Recommended food supplies under conditions of natural and provoked catastrophes.

Natural catastrophes include those of biological origin as the pandemic provoked by virus SARS CoV2, earthquakes, flooding and hurricanes among others, while provoked ones are mainly those related to wars and social movements. These situations may cause food shortage and challenge food safety and security systems. In this review, strategies to produce foods aimed to alleviate food needs before, during and after catastrophic conditions are described based on the supply of various processed, intermediate and low moisture foods and three categories of food supplies are depicted based on the nature of the adverse conditions, Also, relevant patents on on innovative food preparations and containers for disaster areas are discussed. Innovation to produce appropriate and nutritious foods for disaster zones may include food bags containing individual packages of high protein, high fiber/vitamins and carbohydrate/oils ingredients in dried/vitreous state. Additionally, the role of food structure on food preservation is mentioned in the context of ready to eat, nutritious and sensory acceptable food supplies during natural or provoked catastrophes is also reported.

Avocado Creole Peel Ameliorates Metabolic Alterations Caused by a High Sucrose Fat Diet in a Wistar Rats Model.

High-sucrose high-fat diets are one of the causes of malnutrition, and may induce metabolic alterations such as dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and adipogenesis. The objective of this work was to investigate the possible protective effect of traditionally edible avocado creole peel (Persea americana Mill var. drymifolia) when consuming a high-sucrose and fat diet (HSFD). The experimental animal model included 21 male Wistar rats divided in three groups: the control group received a standard diet of purina®, the HSFD group received a high fat diet plus 30% sucrose in drinking water, and finally the HSFD + AP group received the HSFD diet supplemented with 200 mg/kg of avocado peel for 14 weeks. It was observed that alterations included higher cholesterol, glucose, insulin, fatty acids and TNF-α levels as well as lower HDL, and adiponectin. The addition of avocado peel reverted some of these effects, resulting in normal values of triglicerides, insulin and adiponectin, while attenuated the levels of total cholesterol. Liver weight of the group added with avocado peel was similar to the control group. The neuronal density in the hippocampal areas CA1 and dentate gyrus DC were lower in the high glucose fat group, while the ingestion of the avocado peel showed a neuroprotective effect. The avocado creole ingestion reverted or attenuated most of the metabolic effects caused by a high-sucrose fat diet which was attributed to the compounds detected by HPLC-MS and GC-MS that included bioactive polyphenols such as flavanol quercetin, flavanone naringenin, flavan 3-ol catechin, cyanidin 3-glucoside, pelargonidin 3-glucoside, pelargonidin 3-rhamnoside, hydroxydelphinidin, eugenol and estragole.

Contribution of autochthonous yeasts with probiotic potential to the aroma profile of fermented Guajillo pepper sauce.

BACKGROUND: Three yeast strains with probiotic potential, Hanseniaspora opuntiae, Pichia kudriavzevii, and Wickerhamomyces anomalus were inoculated in the fermentation of Guajillo chilli pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) sauce, and the different aroma profiles were investigated. Using headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) analysis and gas chromatography-olfactometry (GCO), flavour compound production was evaluated during the fermentation of the Guajillo chilli pepper sauces. RESULTS: A total of 78 volatile compounds were identified during the yeast fermentation of the sauce. Most aldehydes and terpenes detected were present at the beginning of the fermentation, indicating a Guajillo chilli pepper origin. Among the 34 active aroma compounds detected by GCO, propanoic acid (cheesy), 3-methylbutanoic acid (sharp, cheese), ethyl 2-methylbutanoate (fruity), and 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one (strong, citrus) were identified as key aroma contributors produced by the inoculation of the yeasts. A different aroma profile was produced by probiotic yeast. Hanseniaspora opuntiae produced an aroma profile with herbal and green notes based on high production of aldehydes, ketones, and acetic acid. Pichia kudriavzevii and W. anomalus produced fruity, green-herbal, and cheesy notes based on ester compounds, alcohol and branched-chain acids production although, the production of propanoic acid by W. anomalus increased the cheesy character in the sauces. CONCLUSION: The aroma profile of fermented chilli pepper sauces depends not only on the chili pepper varieties used but also on the fermentation process as a source of aroma compounds. The use of probiotic yeast can be used to improve and diversify the aroma profile of fermented chilli pepper sauces. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Reduced-calorie avocado paste attenuates metabolic factors associated with a hypercholesterolemic-high fructose diet in rats.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of reduced-calorie avocado paste on lipid serum profile, insulin sensitivity, and hepatic steatosis in rats fed a hypercholesterolemic-high fructose diet. Thirty five male Wistar rats were randomly separated in five groups: Control group (ground commercial diet); hypercholesterolemic diet plus 60% fructose solution (HHF group); hypercholesterolemic diet plus 60% fructose solution supplemented with avocado pulp (HHF+A group); hypercholesterolemic diet plus 60% fructose solution supplemented with reduced-calorie avocado paste (HHF+P group); and hypercholesterolemic diet plus 60% fructose solution supplemented with a reduced-calorie avocado paste plus fiber (HHF+FP group). The A, P, and FP were supplemented at 2 g/kg/d. The study was carried out for seven weeks. Rats belonging to the HHF group exhibited significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher total cholesterol, triglycerides, and insulin levels in serum as well as lower insulin sensitivity than the control group. Supplementation with reduced-calorie avocado paste showed a significant (P ≤ 0.05) decrease in total cholesterol (43.1%), low-density lipoprotein (45.4%), and triglycerides (32.8%) in plasma as well as elevated insulin sensitivity compared to the HHF group. Additionally, the liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase decreased significantly in the HHF-P group (39.8 and 35.1%, respectively). These results are likely due to biocompounds present in the reduced-calorie avocado paste, such as polyphenols, carotenoids, chlorophylls, and dietary fibre, which are capable of reducing oxidative stress. Therefore, reduced-calorie avocado paste attenuates the effects of a hypercholesterolemic-high fructose diet in rats.

Antioxidant, antinociceptive, and anti-inflammatory effects of carotenoids extracted from dried pepper (Capsicum annuum L.).

Carotenoids extracted from dried peppers were evaluated for their antioxidant, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory activities. Peppers had a substantial carotenoid content: guajillo 3406 ± 4 µg/g, pasilla 2933 ± 1 µg/g, and ancho 1437 ± 6 µg/g of sample in dry weight basis. A complex mixture of carotenoids was discovered in each pepper extract. The TLC analysis revealed the presence of chlorophylls in the pigment extract from pasilla and ancho peppers. Guajillo pepper carotenoid extracts exhibited good antioxidant activity and had the best scavenging capacity for the DPPH(+) cation (24.2%). They also exhibited significant peripheral analgesic activity at 5, 20, and 80 mg/kg and induced central analgesia at 80 mg/kg. The results suggest that the carotenoids in dried guajillo peppers have significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory benefits and could be useful for pain and inflammation relief.

Biochemical and molecular analysis of some commercial samples of chilli peppers from Mexico.

The genus Capsicum provides antioxidant compounds, such as phenolics and carotenoids, into the diet. In Mexico, there is a wide diversity of species and varieties of chilli peppers, a fruit which has local cultural and gastronomic importance. In the present study, the relationship of the carotenoid and phenolic profiles with the RAPD fingerprint of three different commercial cultivars of chilli peppers of seven regions of Mexico was investigated. Through RAPD, the species of chilli were differentiated by means of different primers (OPE-18, MFG-17, MFG-18, C51, and C52). The genetic distance found with OPE 18 was in the order of 2.6. The observed differences were maintained when the chromatographic profile of carotenoids, and the molecular markers were analyzed, which suggest a close relationship between carotenoids and the genetic profile. While the chromatographic profile of phenols and the molecular markers were unable to differentiate between genotypes of chilli peppers. In addition, by using infrared spectroscopy and statistical PCA, differences explained by geographic origin were found. Thus, this method could be an alternative for identification of chilli species with respect to their geographic origin.

Effect of thermal sterilization on ferulic, coumaric and cinnamic acids: dimerization and antioxidant activity.

BACKGROUND: Some phenolic compounds, such as ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid, exist in the form of free acids, in fruits, rice, corn and other grains. Thermal treatment (121 °C at 15-17 psi) for different times on ferulic, p-coumaric and cinnamic acids as well as equimolar mixtures of these acids was investigated. RESULTS: Ferulic and p-coumaric acids underwent decarboxylation, yielding dimeric products formed through their corresponding radical intermediates, while cinnamic acid was recovered unreacted. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis showed no cross-dimerization when equimolar mixtures of pairs of hydroxycinnamic acids were treated under the same conditions. Dimers were characterized as (E)-4',4″-(but-1-ene-1,3-diyl)bis(2'-methoxyphenol)) (dimer of 4-vinylguaiacol) and (E)-4,4'-(but-1-ene-1,3-diyl)diphenol) (dimer of 4-vinylphenol) by nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. CONCLUSION: Sterilization by thermal processing produced dimers of ferulic and coumaric acid. The antioxidant activity of these dimers was greater than that of the respective hydroxycinnamic acids. These results may be relevant for fruits and grains that contain hydroxycinnamic acids and undergo sterilization processes such as canning.

Scavenging peptides, antioxidant activity, and hypoglycemic activity of a germinated amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.) beverage fermented by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum.

Amaranthus hypochondriacus L. is a pseudocereal with nutritional properties. Some bioactive peptides have been identified from amaranth protein isolates. The metabolic reactions developed during seed germination have produced different functional foods. The present research aimed to develop a non-dairy germinated amaranth-based functional beverage fermented by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (LP) strain using Lacticaseibacillus casei Shirota (LCS) as control. The content of betalains (BT), total phenolic compounds (TFC), antioxidant capacity (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP), color changes, and scavenging bioactive peptides were determined. BT in the original base was significantly increased after fermentation by LP and LCS (from 1.276 ± 0.030 to 2.732 ± 0.196 and 1.904 ± 0.760 mg/100 ml, respectively). TFC increased after fermentation; however, no significant differences were found between the two strains (p > .05). The fermentation did not decrease the antioxidant content of the germinated amaranth base. However, a slight increase in the antioxidant capacity was found by DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP in the beverage fermented by LP compared with the LCS one. Moreover, the peptidomic approach suggested 18 peptides with scavenging activity. Thus, a bioactive food product with antioxidant properties was obtained by germination of A. hypochondriacus and its subsequent fermentation by LP. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Non-dairy fermented beverages are novel carriers for probiotics and beneficial metabolites. This research evaluated the antioxidant and hypoglycemic activity of a fermented drink made with amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) and a potential probiotic strain (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum). The results led to conclude that it is possible to develop functional drinks with potential antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities and provide the biochemical basis for further research and development.

FT-MIR and Raman spectroscopy coupled to multivariate analysis for the detection of clenbuterol in murine model.

A fast and simple screening method for the determination of clenbuterol at the ppb level in a murine model was demonstrated by Mid Infrared (MIR) and Raman spectroscopy in conjunction with multivariate analysis. In order to build the calibration models to quantify clenbuterol in rat meat, mixtures of rat meat and clenbuterol were prepared in a range of 5-10,000 ppb. Partial Least Square (PLS) analysis was used to build the calibration model. The results shown that Mid Infrared and Raman spectroscopy were efficient, but Mid Infrared (R(2) = 0.966 and SEC = 0.27) were superior to Raman (R(2) = 0.914 and SEC = 1.167). The SIMCA model developed showed 100% classification rate of rat meat samples with or without clenbuterol. The results were confirmed with contaminated meat samples from animals treated with clenbuterol. Chemometric models represent an attractive option for meat quality screening without sample pretreatments which can identify veterinary medicinal products at the ppb level.

Patents on Phytochemicals: Methodologies of Extraction, Application in Food and Pharmaceutical Industry.

BACKGROUND: Patents on phytochemicals are being registered worldwide. Such phytochemicals provide benefits to human health, and include terpenoids, phenolic compounds, alkaloids, lignin, and fiber. OBJECTIVE: This review has the purpose to provide a comprehensive overview of patents published in the last five years about extraction of phytochemicals and their application in the food and pharmaceutical industry. METHOD: Forty eight pa- tents were analyzed and classified in four topics of interest; 1) Extraction, 2) Functional foods, 3) Biological activity, and 4) Prevention of diseases. RESULTS: Extraction yield of phytochemicals is the critical step. The techniques to extract phytochemicals include enzymat- ic hydrolysis, nano-particulate precipitation, salts formation and combination of solvents; however, the use of ultrasound and microwave is increasing. Patents concerning functional foods include pediatric formulations, sport drink, and compo- sitions that produce beneficial effects. Biological activity of plant extracts tested in animals or cell cultures, as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer activity, reduction of obesity and diabetes are presented in this review. Application of phy- tochemicals in the prevention and treatment of health disorders, such as diabetes, gastritis, enteritis, topical inflammation, macular degeneration, gingivitis, prostatic hyperplasia, urinary impairments. CONCLUSION: Patents revised include 30% methodologies for extraction of phytochemicals, 16% application of phytochem- icals in food matrixes to obtain functional foods, 18% biological activity of extracts or compounds and 36% application in the prevention and treatment of illness, which reveals a great interest to protect intellectual property concerning applica- tion of phytochemicals formulations for human health.

Halotolerance and survival kinetics of lactic acid bacteria isolated from jalapeño pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) fermentation.

The microbiota associated with spontaneous fermentation of vegetables in a saline substrate may represent an important group of bacteria in the food industry. In this work, the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) Weissella cibaria, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus paraplantarum, and Leuconostoc citreum were identified by partial 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. In addition, entophytic bacteria such as Pantoea eucalypti, Pantoea anthophila, Enterobacter cowanii, and Enterobacter asburiae were detected, but they were irrelevant for the fermentation process and were inhibited after 12 h of fermentation when the pH decreased from 6.5 to 4.9. Moreover, 2 species of yeast were isolated and identified as Hanseniaspora pseudoguilliermondii and Kodamaea ohmeri by their partial 26S rRNA gene sequence. The growth of LAB was evaluated at different sodium chloride contents. L. citreum was the most halotolerant species followed by L. plantarum and W. cibaria with a concentration index to obtain a 50% population reduction (IC(50)) of 7.2%, 6.6%, and 5.2%, respectively. Furthermore, the growth of LAB and Escherichia coli O157:H7 was evaluated in the presence of the main phenylpropanoids from chilli peppers such as p-coumaric and ferulic acid. It was determined that LAB can grow in both acids at 4 mM, unlike E. coli O157:H7, whose growth is inhibited in the presence of these acids.

Determination of Trichinella spiralis in pig muscles using Mid-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (MID-FTIR) with Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) and Soft Independent Modeling of Class Analogy (SIMCA).

The aim of this work was to study the feasibility of detection of Trichinella spiralis in swine meat using Middle Infrared Spectroscopy Fourier Transform with Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) and Soft Independent Modeling of Class Analogy (MID-FTIR-ATR-SIMCA). Five male Pigs were orally infected at different larvae concentrations (13,000, 6500, 3500, 1625, 812 larvae/pig) and after 24 weeks the animals were euthanized. Five types of muscles were studied (leg, loin, rib, masseter, and diaphragm). Results showed that MID-FTIR-ATR-SIMCA was useful to determine the presence of T. spiralis in the samples, as the interclass distance between infected and non infected muscles varied from 13.5 to 36.8. This technique was also useful to discriminate among pig muscles, where masseter showed the largest interclass distance, while rib presented the smallest one. In all cases the recognition and rejection rates were 100%, which means that the methodology is capable of accurately separating T. spiralis infected from non infected swine meat.

Feasibility study for the detection of Trichinella spiralis in a murine model using mid-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (MID-FTIR) with attenuated total reflectance (ATR) and soft independent modelling of class analogies (SIMCA).

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance (ATR) and soft independent modelling by class analogies (SIMCA) was used to assess the feasibility of detecting Trichinella spiralis in a murine model. The selected FTIR wavenumber range was 1700-900 cm(-1) and the first derivative of the spectra was subjected to SIMCA analysis. The SIMCA model developed for rat meat spiked with T. spiralis larvae was successfully apply to classify non-infected from infected rat meat with a limit of detection of 3 larvae/10 g rat meat and no false positives with 99% confidence limit. To avoid false positives arising from the presence of other parasites, another chemometric model was developed to demonstrate the capacity of the model to discriminate between Ascaris suum, Taenia solium and T. spiralis. Results confirmed that this method could correctly distinguish these parasites. Additional studies are needed to prove the effectiveness of this technique for other types of muscle meats, including those relevant to human consumption.

Purification and partial biochemical characterization of polyphenol oxidase from mamey (Pouteria sapota).

While a long shelf life for fruit products is highly desired, enzymatic browning is the main cause of quality loss in fruits and is therefore a main problem for the food industry. In this study polyphenol oxidase (PPO), the main enzyme responsible for browning was isolated from mamey fruit (Pouteria sapota) and characterized biochemically. Two isoenzymes (PPO 1 and PPO 2) were obtained upon ammonium sulfate precipitation and hydrophobic and ion exchange chromatography; PPO 1 was purified up to 6.6-fold with 0.28% yield, while PPO 2 could not be characterized as enzyme activity was completely lost after 24 h of storage. PPO 1 molecular weight was estimated to be 16.1 and 18 kDa by gel filtration and SDS-PAGE, respectively, indicating that the native state of the PPO 1 is a monomer. The optimum pH for PPO 1 activity was 7. The PPO 1 was determined to be maximum thermally stable up to 35°C. Kinetic constants for PPO 1 were K(m)=44 mM and K(m)=1.3 mM using catechol and pyrogallol as substrate, respectively. The best substrates for PPO 1 were pyrogallol, 4-methylcatechol and catechol, while ascorbic acid and sodium metabisulfite were the most effective inhibitors.