Ugni molinae Fruit as a Source of Bioactive Compounds with Good Quality Traits

Since the intake of fruits and vegetables displays important effects on the incidence of several chronic diseases in humans, consumers’ attention worldwide is focused on the identification of functional foods. In this sense, Ugni molinae (murtilla or murta fruit) is an important source of molecules with a strong antioxidant capacity that is widely used as a medicinal plant in Southern Argentina-Chile. Research on murtilla berries showed that this fruit and its leaves can be an excellent source of polyphenols and bioactive compounds with antibacterial and antioxidant capacity. This review is aimed at providing valuable information and discussing the available literature focused on four principal points: (i) fruit quality and plant physiology, (ii) compound content with bioactive properties, (iii) health properties for consumers of the fruit and leaves, and (iv) challenges for future research. Based on these four points, we propose that murtilla fruit can be a potential ingredient for new functional food products.

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Analysis of contemporary epidemiological study research design formats on addressing functional food efficacy

Functional Food Science ◽

10.31989/ffs.v1i12.882 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1 (12) ◽

pp. 97

Author(s):

Pooja Agarwal ◽

Emma Rutter ◽

Danik M Martirosyan

Keyword(s):

Epidemiological Study ◽

Research Design ◽

Bioactive Compounds ◽

Functional Food ◽

Functional Foods ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Review Article ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Study Research

The entirety of this particular review article demonstrates an in-depth analysis of the overall functionality of nutritional functional foods, imperative bioactive compounds, and essential biomarkers within the metabolic pathway and in chronic disease progression. Specifically, this review article assesses the efficacy of a plethora of functional foods and their associated bioactive compounds via the interpretation of epidemiological research studies that were conducted in the following design formats: cohort design, case-control design, cross-sectional design, and randomized controlled trial design. Although there has been a source of ambiguity demonstrated by food scientists and government organizations surrounding what would be the standard definition of functional food, this review article attempts to advocate for a contemporary definition that acknowledges the primary attributes of present-day functional food. Having said this, the main intention of this review article is to help address the necessity of analyzing the overarching efficacy of specific functional foods via the analysis of different retrospective epidemiological studies. Moreover, this review article will acknowledge which specific epidemiological study research design format is most applicable in the evaluation of functional food products within upcoming epidemiological studies. Ultimately, food scientists and nutritionists alike will get the opportunity to develop an all-encompassing contemporary definition for functional food upon the recognition and incorporation of different epidemiological study research design formats in a timely and cost-effective manner. KEYWORDS: Functional food, bioactive compounds, biomarkers, epidemiology, cohort design, case-control design, cross-sectional design, and randomized controlled trial design.

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FFC’s Advancement of Functional Food Definition

Functional Foods in Health and Disease ◽

10.31989/ffhd.v8i7.531 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (7) ◽

pp. 385 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Johanna Gur ◽

Marselinny Mawuntu ◽

Danik Martirosyan

Keyword(s):

Bioactive Compounds ◽

Functional Food ◽

Functional Foods ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Psychological Function ◽

Comprehensive Understanding ◽

Physiological Mechanisms ◽

Food Center ◽

Definition Of ◽

Improve Health

Background: To create functional food products based on scientific evidence, we must first define functional foods. Previous definitions describe how functional foods improve health and mitigate disease. However, more refined definitions provide a reason for their efficacy–through the activity of bioactive compounds and the measurement of biomarkers, which are the essential tools for gauging the effectiveness of functional foods.Functional foods are generally linked to health promotion. The physiological effects of functional food or bioactive compounds may vary, but their categories of action include physical performance, cognitive, behavioral, and psychological function, organ or system function, and combating chronic disease [1, 2].Therefore, establishing a formal definition for these foods will help bring legitimate functional foods to the market. The addition of bioactive compounds, or biochemical molecules that improve health through the physiological mechanisms, improves the definition of functional foods. As a result, the advancement of the functional food definition by the Functional Food Center (FFC) has developed to provide clarity and a more comprehensive understanding of its meaning.

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Functional Food Center’s vision on functional food definition and science in comparison to FDA’s health claim authorization and Japan’s Foods for Specified Health Uses

Functional Foods in Health and Disease ◽

10.31989/ffhd.v10i11.753 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 465

Author(s):

Rie Sadohara ◽

Danik Martirosyan

Keyword(s):

Human Health ◽

Bioactive Compounds ◽

Functional Food ◽

Functional Foods ◽

Well Being ◽

Vital Role ◽

Food Science ◽

Health Claim ◽

Food Category ◽

Definition Of

The aging population and skyrocketing medical costs are an urgent problem in some countries, which necessitates the prevention of diseases and postponement of disease progression with non-medical means. Functional foods are those that exhibit beneficial effects on human health and play a vital role in supporting part of normal diets. In order to produce functional foods with safe and effective active compounds, it is necessary to define functional foods and to identify the bioactive compounds, the mode(s) of action, and the proper daily dosage. Furthermore, functional foods should undergo a neutral evaluation by an independent organization to ensure only safe and effective products will be released to the market. Japan’s Foods for Specified Health Uses (FOSHU) approval system will be described in this review as an example in which individual functional foods are evaluated with numerous criteria by a governmental agency. Whilst the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) evaluates and authorizes health claim petitions, a definition of functional foods and a distinct functional food category are lacking in the U.S.. The Functional Food Center (FFC) has been supporting functional food scientists worldwide through research and the publishing of numerous educational materials on functional foods. Thus, the FFC and the Academic Society for Functional Foods and Bioactive Compounds (ASFFBC) can and are willing to help the FDA and other governmental agencies establish the category of functional foods and the field of functional food science, which needs to be highly collaborative and multidisciplinary. This review will also describe the current health claim authorization by the FDA and the FFC’s vision on the definition of functional foods, bioactive compounds, and the establishment of functional food science that will eventually contribute to human health and well-being in the US and across the globe.Keywords: functional food definition, functional foods, FOSHU, bioactive compounds, functional food science, health claim, foods for specified health uses

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Abstract 592: Nutrigenomic Screening of Functional Foods Regulating Gluconeogenesis: A Zebrafish Pilot Study

Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology ◽

10.1161/atvb.34.suppl_1.592 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 34 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Ji Dong Bai ◽

Youdong Wang ◽

Xiao-Yan Wen

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Side Effects ◽

Functional Food ◽

Functional Foods ◽

Fruits And Vegetables ◽

Zebrafish Model ◽

Fluorescent Reporter ◽

Reporter Line ◽

Glucose Levels

Introduction/rationale: Current anti-diabetic drug treatments have a variety of adverse side effects. Identifying functional foods with anti-diabetic properties may be the key to preventing and managing T2DM while minimizing side effects. Studies found that Pck-1 gene is often down-regulated by anti-diabetic drugs, as its enzyme is responsible for catalyzing the rate-limiting step of gluconeogenesis. In our study, we screened for functional foods that can down-regulate the expression of the Pck-1 gene. The newly emerged zebrafish (Danio rerio) is aptly suited for in vivo nutrigenomic screening due to its large clutch size and conservation of molecular pathways with humans, including those involved in glucose regulation. Methods: We exposed zebrafish larve (Tg(Pck-1:luc), a luminescent reporter line for Pck-1), at 4 days post fertilization (dpf) to extracts from forty functional fruits and vegetables. The level of Pck-1 expression was quantified by luminescence at 6 dpf. Extracts which resulted in a lower reading of luminescence were interpreted as functional foods that could successfully down-regulate Pck-1 expression, and therefore may be potential therapeutic for T2DM. We further validated our results using a fluorescent reporter line for Pck-1 (Pck-1:eGFP). Results: We completed toxicity assays on the functional food extracts to determine the optimal concentrations and conditions for nutrigenomic screening. Preliminary results show that bamboo and cherry extracts significantly reduced Pck-1 gene expression by two fold (p<0.05). Other functional food extracts, such as grape, cucumber, cabbage, spinach, flat beans, and lemon also reduced Pck-1 gene expression. Interestingly, garlic extracts increased Pck-1 gene expression. Conclusion and Discussion: We identified two functional food extracts that successfully reduced Pck-1 expression in zebrafish models. Increasing the intake of these two functional foods may regulate blood glucose levels in T2DM patients. Further research elucidating the active ingredient in these foods is required. The Pck-1 zebrafish model can be employed for further nutrigenomic screening and/or for drug discovery purposes.

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Bioactive Compounds and Health-Promoting Properties of Pear (Pyrus communis L.) Fruits

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules25194444 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (19) ◽

pp. 4444

Author(s):

Joanna Kolniak-Ostek ◽

Dagmara Kłopotowska ◽

Krzysztof P. Rutkowski ◽

Anna Skorupińska ◽

Dorota E. Kruczyńska

Keyword(s):

Bioactive Compounds ◽

Antiproliferative Activity ◽

Fruits And Vegetables ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Reducing Ability ◽

Pyrus Communis L ◽

Health Promoting ◽

Anti Inflammatory ◽

Excellent Source ◽

Cox 1

Consuming food that is rich in antioxidants reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases and oxidative stress. Fruits and vegetables are an excellent source of substances with antioxidant and pro-health properties. Such raw materials, characterized by a high content of polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity, include pear fruits. In this study, the concentrations of bioactive compounds, as well as the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative activity in fruits of five selected pear cultivars were determined and compared. LC–MS and UPLC–PDA methods were used to determine the polyphenolic, carotenoid, chlorophyll, and triterpenoid profiles and content, and the antioxidant activity was analyzed using DPPH and ferric-reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) tests. The anti-inflammatory activity was determined against COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes. The cytotoxic activity of the test compounds was assessed against six tumor cell lines. The results showed that the major group of phenolic compounds in all cultivars was phenolic acids. In the group of chromoplastic pigments, chlorophyllide a and 9-cis-β-carotene were the major compounds, while in the triterpene group, ursolic acid was dominant. The antioxidant potential correlated with the content of polyphenols and carotenoids, and was the strongest for the ‘Radana’ cultivar. The highest antiproliferative activity in all varieties was established for bladder cancer.

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Bioactive compounds in functional food and their role as therapeutics

Bioactive Compounds in Health and Disease ◽

10.31989/bchd.v4i3.786 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

pp. 24

Author(s):

Sukanta Mondal ◽

Neelakanta Pillai Padmakumari Soumya ◽

Saraswathy Mini ◽

Shali Kochuvelickakathu Sivan

Keyword(s):

Bioactive Compounds ◽

Functional Food ◽

Functional Foods ◽

Bioactive Peptides ◽

Metabolic Diseases ◽

Control Diet ◽

Biologically Active ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Food Ingredients ◽

Therapeutic Benefits

Bioactive food ingredients are non-essential substances found in foods that can modulate one or more metabolic processes, resulting in enhanced health. Functional diets have attracted more critical than ever as an alternative to conventional treatments of many diseases. The medicinal potential of functional foods and nutraceuticals is due to some unique functional groups produced due to food metabolism and their molecular variants. Phytochemicals are biologically active, naturally occurring chemical compounds in plants with various biological properties and therapeutic benefits. While functional foods and natural bioactive compounds have been used as conventional medicines to treat chronic diseases for decades, recent scientific findings identify functional foods' health advantages and present their behavior's basic mechanisms. Phytochemicals have essential bioactive roles in the prevention and treatment of oxidative and inflammatory diseases. Plant-derived bioactive compounds can help suppress inflammation by inhibiting oxidative damage and communicating with the immune system. Many bioactive components are capable of binding to intestinal tract toxins or carcinogens. These bioactive peptides control Diet-related medical conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and other metabolic diseases. Various bioactive compounds in common food and their therapeutic role is discussed in this review.Keywords: Functional food, phytochemicals, bioactive peptides, therapeutic effects.

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Chapter 7 Ultraviolet Light Stimulation of Bioactive Compounds with Antioxidant Capacity of Fruits and Vegetables

Plant Secondary Metabolites, 3 Volume Set ◽

10.1201/9781315207506-18 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 255-280

Author(s):

Ávila-Sosa Raúl ◽

Navarro-Cruz Rhode ◽

Vera-López Obdulia ◽

Hernández-Carranza Paola ◽

Ochoa-Velasco Enrique

Keyword(s):

Antioxidant Capacity ◽

Ultraviolet Light ◽

Bioactive Compounds ◽

Fruits And Vegetables ◽

Light Stimulation ◽

Stimulation Of

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Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity in Pearling Fractions of Hulled, Partially Hull-Less and Hull-Less Food Barley Genotypes

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods10030565 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 565

Author(s):

Mariona Martínez-Subirà ◽

María-Paz Romero ◽

Alba Macià ◽

Eva Puig ◽

Ignacio Romagosa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antioxidant Capacity ◽

Bioactive Compounds ◽

Functional Food ◽

Hydroxybenzoic Acid ◽

Food Ingredients ◽

High Protein Content ◽

Intermediate Layers ◽

Sustainable Recovery of Preservative and Bioactive Compounds from Food Industry Bioresidues

Antioxidants ◽

10.3390/antiox10111827 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 1827

Author(s):

Maria G. Leichtweis ◽

M. Beatriz P. P. Oliveira ◽

Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira ◽

Carla Pereira ◽

Lillian Barros

Keyword(s):

Human Health ◽

Bioactive Compounds ◽

Food Industry ◽

Fruits And Vegetables ◽

Value Added ◽

Extraction Techniques ◽

Industrial Processing ◽

Increasing Demand ◽

Sustainable Recovery ◽

Excellent Source

With the increasing demand for convenient and ready-to-eat foods, the use of antioxidants and preservative additives in foodstuff formulation is essential. In addition to their technological functions in food, bio-based additives confer beneficial properties for human health for having antioxidant capacity and acting as antimicrobial, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory agents, among others. The replacement of preservatives and other additives from synthetic origin, usually related to adverse effects on human health, faces some challenges such as availability and cost. An opportunity to obtain these compounds lies in the food industry itself, as a great variety of food waste has been identified as an excellent source of high value-added compounds. Large amounts of seeds, fibrous strands, peel, bagasse, among other parts of fruits and vegetables are lost or wasted during industrial processing, despite being rich sources of bioactive compounds. From a circular economy perspective, this work reviewed the main advances on the recovery of value-added compounds from food industry bioresidues for food application. Bioactive compounds, mainly phenolic compounds, have been largely obtained, mostly from seeds and peels, and have been successfully incorporated into foods. Additionally, alternative and eco-friendly extraction techniques, as ultrasound and microwave, have showed advantages in extracting antioxidant and preservatives compounds.

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Innovative Technologies for Extraction and Microencapsulation of Bioactives from Plant-Based Food Waste and Their Applications in Functional Food Development

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods10020279 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 279

Author(s):

Monalisha Pattnaik ◽

Pooja Pandey ◽

Gregory J. O. Martin ◽

Hari Niwas Mishra ◽

Muthupandian Ashokkumar

Keyword(s):

Bioactive Compounds ◽

Functional Food ◽

Fruits And Vegetables ◽

Subcritical Water ◽

Food Products ◽

Organic Wastes ◽

Subcritical Water Extraction ◽

Assisted Extraction ◽

Ultrasonic Assisted ◽

By Products

The by-products generated from the processing of fruits and vegetables (F&V) largely are underutilized and discarded as organic waste. These organic wastes that include seeds, pulp, skin, rinds, etc., are potential sources of bioactive compounds that have health imparting benefits. The recovery of bioactive compounds from agro-waste by recycling them to generate functional food products is of increasing interest. However, the sensitivity of these compounds to external factors restricts their utility and bioavailability. In this regard, the current review analyses various emerging technologies for the extraction of bioactives from organic wastes. The review mainly aims to discuss the basic principle of extraction for extraction techniques viz. supercritical fluid extraction, subcritical water extraction, ultrasonic-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, and pulsed electric field extraction. It provides insights into the strengths of microencapsulation techniques adopted for protecting sensitive compounds. Additionally, it outlines the possible functional food products that could be developed by utilizing components of agricultural by-products. The valorization of wastes can be an effective driver for accomplishing food security goals.

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