Gamma-linolenic Acid from Fifty-seven Ribes Species and Cultivars.

γ-linolenic acid (GLA, 18:3n-6) is a bioactive fatty acid (FA) that exerts several healthy actions; however, its occurrence is restricted to a few oils. The goal of this study was to detect GLA-rich Ribes species and cultivars (cv), and to achieve this the seeds of 7 Ribes taxa and 50 Ribes cv were surveyed for FA profiles. The highest GLA percentages were found in R. nigrum cv 'Plotnokistnaya', 'Volshebnica', 'Atlant' and 'Nara' (22.6, 22.1, 20.9, and 20.0% of total FA, respectively) and also in R. komarovii (19.6%) and R. nigrum var. sibiricum (18.3%). Stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4n-3) had the highest values in both R. rubrum 'Konstantinovskaya' and R. niveum 'Smolyaninovskaya' (4.8%). GLA content ranged from 0.4 in some R. rubrum cv and R. niveum 'Smolyaninovskaya' to 3.5 g/100 g seeds in R. nigrum 'Plotnokistnaya'. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed using PUFA profiles, which allowed grouping Ribes sections as well as black currant cv derived from different pedigree within the section Coreosma. All taxa and cv checked here are valuable by-product sources, given the high GLA percentages contained in their seed oils. Such cv could be used for healthy oils production, as well as for breeding to obtain new cv with improved GLA concentrations.

LED Enhances Plant Performance and Both Carotenoids and Nitrates Profiles in Lettuce.

Recent studies show that vegetables at early stage of development contain higher amounts of phytonutrients and minerals, and lower amounts of nitrates than at fully developed stage. Nevertheless, the effects of some spectrum light on the carotenoid content of lettuce microgreens are unknown. Three different LED lamps were checked: (i) artificial white light (T0); (ii) continuous light-emitting diodes with longer blue-wavelength (T1), and (iii) continuous light-emitting diodes with longer red-wavelength (T2). Different lettuce cvs. were grown under the above described lamps. Plants were collected after 10, 15, 35 and 50 days from planting to produce sprouts, microgreens, initial baby leaf, and baby leaf, respectively. Response to different continuous spectrum lights related to productivity and nitrate content was variable for the different plants. Accumulation of nitrates at initial stages in plant tissues was clearly lower than at final stages of crop development, ranging from 50.2 to 73.4 mg 100 g1 fresh weight for T2. Lettuce consumption is preferable at microgreen stage in comparison with baby leaf stage. Nitrate amounts at microgreen stage were lower than in baby leaf stage, and this content was inversely correlated with carotenoid content, which in tissues was higher at microgreens stage influenced by LED.

γ-Linolenic and Stearidonic Acids from Boraginaceae of Diverse Mediterranean Origin.

Thirty Boraginaceae species from different tribes were evaluated in a search of γ-linolenic (GLA, 18:3n-6) and stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4n-3)-rich oils. The high GLA percentages were found in the seed oils of Symphytum bulbosum and S. tuberosum subsp. tuberosum (27.6 and 27.2 % of total fatty acids (FA)), which are unusually high values for GLA-oils in the current literature. On the whole seed, noticeable GLA percentages were found in S. grandiflorum, S. tuberosum subsp. tuberosum and Borago officinalis (7.43, 4.90, and 4.51 g/100 g, respectively). The main SDA-taxa detected in this study were Buglossoides arvensis, B. incrassata and Glandora oleifolia (21.3, 18.9, and 16.3 % of total fatty acids). On total seed weight, Glandora rosmarinifolia showed the highest SDA content (3.57 g/100 g). Finally, the higher FA contents were found in S. grandiflorum and Paramoltkia doerfleri seeds (35.2 and 37.0 g/100 g, respectively). Principal component analysis showed that similarities in FA profiles allow grouping species as botanical criteria for Boraginaceae tribes do, while the FA groupings confirm the metabolic activities of desaturase and elongase enzymes. Data on the FA composition of the seed oils analyzed here suggest their potential use as functional foods and can be considered as novel sources of SDA and GLA.

Screening of Lesser-Known Salted-Dried Fish Species for Fatty Acids, Tocols, and Squalene.

The fillets and roes of 29 species of dry-salted fishes consumed in Eurasian countries were analyzed for fatty acids (FAs), tocols, and squalene, looking for derived health benefits. FAs were analyzed by GC-FID, and tocols and squalene were analyzed by HPLC-DAD. With some exceptions, docosahexaenoic (DHA, 22:6n-3), eicosapentaenoic (EPA, 20:5n-3), and arachidonic (ARA, 20:4n-6) acids were the prominent polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). The fillets of Scardinius erythrophthalmus reached the highest amounts of total FAs, ARA, and DHA (23.1, 1.82, and 2.49 mg/100 g). The fillets of Seriola quinqueradiata showed the highest percentages of DHA (34.4% of total FAs). Nutritional quality indices for fish lipids were favorable in all samples, especially the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio, which was below 1 in most cases. α-Tocopherol was found in all fillets and roes, especially in Cyprinidae and Pleuronectidae species, and the highest value was found in the roes of Abramis brama (5.43 mg/100 g). Most samples contained tocotrienols at trace levels. The fillets of Clupeonella cultriventris contained the highest amounts of squalene (1.83 mg/100 g). Overall, dry-salted fish stand out due to their high concentrations of ARA, EPA, and DHA, as well as for α-tocopherol concentrations in roes.

Arecaceae Seeds Constitute a Healthy Source of Fatty Acids and Phenolic Compounds.

Seeds of most Arecaceae species are an underutilized raw material that can constitute a source of nutritionally relevant compounds. In this work, seeds of 24 Arecaceae taxa were analyzed for fatty acids (FAs) by GC-FID, for phenolics by HPLC-DAD and LC-MS, and for their antitumor activity against the HT-29 colorectal cancer cell line by the MTT assay. Lauric, oleic, and linoleic acids were the prominent FAs. Cocoseae species contained total FAs at 28.0-68.3 g/100 g seeds, and in other species total FAs were from 1.2 (Livistona saribus) to 9.9 g/100 g (Washingtonia robusta). Sabal domingensis, Chamaerops humilis, and Phoenix dactylifera var. Medjool had unsaturated/saturated FA ratios of 1.65, 1.33-1.78, and 1.31, respectively, and contained 7.4, 5.5-6.3, and 6.4 g FAs/100 g seeds, respectively. Thus, they could be used as raw materials for healthy oilseed production. Phenolics ranged between 39 (Livistona fulva) and 246 mg/100 g (Sabal palmetto), and of these, caffeic acid, catechin, dactylifric acid, and rutin had the highest values. (-)-Epicatechin was identified in most seed extracts by LC-MS. Hydroalcoholic extracts from five species showed a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on HT-20 cells growth at 72 h (GI50 at 1533-1968 µg/mL). Overall, Arecaceae seeds could be considered as a cheap source of health-promoting compounds.

Fatty acid profiling in the genus Pinus in relation to its chemotaxonomy and nutritional or pharmaceutical properties.

To develop and utilize the oil of Pinus seeds and explore natural resources rich in pinolenic acid (PNLA), twenty-one Pinus taxa were evaluated in a search of Δ5-unsaturated polymethylene-interrupted fatty acids (Δ5-UPIFA)-rich oils. While the fatty acid (FA) composition was determined by GC-FID and GC-MS, NMR of crude oils proved to be a fast method for establishing the ratio between Δ5-UPIFA and total FA. For all analyzed taxa, both the geographical origin and the concentration of total FA in the seeds are provided. PNLA and sciadonic acids occurred in all samples, while taxoleic and bishomopinolenic acids were present in most taxa. PNLA reached a maximum of 28.3% of total FA in P. mugo, and P. koraiensis showed the highest total FA amount (66.8 g/100 g seeds). The previously unanalyzed taxon P. ponderosa var. scopulorum can be considered a new PNLA source (17.1%). Principal Component Analysis showed that the similarities in FA profiles allow the grouping of the various taxa within Pinus subsections and confirmed the differential metabolic activities of Δ5 and Δ9 desaturase enzymes. This study showed that several underutilized Pinus taxa could be developed into renewable woody oil species, and their seeds could be used as raw materials for Δ5-UPIFA-rich oils extraction.

Buglossoides spp. seeds, a land source of health-promoting n-3 PUFA and phenolic compounds.

Ahiflower oil© is extracted from the seeds of Buglossoides arvensis, which contains high amounts of stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4n-3), while its phenolic composition still is unreported. Moreover, several Buglossoides taxa remain unstudied and could become natural sources of SDA. In this work, seeds of several Buglossoides taxa and Ahiflower oil© were screened for fatty acids, phenolic compounds, and in vitro antiproliferative activities against colorectal cancer cells. Four flavonoids and 16 phenolic acids were identified and quantified. Among Buglossoides taxa, the highest amounts of phenolic compounds were found in samples collected in Spain, under a warm Mediterranean climate. Rosmarinic and lithospermic acids were the main phenols found in Buglossoides seeds. The MTT assay showed dose- and time-dependent inhibitory effects of B. arvensis extracts on HT-29 cancer cells, with a GI50value of ∼280 µg/mL after 72 h of cell exposure to seed extracts. The latter showed lower antiproliferative activity than that of pure phenolics due to the simultaneous presence of other compounds in the extracts, as evidenced by 1H NMR. This work constitutes the first approach to evaluate the seeds of several Buglossoides taxa as functional oils-providers to use them as functional foods.

Mertensia (Boraginaceae) seeds are new sources of γ-linolenic acid and minor functional compounds.

In this work, seeds from selected Mertensia species were analyzed for γ-linolenic acid-rich oils and minor functional compounds. Fatty acids (FA) were analyzed by GC-FID; tocopherols, sterols, squalene, and phenolics compounds by HPLC-DAD, and the structures of the latter were confirmed by LC-MS. M. maritima spp. asiatica and M. sibirica showed the highest amounts of γ-linolenic acid (22.8 and 18.7%, respectively) and total FA (15.9 and 10.9 g/100 g seeds, respectively). M. sibirica had the greatest levels of sterols, phenolics and tocopherols (244.8, 243.9 and 66.3 mg/100 g, respectively), in which stigmasterol, rosmarinic acid and α-tocopherol (237.7, 180.1 and 53.6 mg/100 g, respectively) were the most abundant components. M. maritima spp. asiatica and M. arizonica showed the highest amounts of squalene (2.5 and 1.1 mg /100 g seeds). Mertensia species constitute a new source of GLA-rich oils, suitable to be marketed by the pharmaceutical and food industries.

Ribes taxa: A promising source of γ-linolenic acid-rich functional oils.

Fifty Ribes species and R. nigrum-based cultivars from eight Ribes sections were surveyed for γ-linolenic acid (GLA, 18:3, n-6)- and stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4, n-3)-rich oils. R. pallidiflorum, R. glabellum and R. pubescens seed oils contain noticeable GLA amounts: 13.3, 11.8, and 11.9% of total fatty acids (FA), respectively. However, the highest GLA contents were found in the seed oils of several blackcurrant cultivars, highlining Ribes 'Myuryucheene' with 20.2% GLA of total FA. Principal Component Analysis showed that similarities in FA profiles allow grouping species as botanical criteria for Ribes sections do. The main GLA-taxa detected in this study correspond to blackcurrant cultivars, all of them native to Siberia. Considering that such cultivars are notable fruit-producers, its cultivation in Siberia besides producing fruits in very difficult agronomic areas, could produce a valuable by-product, i.e. the seeds, which will add economic value to agricultural systems if devoted to GLA-rich oils extraction.