responders (p = 0.009 for Lactiplantibacillus and p = 0.004 for L.brevis). No relevant correlations were observed between the neurotransmitter concentration in the faecal sample, scores of LEIDS, DASS-42, and cognitive tests. CONCLUSION: We highlight the potential of this probiotic preparation to act as psycobiotics for the relief of negative mood feelings. The assessment of the psychotropic effects of dietary interventions in human participants has many challenges. Further interventional studies investigating the effect of these psychobiotic bacteria in populations with stressed-related disorders are required including longer period of intervention and larger sample size in order to verify the effects of the treatment on further stress-related indicators.

Food matrix design can influence the antimicrobial activity in the food systems: A narrative review.

Antimicrobial agents are safe preservatives having the ability to protect foods from microbial spoilage and extend their shelf life. Many factors, including antimicrobials' chemical features, storage environments, delivery methods, and diffusion in foods, can affect their antimicrobial activities. The physical-chemical characteristics of the food itself play an important role in determining the efficacy of antimicrobial agents in foods; however the mechanisms behind it have not been fully explored. This review provides new insights and comprehensive knowledge regarding the impacts of the food matrix, including the food components and food (micro)structures, on the activities of antimicrobial agents. Studies of the last 10 years regarding the influences of the food structure on the effects of antimicrobial agents against the microorganisms' growth were summarized. The mechanisms underpinning the loss of the antimicrobial agents' activity in foods are proposed. Finally, some strategies/technologies to improve the protection of antimicrobial agents in specific food categories are discussed.

Bulk storage of mango (Mangifera indica L.) and pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) pulp: effect of pulping and storage temperature on phytochemicals and antioxidant activity.

BACKGROUND: The effects of pulp extraction, thermal treatment and bulk storage of mango (Mangifera indica L.) and pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) pulps for 20 weeks at ambient (28 ± 2 °C) and cold (4 °C) temperatures on the bioactive phytochemicals and antioxidant activity were investigated. RESULTS: The contents of total polyphenols in mango (10.5%) and pineapple (5.4%) increased during pulping. The ratio of the degradation rate constants (kd values) (28 ± 2 °C: 4 °C) of vitamin C, polyphenols, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and ß-carotene ranged from 2-4.5 and 1.5-2.7 in mango and pineapple pulps, respectively. The kd values of tannic acid, chlorogenic acid, epicatechin and catechin in mango pulp were 1.5-1.8 times higher under ambient storage than in cold storage. Furthermore, in pineapple pulp, the degradation rates of the same components were 1.6, 1.6, 2.1 and 1.4 times, respectively, faster at room temperature than in cold storage. The bulk storage of pulps at 4 °C provided better retention of health-promoting compounds than ambient temperature storage for up to 20 weeks. CONCLUSION: Bulk storage of mango and pineapple pulp under cold storage conditions (4 °C) is recommended as a better pulp preservation method than storage at ambient (28 ± 2 °C) temperature. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Stir-Frying of Chinese Cabbage and Pakchoi Retains Health-Promoting Glucosinolates.

Stir-frying is a cooking method, originating from Asia, in which food is fried in small amount of very hot oil. Nowadays in many other parts of the world stir-frying is a very popular method to prepare vegetables, because it is fast and fried vegetables are tasty. However, the retention of phytochemicals like the health-beneficial glucosinolates in Brassica vegetables is less explored for stir-frying in comparison to other cooking methods. This study investigates the retention of glucosinolates in Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis) and pakchoi (Brassica rapa ssp. chinensis) as affected by stir-frying at various cooking durations and temperatures. Stir-frying experiments were performed at set pan temperatures ranging from 160 to 250 °C for a duration of 1 to 8 min. Results showed that aliphatic glucobrassicanapin is the most abundant glucosinolate identified in fresh Chinese cabbage and pakchoi, contributing for 48 and 63% of the total glucosinolate content, respectively, followed by glucoiberin and gluconapin. Stir-frying retains the glucosinolates even at the highest temperature applied. Such retention is explained by the quick inactivation of the glucosinolate-hydrolytic enzyme myrosinase during the first minutes of frying, and by the thermal stability of the glucosinolates at those temperature/time conditions. Moreover, due to the absence of a separate water phase, leaching losses did not occur, in contrast to what is observed when boiling Brassica vegetables. These results show that stir-frying may be a suitable health-beneficial cooking option that prevents the loss of glucosinolates.

A mechanistic perspective on process-induced changes in glucosinolate content in Brassica vegetables: a review.

Brassica vegetables are consumed mostly after processing, which is expected to give beneficial effects on the vegetable properties, such as improved palatability and bioavailability of nutrients, or shelf life extension. But processing also results to various changes in the content of health promoting phytochemicals like glucosinolates. This paper reviews the effects of processing on the glucosinolates content by using a mechanism approach underlying processing method employed. Cultural differences between Eastern and Western preparation practices and their possible effect on glucosinolate retention are highlighted. Boiling and blanching considerably reduce the glucosinolate content mainly due to mechanisms of cell lysis, diffusion, and leaching, and partly due to thermal and enzymatic degradation. Steaming, microwave processing, and stir frying either retain or slightly reduce the glucosinolates content due to low degrees of leaching; moreover, these methods seem to enhance extractability of glucosinolates from the plant tissue. Fermentation reduces the glucosinolate content considerably, but the underlying mechanisms are not yet studied in detail. Studying the changes of glucosinolates during processing by a mechanistic approach is shown to be valuable to understand the impact of processing and to optimize processing conditions for health benefits of these compounds.

Practices and health perception of preparation of Brassica vegetables: translating survey data to technological and nutritional implications.

Food preparation practices are known to have large nutritional implications on the final product. This article describes survey data on preparation practices of Brassica vegetables and the translation of these data into technological and nutritional implications using knowledge on the mechanisms of changes in the content of phytochemicals. The survey on preparation practices was performed with food service establishments (n = 123) and households (n = 477) in Semarang, Indonesia, and assessed the food handlers' perception of the health benefits of these vegetables. Boiling and stir-frying are the most frequently applied techniques to prepare Brassicas. The respondents perceive that steaming, boiling, and stir-frying result in vegetables with a high health benefit. White cabbage and choysum are the most frequently prepared Brassicas. However, broccoli is perceived as the healthiest. The consequences of the various applied preparation techniques on the content of alleged health promoting phytochemicals (glucosinolates) in dishes containing Brassica vegetables are discussed.

Monitoring the quality of perishable foods: opportunities for intelligent packaging.

This review paper discusses opportunities for intelligent packaging for monitoring directly or indirectly quality attributes of perishable packaged foods. The possible roles of intelligent packaging as a tool in supply chain management are discussed as well as the barriers to implement this kind of technology in commercial applications. Cases on pasteurized milk and fresh cod fillets illustrate the application of different intelligent packaging concepts to monitor and estimate quality attributes. Conditions influencing quality (e.g., temperature-time) can be monitored to predict the quality of perishable products when the initial quality is known and rather constant (e.g., pasteurized milk). Products with a highly variable initial quality (e.g., fresh fish) require sensors monitoring compounds correlated with quality.

Sensory and health properties of steamed and boiled carrots (Daucus carota ssp. sativus).

This study examined the influences of domestic processing conditions applied by consumers on firmness, colour and amount of phytochemicals and liking and sensory attributes intensity rating of carrots. The aim was to identify a cooking method and time that yields carrots with higher amount of ß-carotene while maintaining consumer liking. Instrumentally measured firmness and colour showed comparable degradation trends between cooking methods. While boiling showed a significant decrease in the amount ß-carotene after 20 min (-19%), steaming maintained the amount (+40%). Cooking method did not show a significant effect on liking and intensity ratings for the majority of the sensory attributes. Medium firm carrots were liked the most and low firm carrots the least. This study demonstrates that for optimum liking, carrots should be in the range of medium firmness. This can be obtained through either cooking methods but steamed carrots possess a higher amount of ß-carotene and maintains liking.

Evaluation of different cooking conditions on broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) to improve the nutritional value and consumer acceptance.

The objective of this study was to gain insights into the effect of the cooking method on the liking as well as the retention of glucosinolates in broccoli. With this knowledge it can be concluded whether the health aspects of broccoli be improved by the cooking method without deteriorating sensory perception. For this, broccoli was cooked by methods commonly applied by consumers: boiling with a cold (water) start; boiling with a hot (water) start; and steaming. Firmness, greenness and amount of total glucosinolates in cooked broccoli were instrumentally determined. Sensory evaluation by untrained consumers (n = 99) for liking and sensory attributes intensity rating were performed on broccoli cooked by steaming and boiling-cold start at three time points, which resulted in 'high', 'medium', 'low' firm broccoli samples. At the end of cooking, steaming showed an increase in the amount of total glucosinolates (+17%). Boiling-hot start (-41%) and boiling-cold start (-50%) showed a decrease in amount of total glucosinolates. Sensory evaluation did not show statistically significant differences between steaming and boiling-cold start in liking at 'high' and 'medium' firmness; and in the attribute intensity ratings (except for juiciness at 'medium' firmness, and flavour at 'medium' and 'low' firmness). This study demonstrates that medium firm broccoli showed optimum liking and that steaming compared to boiled-cold start showed higher amount of glucosinolates. It is concluded that the health aspects of broccoli can be improved without reducing the sensory aspects by optimising the cooking method.

Spread it on thick? Relative effects of condiment addition and slice thickness on eating rate of bread.

Manipulating eating rate (ER) by food properties may enhance or reduce food intake. Within composite foods, such as bread with condiments, the shape of carrier food and the use of condiments are known to influence ER. However, not much is known about their quantitative impacts and interactions. This study investigates the effect of bread slice thickness and addition of condiment on oral processing (ER, chews per g, bite size). In a full factorial design, 30 participants (BMI 21.6 ± 2.0 kg m-2, 23.3 ± 2.1 year) consumed two types of bread (wholewheat (WB); and sourdough (SB)), in three different slice thicknesses (1, 2, 4 cm), with three conditions of margarine addition (0, 2, 4 g per slice of 28 cm2). The results showed that addition of margarine in both breads led to ∼50% higher ER in a non-linear fashion mainly via less chews per g (all P < 0.001). Increasing bread slice thickness in both breads, resulted in ∼15% higher ER, mainly via larger bite sizes (all P < 0.001). The addition of margarine reduced or overruled the effect of slice thickness on all oral processing characteristics (interaction margarine × slice thickness, all P < 0.01). Perceived sensory dryness showed a strong negative correlation with ER. In conclusion, this study highlighted the importance of bread slice thickness, amount of a condiment, and their interactions in controlling ER. Lubrication of the dry crumbs was a main mechanism in controlling ER in this study. These insights can help the design of products with lower ER.

Effect of pectin structure on the in vitro bioaccessibility of carotenoids in simulated juice model.

The impact of pectin structure on carotenoid bioaccessibility is still uncertain. This study aims to investigate how the different pectic polymers affected the bioaccessibility of carotenoids in a simulated juice model during static in vitro digestion. This study includes homogalacturonan (HG), which is a linear pectic polymer, rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I), which is a branched pectic polymer, and rhamnogalacturonan (RG), which is a diverse pectic polymer rich in RG-I, rhamnogalacturonan-II (RG-II), and xylogalacturonan domains. Juice models without pectin had the highest carotenoid bioaccessibility, suggesting pectin has negative effects on carotenoid bioaccessibility. During the intestinal phase, systems with HG showed the highest viscosity, followed by systems with RG and systems with RG-I. Systems with RG-I had lower carotenoid bioaccessibility than systems with HG and RG-II. Both the percentage of RG-I and the average side chain length of RG-I had negative correlations with carotenoid bioaccessibility. RG-I side chains with more arabinose and/or galactose might cause lower carotenoid bioaccessibility in this juice model system. This study offers valuable insights into the relationship between pectin structure and carotenoid bioaccessibility in a simulated juice model, highlighting the importance of considering pectin composition for maximizing carotenoid bioaccessibility and potential health benefits in fruit-based beverages.

Quantitative trait loci analysis of non-enzymatic glucosinolate degradation rates in Brassica oleracea during food processing.

Epidemiological and mechanistic studies show health-promoting effects of glucosinolates and their breakdown products. In literature, differences in non-enzymatic glucosinolate degradation rates during food processing between different vegetables are described, which provide the basis for studying the genetic effects of this trait and breeding vegetables with high glucosinolate retention during food processing. Non-enzymatic glucosinolate degradation, induced by heat, was studied in a publicly available Brassica oleracea doubled haploid population. Data were modeled to obtain degradation rate constants that were used as phenotypic traits to perform quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping. Glucosinolate degradation rate constants were determined for five aliphatic and two indolic glucosinolates. Degradation rates were independent of the initial glucosinolate concentration. Two QTL were identified for the degradation rate of the indolic glucobrassicin and one QTL for the degradation of the aliphatic glucoraphanin, which co-localized with one of the QTL for glucobrassicin. Factors within the plant matrix might influence the degradation of different glucosinolates in different genotypes. In addition to genotypic effects, we demonstrated that growing conditions influenced glucosinolate degradation as well. The study identified QTL for glucosinolate degradation, giving the opportunity to breed vegetables with a high retention of glucosinolates during food processing, although the underlying mechanisms remain unknown.

Plant matrix concentration and redox status influence thermal glucosinolate stability and formation of nitriles in selected Brassica vegetable broths.

Brassica vegetables are frequently consumed foods of nutritional interest, because they are rich in glucosinolates (GLSs). Among GLS breakdown products, especially isothiocyanates are known for their health-beneficial effects, while nitriles are less beneficial. To increase the understanding of the plant matrix's influence on GLS degradation, differently concentrated vegetable broths were prepared from selected Brassica vegetables (kohlrabi and red cabbage) and subsequently boiled. Altogether, heat stability and conversion of GLSs to the corresponding nitriles were both strongly influenced by vegetable type and plant matrix concentration in the broths. After boiling kohlrabi broths for 120 min, recovery of 4-(methylthio)butyl-GLS as nitrile was 55.5 % in 1 g/mL broth and 8.4 % in 0.25 g/mL broth. In follow-up experiments, a pronounced influence of the matrix's redox status was identified, with H2S being an important factor. A better understanding of these processes will help to preserve health-promoting effects of GLSs in Brassica vegetables in the future.

Polygalacturonase treatment affects carotenoid absorption from veggie juice.

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of polygalacturonase (PG) treatment on carotenoid absorption upon digestion of HPH-treated combined peach and carrot juice (CJ) with or without the presence of lipids. Results showed that PG treatment reduced median particle diameter (D50) and viscosity of CJ, and increased total carotenoid bioaccessibility by 41%. In the presence of emulsion, the bioaccessibility of carotenoids was higher and it was not significantly affected by PG treatment. Xanthophylls (lutein and zeaxanthin) had higher bioaccessibility than the more lipophilic carotenes (ß-carotene and α-carotene); also, uptake in Caco-2 cells and transport of lutein and zeaxanthin were higher than for ß-carotene and α-carotene. Individual carotenoids bioaccessibility was negatively correlated with their transport. All together data showed digestion and absorption processes were two independent processes: factors improving carotenoid bioaccessibility did not necessarily affect their bioavailability.

Optimization of Cellulosic Fiber Extraction from Parsley Stalks and Utilization as Filler in Composite Biobased Films.

Food waste is an abundant source of cellulose which can be extracted via mild alkali treatment. The extraction conditions of cellulose fibers can be optimized for reduced chemical and energy use and optimal functionality. This study focused on the optimization of alkali extraction of lignocellulosic fiber from parsley stalks by building an experimental design with the response surface method with alkali concentration (2, 6, and 10%, w/v), fiber:alkali ratio (0.02, 0.035, and 0.05; w/v) and extraction temperature (40, 70, and 100 °C) as independent variables, in order to evaluate the effects of extraction conditions on fiber yield and composition of parsley stalks extract (PSE). Following the optimization, PSE and untreated fibers (PF) were incorporated as filler into gum Arabic-sodium alginate-based films, and film properties such as water vapor permeability, optical and thermal properties, Fourier transform infrared spectra and surface morphology of the films were analyzed for evaluating the compatibility of these fillers with the composite film matrix. The optimal extraction conditions were determined as 2% alkali, sample:alkali ratio of 0.0276 and extraction temperature of 40 °C. PSE extracted at optimal conditions was added to the composite films, and water vapor permeability and optical properties were improved by up to 10% PSE compared to films with PF.

Effects of packaging and ripeness on plantain flour characteristics during storage.

The increasing implication of plantain flour in various food formulations calls for the need to evaluate the effects of ripening stage, packaging materials, and storage duration on its proximal composition and functional properties. For this study, plantain flours were produced from the cultivar Alloga at unripe and semiripe stage 3. They were stored both in transparent polyethylene bags and in an opaque aluminum foil. Physicochemical analyses and functional characterization of the plantain flour were performed on samples taken prior to storage and on monthly basis for 6 months during storage. Ash and carbohydrate contents decreased while the yellowness and redness increased with ripening. Pasting viscosity drastically decreased with ripening. During storage, significant differences in color and among most functional characteristics were observed as a consequence of both storage duration and packaging materials. Based on this research, flour from semiripe plantain could be recommended for use in formulations requiring low viscosity. Besides, it is suggested to store plantain flours in opaque containers to reduce the variability in its properties, thus maintaining its original quality.

Leafy vegetables fortification enhanced the nutritional profile and reduced the glycemic index of yellow cassava pasta.

Food-to-food fortification of yellow cassava flour with leafy vegetable powders (Amaranthus and Telfairia occidentalis) was employed in this study to develop cassava-vegetable spaghetti-like pasta products (YP, YPA5, YPA10, YPU5, YPU10, YPA5O). The nutritional profile, micronutrient retention, bioaccessibility, starch digestibility and in vitro glycemic index were assessed. The incorporation of leafy vegetable powder enhanced the nutritional quality of the yellow cassava pasta (YCP) products. The fortification increased (up to 3-fold) the protein in fortified YCP, increased the fibre (11%), doubled the ash and increased the beta-carotene (about 7-fold), iron (72%) and zinc contents by 10%. The phenolic content of fluted pumpkin leaf-fortified pasta with 10% leaf powder inclusion (YPU10) was 1100 µg GAE g-1, almost four times higher than that of the unfortified YCP. Leaf powders in the cassava pasta also favoured the retention of micronutrients during cooking and slowed down the starch digestibility. The retention during cooking was up to 91% in YPU10 for beta-carotene with no loss in iron, while the bioaccessibility of beta-carotene was impeded, the zinc retention was high and became significantly more bioaccessible with leaf addition and cooking. The estimated glycemic index of YCP was reduced by 19% and 15% in YPU10 and YPA10, respectively. The inclusion of the vegetables also reduced the glycemic index of the fortified YCP. Thus, adding leafy vegetable powder up to 10% into YCP is a promising approach to both valorise yellow provitamin A biofortified cassava and enhance the nutritional value.

Modelling and optimization of high-pressure homogenization of not-from-concentrate juice: Achieving better juice quality using sustainable production.

The present work optimized high-pressure homogenization (HPH) parameters for not-from-concentrate combined peach and carrot juices, based on a two-step comprehensive model using factor analysis and analytic hierarchy process methods. Treating combined juice with pressures over 200 MPa retained more amounts of the bioactive compounds (carotenoids and polyphenols) than non-homogenization. Nutrition-oriented optimization, with higher judgement weight on nutritional properties, and sense-oriented optimization, with higher weight on sensory properties, were set up. Combined juice (250 MPa, 1 pass and 25 °C) had the best quality, based on the nutrition- and sense-oriented models. Back propagation neural network (BPNN) models could predict antioxidant capacities of the combined juice with greater accuracy compared with stepwise linear regression. The relative errors of BPNN prediction model were ≤ 5%.

Micelle separation conditions based on particle size strongly affect carotenoid bioaccessibility assessment from juices after in vitro digestion.

For assessing the carotenoid bioaccessibility during in vitro digestion, obtaining the micelle fraction that can diffuse through the mucin layer according to the particle size is an important step. However, the accuracy of the various approaches to obtaining the right fraction of micelles described in literature has not been investigated. In many studies the reported bioaccessible fraction might therefore be over- or underestimating the real bioaccessibility. The present study aimed to fill this gap and give approaches to get accurate data on the bioaccessible fraction from samples with different properties. Results illustrated that optimizing the centrifugal speed and duration of the digesta are essential in obtaining the micelle fraction. Different digesta have different optimum centrifugal parameters to obtain the bioaccessible fraction. 6,000 rpm and 40 min was selected as the optimum centrifugal parameter for combined juice (CJ). 6,000 rpm and 60 min was the optimum centrifugal parameter for CJ with oil, and CJ with emulsion using non-ionic emulsifier. 8,000 rpm and 20 min was the optimum centrifugal parameter for CJ with emulsion using ionic emulsifier. Polygalacturonanase (PG)-digested systems required higher centrifugal speed (10,000 rpm) compared with CJ-based systems (6,000 rpm or 8,000 rpm). A prediction model to determine the optimal centrifugation speed/time from the properties of the intestinal digesta was developed. Sample preparation conditions strongly affect carotenoid bioaccessibility assessment from juices during in vitro digestion. Based on these results, it is highly recommended to perform an optimized preparation procedure for bioaccessible fraction prior to carotenoid bioaccessibility analysis.

A Physiological-Based Model for Simulating the Bioavailability and Kinetics of Sulforaphane from Broccoli Products.

There are no known physiological-based digestion models that depict glucoraphanin (GR) to sulforaphane (SR) conversion and subsequent absorption. The aim of this research was to make a physiological-based digestion model that includes SR formation, both by endogenous myrosinase and gut bacterial enzymes, and to simulate the SR bioavailability. An 18-compartment model (mouth, two stomach, seven small intestine, seven large intestine, and blood compartments) describing transit, reactions and absorption was made. The model, consisting of differential equations, was fit to data from a human intervention study using Mathwork's Simulink and Matlab software. SR urine metabolite data from participants who consumed different broccoli products were used to estimate several model parameters and validate the model. The products had high, medium, low, and zero myrosinase content. The model's predicted values fit the experimental values very well. Parity plots showed that the predicted values closely matched experimental values for the high (r2 = 0.95), and low (r2 = 0.93) products, but less so for the medium (r2 = 0.85) and zero (r2 = 0.78) myrosinase products. This is the first physiological-based model to depict the unique bioconversion processes of bioactive SR from broccoli. This model represents a preliminary step in creating a predictive model for the biological effect of SR, which can be used in the growing field of personalized nutrition.