Search results for "Functional Food"
showing 10 items of 88 documents
Cactus pear fruit extract exerts anti-inflammatory effects in carrageenin-induced rat pleurisy
2015
Nutritional research has recently shifted from alleviating nutrient deficiencies to chronic disease prevention. In this study activity of cactus pear fruit extract (CPFE) from Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. has been investigated in carrageenin-induced pleurisy, a rat model of acute inflammation. In our experimental design rat pleurisy was achieved by the injection of 0.2 ml of λ-carrageenin in the pleural cavity. At selected time points, rats were sacrificed; cells recruited in pleura were counted and exudates collected to analyse inflammatory parameters such as NO, PGE2, IL-1β, TNF-α. CPFE (in the range between 5 and 20 g fresh fruit equivalent/kg), orally given 30 min before the injectio…
Development of new non-dairy beverages from Mediterranean fruit juices fermented with water kefir microorganisms
2016
The aim of this work was to explore the use of several Mediterranean fruit juices as fermentable substrates to develop new non-dairy fermented beverages. Microbiological, chemical and sensory features of kefir-like beverages obtained after the fermentation of juices extracted from fruits cultivated in Sicily (southern Italy) with water kefir microorganisms were investigated. Results indicated that both lactic acid bacteria and yeasts were able to develop in the fruit juices tested, but the highest levels were registered with prickly pear fruit juice. All fruit juices underwent a lactic fermentation, since a lactic acid content was detected in the resulting kefir-like beverages. Except kiwif…
In-vitro antioxidant capacity and cytoprotective/cytotoxic effects upon Caco-2 cells of red tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) viscera hydrolysates.
2019
Abstract The antioxidant capacity of red tilapia viscera hydrolysates (RTVH) with different degrees of hydrolysis (DH) as well as their ultrafiltration membrane fractions, were analyzed using different chemical assays. Their protective effects against oxidative stress were evaluated using H2O2-stressed human intestinal differentiated Caco-2. The highest antioxidant capacity was obtained with a DH of 42.5% (RTVH-A) and its
Nanoencapsulation of promising bioactive compounds to improve their absorption, stability, functionality and the appearance of the final food products
2021
The design of functional foods has grown recently as an answer to rising consumers’ concerns and demands for natural, nutritional and healthy food products. Nanoencapsulation is a technique based on enclosing a bioactive compound (BAC) in liquid, solid or gaseous states within a matrix or inert material for preserving the coated substance (food or flavor molecules/ingredients). Nanoencapsulation can improve stability of BACs, improving the regulation of their release at physiologically active sites. Regarding materials for food and nutraceutical applications, the most used are carbohydrate-, protein- or lipid-based alternatives such as chitosan, peptide–chitosan and β-lactoglobulin nanopart…
Evaluation of new functional pasta using TOPSIS methodology
2017
Nowadays several studies are focused on the introduction of Opuntia in frequently consumed foods, such as pasta and bakery products. Food products containing Opuntia are in fact able to reduce body weight and plasma LDL cholesterol, lipids and glucose. Foods, that may provide health and wellness benefits, are known as "functional foods". The aim of this paper is the evaluation of a new functional pasta comprising Opuntia able to guarantee health benefits without altering the organoleptic properties of the final product. For this purpose, a set of samples, based on different concentration of Opuntia solution and process parameters, was prepared for the production of short and long pasta. The…
Selenium bio-enrichment of Mediterranean fruit juices through lactic acid fermentation.
2021
Abstract This work was carried out to elaborate selenium (Se) bio-enriched fermented Mediterranean fruit juices. To this purpose, pomegranate and table red grape juices were added with sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) and fermented by Levilactobacillus brevis CRL 2051 and Fructobacillus tropaeoli CRL 2034 individually or combined. To better evaluate the effect of selenite addition and starter strain inoculums on the total bacterial community of the fruit juices, fermentation trials were performed with raw and pasteurized fruit juices. No statistical significant differences were observed for total mesophilic microorganisms (TMM) and rod-shaped lactic acid bacteria (LAB) levels among raw and pasteur…
Trace Element Concentration and Stable Isotope Ratio Analysis in Blueberries and Bilberries: A Tool for Quality and Authenticity Control
2021
Vaccinium genus berries—wild bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and cultivated highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.)—are consumed worldwide, and their consumption has a trend of stable increase. Thus, considering their wide use in ethnomedicine, for juice and jam production, as functional food, as well as their use in preparations of extracts which have application potential in pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, studies regarding the composition of these berries are of special importance. The aim of this study is to characterise the elemental and isotopic composition, as well as variation in element concentration in bilberries gathered from different sites in Northern Europe…
Effects of Argon-Based and Nitrogen-Based Modified Atmosphere Packaging Technology on the Quality of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L. cv. Wonderful) A…
2021
Ready-to-eat pomegranate arils are considered a “functional food” for their health benefits and have desirable sensory characteristics, which have caused an increasing interest by the consumers for this product. The preparation process of ready-to-eat fruit products can cause severe injuries and worsen their quality and shelf life significantly. Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) has been used broadly in the last years to maintain the quality of processed fruits and showed optimal results, in spite of the possible problems caused by the depletion of O2 and corresponding accumulation of CO2 in the package. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different MAP treatments, based o…
Novel Food Processing and Extraction Technologies of High-Added Value Compounds from Plant Materials
2018
Some functional foods contain biologically active compounds (BAC) that can be derived from various biological sources (fruits, vegetables, medicinal plants, wastes, and by-products). Global food markets demand foods from plant materials that are “safe”, “fresh”, “natural”, and with “nutritional value” while processed in sustainable ways. Functional foods commonly incorporate some plant extract(s) rich with BACs produced by conventional extraction. This approach implies negative thermal influences on extraction yield and quality with a large expenditure of organic solvents and energy. On the other hand, sustainable extractions, such as microwav…
The influence of stevia glycosides on the growth of Lactobacillus reuteri strains
2013
UNLABELLED Use of stevia-derived sweeteners was recently officially approved by the European Commission, and their application in the food industry has increased, especially in functional foods. However, there are scarce data about the influence of stevia on probiotic bacteria, which are important both as an inhabitant of the human gut and as a functional food additive. Taking into consideration the broad application of Lactobacillus reuteri in functional foods, the aim of the research was to evaluate the influence of stevia glycosides on its growth. Six Lact. reuteri strains were tested for their ability to grow in the presence of stevioside and rebaudioside A (0·2-2·6 g l(-1) ). The effec…