Microencapsulation of Chokeberry Polyphenols and Volatiles: Application of Alginate and Pectin as Wall Materials

Microencapsulation is a rapidly evolving technology that allows preservation of various high-value, but unstable, compounds, such as polyphenols and volatiles. These components of chokeberry juice are reported to have various health-promoting properties. In the present study, hydrogel beads with alginate or alginate and pectin as wall materials and chokeberry juice as active agent were prepared using Encapsulator B-390. The effects of different compositions of wall material as well as the duration of complexation (30 or 90 min) with hardening solution on microencapsulation of chokeberry polyphenols and volatiles were investigated. Spectrophotometric and HPLC analyses showed that beads with pectin addition contained higher concentrations of polyphenols and anthocyanins compared to those prepared with alginate. Antioxidant activities evaluated with FRAP, CUPRAC, DPPH, and ABTS assays followed the same trend. Encapsulation of volatiles which were determined using GC-MS analysis also depended on the composition of hydrogel beads and in some cases on the time of complexation. Results of this study showed that the selection of the wall material is a relevant factor determining the preservation of polyphenols and volatiles. The incorporation of bioactive compounds in hydrogel beads opens up a wide range of possibilities for the development of functional and innovative foods.

Effect of Addition of Chokeberry Juice Concentrate and Foaming Agent on the Physical Properties of Agar Gel

This study aimed to determine the effect of the addition of chokeberry juice concentrate (CJC) and foaming agent (egg albumin) with different percentages on the selected physical properties of agar gel. The agar gels with the addition of 5, 10, and 20% concentrations of chokeberry juice concentrate and with fructose addition were prepared. In addition, the foamed gels with different concentrations of egg albumin (in the range 0.5–2.0%) and CJC were produced. The water content, colour, density, hold-up and some mechanical and TPA (Texture Profile Analysis) descriptors as well some structural and acoustic emission parameters of non-aerated and foamed gels were analysed. The addition of CJC changed the colour of agar gel with fructose, the attractive appearance of the aerated gel was also linked with the addition of concentrate. The addition of 20% of CJC and foaming agent created samples with very low hardness, cohesiveness, and gumminess, and the structure of the aerated samples was characterised by the larger bubble diameter and the wider distribution of their size. The more promising texture and structure properties were obtained for samples with aerated gels with 5 and 10% addition of chokeberry juice concentrate.

Effects of antioxidant supplementation on oxidative stress balance in young footballers- a randomized double-blind trial

Background Intensive physical exercise that competitive sports athletes participate in can negatively affect their pro-oxidative–antioxidant balance. Compounds with high antioxidant potential, such as those present in chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa), can prevent these adverse changes. We here investigated the effect of antioxidant supplementation on oxidative stress balance in young footballers. Methods The study was designed as a double-blind randomized trial. Diet of a group of young football players (male; n = 20; mean age, 15.8 years-old) was supplemented with 200 ml of chokeberry juice per day, for 7 weeks. The players were randomly assigned to the experimental (supplemented, FP-S; n = 12) and control (placebo, FB-C; n = 8) groups. Before and after the supplementation period, the participants performed a beep test. Venous blood was sampled for serum analysis before, immediately after, 3 h, and 24 h after the beep test. Serum levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive products, 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine, total antioxidant capacity, iron, hepcidin, ferritin, myoglobin, and albumin, and morphological blood parameters (red blood cells, (RBC), haemoglobin (HGB), haematocrit (HCT) mean corpuscular volume (MCV) mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and lactic acid) were determined. Results Chokeberry juice supplementation did not significantly affect the outcome of the beep test. The supplementation did not significantly affect any of the morphological, biochemical, or performance parameters analysed. Conclusions Chokeberry juice supplementation did not affect the measured parameters in the studied population, which may indicate insufficient antioxidant capacity of the juice.

Effect of Filtrated Osmotic Solution Based on Concentrated Chokeberry Juice and Mint Extract on the Drying Kinetics, Energy Consumption and Physicochemical Properties of Dried Apples

Background: Filtration of osmotic solution affects selective penetration during osmotic dehydration (OD), and after drying is finished, this can influence the chemical composition of the material, which is also modified by OD. Methods: Osmotic dehydration was carried out in filtrated and non-filtrated concentrated chokeberry juice with the addition of mint infusion. Then, this underwent convective drying, vacuum-microwave drying and combined convective pre-drying, followed by vacuum-microwave finishing drying. Drying kinetics were presented and mathematical models were selected. The specific energy consumption for each drying method was calculated and the energy efficiency was determined. Results and Discussion: The study revealed that filtration of osmotic solution did not have significant effect on drying kinetics; however, it affected selective penetration during OD. The highest specific energy consumption was obtained for the samples treated by convective drying (CD) (around 170 kJ·g−1 fresh weight (fw)) and the lowest for the samples treated by vacuum-microwave drying (VMD) (around 30 kJ·g−1 fw), which is due to the differences in the time of drying and when these methods are applied. Conclusions: Filtration of the osmotic solution can be used to obtain the desired material after drying and the VMD method is the most appropriate considering both phenolic acid content and the energy aspect of drying.

Microbiological and Chemical Properties of Chokeberry Juice Fermented by Novel Lactic Acid Bacteria with Potential Probiotic Properties during Fermentation at 4 °C for 4 Weeks

On the frame of this research survey, a novel potentially probiotic strain (Lactobacillus paracasei SP5) recently isolated from kefir grains was evaluated for chokeberry juice fermentation. Chokeberry juice was retrieved from the variety Aronia melanocarpa, a plant known to provide small, dark berries and to be one of the richest sources of antioxidants. The juice was subsequently fermented inoculating L. paracasei SP5 for 48 h at 30 °C. The fermented juices were left at 4 °C and tested regarding microbiological and physicochemical characteristics for 4 weeks. The potentially probiotic strain was proved capable of performing lactic acid fermentation at 30 °C. Cell viability of L. paracasei was detected in high levels during fermentation and the whole storage period, while the fermented juice showed higher levels of viability in juice with 40.3 g/L of initial sugar concentration. No ethanol was detected in the final fermented juice. Fermented chokeberry juice was characterized by aromatic desirable volatiles, which were retained in adequate levels for the whole storage period. Specifically, the occurrence of organic esters detected in fermented juices is considered as positive evidence of the provision of fruity and floral notes to the final product. During storage, total phenolics content and antioxidant activity were observed in higher levels in fermented chokeberry juice compared with non-fermented juice. Subsequently, fermentation of chokeberry juice by potentially probiotic lactic acid bacteria could provide high industrialization potential, providing the market with a nutritional beverage of good volatile quality with an enhanced shelf-life compared with an unfermented fresh juice.

Antimicrobial Photodynamic Treatment with Mother Juices and their Single Compounds as Photosensitizers

The potent antimicrobial effects of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) with visible light plus water-filtered infrared-A irradiation and natural compounds as photosensitizers (PSs) have recently been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to obtain information on the antimicrobial effects of aPDT with mother juices against typical cariogenic oral Streptococcus pathogens in their planktonic form and determine its eradication potential on total human salivary bacteria from volunteers. Mother juices of pomegranate, bilberry, and chokeberry at different concentrations were used as PSs. The unweighted (absolute) irradiance was 200 mW cm−2, applied five minutes. Planktonic cultures of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus and total mixed bacteria from pooled saliva of volunteers were treated with aPDT. Up to more than 5 log10 of S. mutans and S. sobrinus were killed by aPDT with 0.4% and 0.8% pomegranate juice, 3% and 50% chokeberry juice, and 12.5% bilberry juice (both strains). Concentrations of at least 25% (pomegranate) and >50% (chokeberry and bilberry) eradicated the mixed bacteria in saliva samples. This pilot study has shown that pomegranate mother juice is superior to the berry juices as a multicomponent PS for killing pathogenic oral bacteria with aPDT.

Effects of antioxidant supplementation on oxidative stress balance in young footballers– a randomized double-blind trial

Background: The intensive physical exercise in which athletes take part in competitive sports can negatively affect the pro-oxidative–antioxidant balance. The use of compounds with high antioxidant potential, which certainly should include chokeberry, can prevent these adverse changes. Methods: The study was conducted as a double blinded randomized trial on a group of football players (mean age=15.8), who underwent 7 weeks of supplementation with 200 ml chokeberry juice per day. The players were randomly assigned to the experimental (supplemented, FP-S; n = 12) and control (placebo, FB-C; n = 8) groups. Before and after the supplementation period, participants performed an beep test . Venous blood was taken for serum isolation before, immediately after, 3 h, 24 h after the test Level of thiobarbituric acid reactive products (TBARS), hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), iron (Fe), hepcidin, ferritin, myoglobin, albumin and morphological parameters (RBC, HGB, HCT, MCV, MCH, MCHC and lactic acid) were measured.Results: There were no significant impact of the supplementation intervention in response to the physical exercise test in the studied groups.. The post-hoc test showed no effect of chokeberry juice supply on any of the morphological, biochemical or performance parameters analysed.Conclusions: The supplementation of Chokeberry juice shows no effects on measured parameters in studied populations. It may indicate Such results may indicate insufficient antioxidant capacity of the supplemented juice.