Betacyanin and Other Antioxidants Production During Growth of Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Fruits

Mature cactus pears from Opuntia stricta have a dark purple color due to high betacyanin concentration, whose biosynthesis is initiated with the amino acid L-tyrosine as a primary precursor. This study followed the maturation and ripening processes of Opuntia stricta fruits to harvest them at high betacyanin and other antioxidant concentrations. Fruits lasted 9 months for final ripening. Physical and compositional changes at different maturation and ripening stages have been determined. Thus, ripe fruits were around 4.72?±?0.10 cm length, 2.94?±?0.05 cm diameter and 22.71?±?0.20 g weight; moisture and pH were maintained at 87.05?±?0.19 % and 3.37?±?0.12, respectively. Purple pigment production started in the ovary of immature fruits four months after anthesis (MAA). Concentration of all analyzed metabolites increased from immature (4 MAA) until ripe (9 MAA) stage. In ripe fruits, reducing sugars were 4.72?±?0.54 g/100 g ff and total phenols 135.17?±?0.68 mg gallic acid/100 g ff. Metabolites identified by HPLC were the betacyanins: betanin (60.17?±?1.08 mg/100 g ff), isobetanin (7.58?±?0.94 mg/100 g ff) and betanidin (13.48?±?0.87 mg/100 g ff). Also, L-ascorbic acid (35.03?±?1.06 mg/100 g ff) and L-tyrosine (4.43?±?0.73 mg/100 g ff) were determined. Furthermore, the addition of L-tyrosine or L-dopa to fruit pulp of moderately ripe fruits, increased betacyanin concentrations 17 (103.3?±?3.8 mg/100 g) and 32 % (114.3?±?4.1 mg/100 g), respectively.     

Black currant polyphenols: Their storage stability and microencapsulation

Interest in the consumption of fresh fruits is, to a large extent, due to its content of bioactive nutrients and their importance as dietary antioxidants. There is a growing demand for delivery of antioxidants through functional foods with the related challenge of protecting their bioactivity during food processing and subsequent passage through the gastrointestinal tract. This study focuses on the evaluation of concentration of bioactive compounds in black currant berries (Ribes nigrum L.) and retention of black currant polyphenol compounds and their antioxidant activity after microencapsulation by spray-drying. The polyphenol contents and antioxidant activities were assessed for 5 black currant cultivars grown in Canada in fresh and stored fruits at −20 °C for 9 months. The Ben Alder cultivar was the richest in anthocyanins and flavonols content with high antioxidant potential measured with ABTS and DPPH radicals (4.5 and 2.4 mM/100 g). Black currant polyphenols were stable during 9 month of storage at −20 °C. The results of this study indicated that in black currants storage did not affect negatively the antioxidant capacity. The good stability of bioactive compounds of black currants during freezer storage allows prolonging the storage time of these berries. Maltodextrins with different DE (dextrose equivalent): DE11, DE18, DE21 and inulin were selected as wall material. The stability of encapsulated polyphenols during 12 months storage at 8 °C and 25 °C was evaluated. Compared to maltodextrins DE18 and DE21, maltodextrin DE11 had not only higher drying yield but also offered better protection for phenolics during storage. Radical scavenging activity studies demonstrated significant antioxidant activity of microencapsulated powders before and after storage. The black currant polyphenol microcapsules described in this study represent a promising food additive for incorporation into functional foods due to antioxidant content.     

几种食品添加剂对万寿菊黄色素稳定性的影响

以万寿菊花为原料,采用液液萃取技术（LLE）提取花叶中黄色素,并结合食品中常用的添加剂对万寿菊黄色素稳定性进行了系统的研究。研究结果表明∶食品中常用的几种食品添加剂对万寿菊黄色素稳定性的影响作用不尽相同。防腐剂、酸味剂、护色剂、甜味剂等小分子有机化合物和分子量较大的络合剂对万寿菊黄色素的稳定性影响不大;亚硫酸钠对万寿菊黄色素有较好的稳定作用,能提高黄色素的保存率;氧化剂对黄色素的稳定性具有极大的破坏性,但是具有较强抗氧化作用的酚类抗氧化剂对黄色素却表现出显著的稳定性。另外还发现,氧化活性较弱的抗坏血酸对稳定黄色素的效果也很理想。     

Manufacture of UV absorbers and UV protection fabrics using microcapsules

This study aimed to develop UV protection fabrics by microencapsulation methods. The sol-gel method was used to manufacture spherical silica microcapsules in an O/W/O emulsion. UV protection fabrics were prepared by attaching microcapsules to cotton-knitted fabrics. The appropriate conditions for microencapsulation were 20 % (w/v) UV absorber content, 0.5 % (w/v) HPC addition concentration, 6 % (w/v) PEG addition concentration, 6 h agitation time, and 1000 rpm agitation speed. The particle distribution of microcapsules manufactured under the appropriate conditions was 2–12 μm, and the average particle size was 6.27 μm. With regard to the thermal characteristics of the microcapsules, the first peak appeared at 152 °C, with the second peak at 250 °C. Cotton-knitted fabrics treated with silica microcapsules maintained an 80–90 % UV protection rate even after repeated washing.     

套袋对Irwin芒果实的影响

研究了不同果袋对Irwin芒果实外观、自然常温贮藏性能、果皮色素及果实品质的影响。结果表明，采用盛大果袋套果后，果实外观品质最佳，在自然常温贮藏后，果实的转黄指数较高，烂果率最低，失重率也较低，提高了果实的耐贮性。盛大果袋果的叶绿素a和b含量均最低，花青苷和类黄酮含量较高，使果皮在青熟时呈现暗红色，完熟时呈现鲜红色。当果实达到完熟时品质最佳，盛大果袋果的维生素C和可滴定酸含量显著低于对照，可溶性总糖和可溶性固形物与其它处理差异不显著，可食率显著高于不套袋果。     

Change in Some Glycoalkaloids of Potato under Different Storage Regimes

The potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important food crop worldwide. Potato tubers can be stored to provide continuity of supply between production seasons, but it is important that they be stored under appropriate conditions as incorrect storage will result in deterioration in end user quality and may increase glycoalkaloid levels. We have investigated the effects of types of household storage on potato glycoalkaloid content (total glycoalkaloids [TGA]; α-solanine; α-chaconine) in Turkey. Tubers of potato cultivars (cvs.) Agria and Bettina were stored under four types of storage conditions (indirect sunlight for 10 h per day and dark storage for the remaining 14 h per day; storage under continuous fluorescent light; storage in constant darkness; storage in the dark in a refrigerator) for 56 days. Samples of tubers were taken at the beginning of the storage period and after 14, 28 and 56 days of storage for tuber glycoalkaloid measurement. Tubers stored in the three light environments showed an increase in glycoalkaloid levels; however, none of the cv. Agria tubers reached the critical level of 200 mg/kg tuber. On day 56 the TGA level of cv. Bettina tubers stored under fluorescent light reached 234.31 mg/kg.     

Optimization and extraction of extra and intracellular color from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penicillium minioluteum</Emphasis> for application on protein fibers

Precedence of microbial colorants can be seen in almost all the industrial sectors viz. food, textile, paper, agriculture, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics. These colorants are gaining popularity due to their salient advantages over synthetic and natural dyes. This study deals with the optimization and extraction of such colorants from Penicillium minioluteum for the purpose of dyeing different protein fibers. Penicillium minioluteum was cultured under different growth conditions to optimize the extracellular color production. The extracellular colorant grown under optimized fermentation conditions (medium-sabouraud; pH-5.6; temperature-15 °C; time-20 days; incubation-static) in 3000 ml haffkine flask showed maximum color or highest optical density of 1.014 at λ _max=490 nm. Later on, this colorant was extracted using nbutanol. The remaining mycelial mat obtained after filtration was extracted using different chemical and mechanical procedures to get the intracellular colorant. Highest O.D of 0.897 was recorded at λ _max=490 nm when desiccated powdered mycelial mat was extracted with methanol. Dyed silk and leather with the extracellular colorant showed color strength (K/S) as 3.88 and 3.81, respectively, whereas silk and leather dyed with the intracellular colorant showed K/S as 0.56 and 0.55, respectively. The color strength of extracellular dyed samples was found to be three times higher as compared to the samples dyed with the intracellular aqueous colorant of the same optical density. After dyeing, two different shades were obtained viz. deep red with the extracellular colorant and beige with the intracellular colorant on mulberry silk and wet blue goat nappa skin leather. Fastness towards rubbing was found to be good for both the samples. Wash fastness was excellent on silk. Fastness towards light was poor for both silk and leather. Furthermore, the color yield of the extracellular colorant (0.62 %) was found to be approximately five times more than the color yield of the intracellular colorant (0.14 %).     

Physical, Chemical, and Antioxidant Activity Characterization of Pitaya (Stenocereus pruinosus) Fruits

Fruits with red and orange flesh of the columnar cactus pitaya (Stenocereus pruinosus) were studied to evaluate physical characteristics, total soluble solids, betalains and soluble phenols content, and antioxidant activity. Fruits had, in average, weight of 179.0 g, 9.8 °Brix, 9.4 % carbohydrates, 1.25 % protein, 0.11 % ethereal extract, 0.60 % crude fiber, and 0.62 % ash. Also, fruits resulted rich in Fe (22.8–27.8 mg/kg). Hue angle and contents of betacyanins, betaxanthins (μg/g dry sample), and total soluble phenols (mg GAE/g fresh sample) were 19.8°, 2860.0, 3210.0, and 1.6 in the red material, and 28.9°, 470.0, 2670.0, and 1.2, respectively, in the orange fruit. The antioxidant capacity was higher in the red material, since the ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)) technique reported 1090.6 and 735.4 μmol of Trolox equivalents/g fresh flesh in red and orange fruits, respectively, while the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay reported 7.84 and 5.16 μmol of Trolox equivalents/g fresh flesh, respectively. The chromatographic profile showed five betalains in red fruits, but only four of them were observed in those orange fleshed.     

Phenolic Composition,Antioxidant Capacity and <Emphasis Type="Italic">In Vitro</Emphasis> Cancer Cell Cytotoxicity of Nine Prickly Pear (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Opuntia</Emphasis> spp.) Juices

Juices of nine prickly pears (Opuntia spp.) were characterized in terms of color, acidity, sugar content, phenolics, flavonoids, betalains and antioxidant activity and tested in vitro against four cancer cell lines. The juices had pH′s, acidities and sugar ranging from 4.27 to 5.46, 0.03 to 0.27% and 8 to 14.7°Brix, respectively. Juices also varied in color from white to purple and contained total phenolics, flavonoids, betaxanthins, betacyanins and antioxidant capacity ranging from 22 to 226 μg gallic acid eq/g, 95 to 374 μg quercetin eq/g, 3 to 189 μg/g, 1.6 to 300 μg/g and 17 to 25 micromoles Trolox eq./mL, respectively. Among the cancer lines tested, viability of prostate and colon cells were the most affected. Moradillo contained the highest flavonoids and diminished both prostate and colon cancer cell viability without affecting mammary or hepatic cancer cells. Rastrero reduced the growth of the four cancer cell lines without affecting normal fibroblast viability. The research shows intervarietal differences among prickly pears in terms of juice properties and phytochemicals that could prevent oxidative stress and cancer.     

禁用面粉增白剂后保证中国传统面食品色泽品质的对策

为了满足市场和消费者对面粉及其制品色泽品质的需求,针对国家《小麦粉》新标准(GB1355-2005)禁用增白剂的规定,探讨并提出了替代过氧苯甲酰(BPO)、保证中国面粉及其食品色泽品质的措施:第一,研制和开发生物型和营养型面粉改良剂,特别是以脂肪酶、α-淀粉酶、木聚糖酶等生物酶为主的一些酶制剂,靠酶的催化作用,既保证面制品表面及内部组织均匀、表皮光滑洁白,又消除了BPO类化学物质对人体健康的不利影响;第二,培育高自然白度小麦新品种,特别是种皮薄、出粉率高、胚乳色素低、多酚氧化酶(PPO)活性低的小麦新品种,用其生产高自然白度的面粉或不易褐变的食品,从原料上解决问题;第三,引导消费者正确对待面粉及食品白度问题,让消费者从营养和健康上认识BPO等化学增白剂的危害,了解小麦自然粉色的本质及面粉、食品色泽变化的原因,改变面粉及制品色泽越白越好的传统观念.     

小麦面粉白度与色泽因子配合力及相关分析

为探讨面粉白度与色泽相关因子的遗传特性及相互关系,选择11个在面粉白度等性状方面具有不同特点的小麦品种作亲本,按5×6不完全双列杂交设计组配杂交组合,对30个F₁杂种和11个亲本的面粉白度与色泽相关因子进行了分析。结果表明,面粉白度、黄色素含量、多酚氧化酶活性在亲本表型值与其一般配合力效应值间存在显著的正相关。在亲本表型值间和一般配合力效应值间,面粉白度与黄色素含量均呈显著负相关,与多酚氧化酶活性间无显著相关性。面粉白度、黄色素含量和多酚氧化酶活性的广义遗传力和狭义遗传力都较高,主要受基因加性效应影响,适合在早代进行选择。德麦3号、济麦22号和济麦20号都能较好地降低后代的黄色素含量和多酚氧化酶活性,是小麦白度育种中较适宜选择的亲本。在优质中强筋小麦育种中,不应过分追求面粉的白度和亮度,但可通过对低多酚氧化酶活性和低黄色素含量的选择,培育面粉色泽优良的小麦新品种。     

Xanthophyll levels in foxtail millet grains according to variety and harvesting time

Foxtail millet grains usually contain carotenoids, which are yellow pigments that are important for human health. Yellow grains are preferred by distributors and consumers, and special cultivars and cultivation methods are desired for a stable supply of yellow millet. We investigated the level of pigment fluctuation in several foxtail millet accessions, including the yellow grain cultivar ‘Yuikogane’ from Iwate Prefecture, using high-performance liquid chromatography. Most yellow grains primarily contained xanthophylls, including approximately 1 mg/100 g lutein and 0.2 mg/100 g zeaxanthin. These pigments were rare in the bran and grain husks but were readily detected in polished grains, indicating that xanthophylls accumulate in the endosperm. We examined ‘Yuikogane’ to investigate the relationship between xanthophyll accumulation and grain ripening. During the ripening stage, xanthophyll levels gradually increased, but they rapidly decreased in response to over-ripening. Xanthophyll accumulation was estimated using a colorimetric assay of yellow pigmentation, which could be a useful method for determining the proper harvesting time for foxtail millet.     

Effect of Freezing Technology and Storage Conditions on Folate Content in Selected Vegetables

Folates (B vitamins) are essential for the proper function of many bodily processes. Although a rich natural source are vegetables, the literature lacks data on the effect of the pre-treatment and freezing technologies used in vegetable processing and frozen storage time on the folate content in these materials. Moreover, since folates are very unstable nutrients, the amount available in processed and stored foods can be significantly lower than in raw products. In tested vegetables (green beans, yellow beans, peas, cauliflower, broccoli and spinach), one folate form was identified, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-CH₃-H₄folate). It was observed that pre-treatment and freezing technology significantly (p?<?0.05) decreased 5-CH₃-H₄folate content only in vegetables with the largest degree of fragmentation (cut and briquetted spinach) and the smallest size (peas). In all analyzed samples, the 5-CH₃-H₄folate content decreased with the time of frozen storage. In frozen cauliflower, the 5-CH₃-H₄folate loss exceeded 95 % compared to the fresh product just after the third month of frozen storage. Meanwhile, in green and yellow beans, significant 5-CH₃-H₄folate losses (at the level of 75 % and 95 %, respectively) were observed no earlier than after the 9th month of frozen storage.     

山茶油微胶囊的复合凝聚制备工艺参数及其热氧稳定性研究

以明胶和阿拉伯胶为壁材,茶多酚为固化剂,采用复合凝聚法制备山茶油微胶囊。通过单因素和正交试验考察壁材比、pH、壁材浓度、凝聚时间、芯壁比等复合凝聚条件对山茶油微胶囊包埋率和微观形态的影响,确定山茶油微胶囊复合凝聚的最佳制备工艺,并对微胶囊化前后的山茶油氧化稳定性进行分析比较。结果表明：山茶油微胶囊的最佳复合凝聚制备工艺参数为壁材比1∶1 （W/W）、pH 4.2、壁材浓度1.0%、凝聚时间30 min、芯壁比3∶2 （W/W）,在此最佳条件下制备的山茶油微胶囊产品呈浅棕色粉末状,平均包埋率达82.36%,休止角39.2°,含水率3.67%。热稳定温度280 ℃,具有良好的流动性和热稳定性。同时,加速氧化贮藏试验表明微胶囊化显著提高了山茶油的氧化稳定性。     

Electrochromic Properties and Electrochemical Behavior of Marennine,a Bioactive Blue-Green Pigment Produced by the Marine Diatom Haslea ostrearia

Marennine has long been known as the unique peculiar pigment responsible for the natural greening of oysters. It is specifically produced by the marine diatom Haslea ostrearia and it is a natural blue molecule indeed promising for food industry because of the rarity of such non-toxic, blue-colored pigments. In the search for its still not defined molecular structure, investigation of the color changes with the redox state has been carried out combining different approaches. Reducing and oxidizing chemicals have been added to purified marennine solutions and a stable blue-green color has been confirmed for the oxidized state, while a yellow color corresponded to the reduced unstable state. Raman spectroscopy has been used to monitor changes in the Raman spectra corresponding to the different colored states, and cyclic voltammetry has allowed the detection of a redox system in which protons and electrons are exchanged. These findings show that marennine is a suitable stable blue pigment for use in food applications and help in the elucidation of the chromophore structure.     

Thermal Stability of Selected Natural Red Extracts Used as Food Colorants

The color degradation of aqueous solutions of six natural red pigment extracts (elderberry, red cabbage, hibiscus, red beet, Opuntia fruits and red cochineal) used commercially as food colorants was investigated at temperatures between 50 and 90 °C. Color degradation was studied in respect to both spectral properties and visual color. The remaining absorbance at 535 nm as a function of the incubation time and temperature was used to quantify the degradation process. Red cochineal was the most thermoresistant extract with a remaining absorbance of 95 % after 6 h at 90 °C. Anthocyanin extracts (elderberry, red cabbage, hibiscus) showed remaining absorbance percentages of 63.8, 46.1 and 26.7, respectively. Betacyanin extracts (red beet, Opuntia fruits) were the most thermosensitive maintaining only 12.5 and 1.7 %, respectively, of the initial absorbance at 535 nm. Applying a first-order kinetic model to the degradation processes, reaction rate constants (k) and half-life periods (t _1/2 ) were calculated. The temperature dependence of the degradation rate constant obeyed the Arrhenius relationship, with activation energies (E _a ) ranging between 3.02 and 53.37 kJ?mol^?1. The higher activation energy values indicated greater temperature sensitivity. Changes in visual color attributes corroborated the high thermal stability of the red cochineal extract.     

油菜种皮色素的研究进展

不同颜色油菜种皮含有不同类型的色素,研究种皮颜色与其色素之间的关系能够为黄籽油菜的育种提供理论依据。介绍油菜种皮中色素种类、主要色素的含量及测定方法,为黄籽油菜的育种提供参考。     

Isolation, identification and dyeing studies of betanin on modified acrylic fabrics

Mature red fruits of Opuntia ficus-indica contain two soluble pigment, betanin and indicaxanthin. The optimal conditions for dye extraction were to mix 50 g of juice from cactus pears with 100 mL of acidified water as solvent for dye extraction. Two main dyes were purified from the pigment extract by chromatography and identified by UV-vis, HPLC and LC-MS techniques as indicaxanthin (15 mg per 100 g) and betanin (280 mg per 100 g). The effect of dye bath pH, salt concentration, dyeing time and temperature was studied. The optimal conditions for dyeing modified acrylic fabrics with betanin dye were carried out at 50 °C for 45 min at pH 5. Un-mordanted samples have good properties of water and washing fastness. Mordant CoSO₄ was found to give good light fastness (rating 5).     

Influence of Growth Regulators on Plant Growth, Yield, and Skin Color of Specialty Potatoes

2,4-D has been used since the 1950’s to enhance color in red-skinned potatoes, but there is little research on the potential use of other plant growth regulators to improve tuber skin color in the wide range of specialty potatoes now available on the market. Field trials conducted at Parma, ID in 2009 and 2010 evaluated the effect of foliar applications of 2,4-D, NAA, and LPE on plant height, foliar injury, tuber yield, size distribution, and skin color of six specialty potato cultivars. Skin color was rated visually and via HunterLab colorimeter at harvest, and again after storage (132 days in 2009 and 93 days in 2010) at 4 °C and 95 % R.H. 2,4-D caused slight foliar injury and reduced tuber size in all cultivars. It also increased visual skin color rating in the red-skinned cultivars ‘Red LaSoda’ and ‘TerraRosa’ at harvest and after storage, and influenced incidence of pink coloration around the eyes of ‘Yukon Gem’ tubers, but did not affect color of blue/purple-skinned cultivars. NAA and LPE did not consistently influence plant growth, yield, tuber size or visual skin color in any cultivar. Colorimetric evaluations mostly agreed with the visual ratings, and indicated that storage significantly altered skin color in all cultivars, regardless of growth regulator treatment.     

Chemical Characterization and Release of Polyphenols from Pecan Nut Shell [<Emphasis Type="Italic">Carya illinoinensis</Emphasis> (Wangenh) C. Koch] in Zein Microparticles for Bioactive Applications

The pecan nut [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh) C. Koch] is a natural source of polyphenols with antioxidant properties. In this study, the encapsulation of aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of pecan nut shell were evaluated for the release of bioactive compounds and antioxidant potential in order to explore food applications using zein as encapsulating agent. The extracts showed high contents of total phenolics, condensed tannins and high antioxidant activity. Concentrations of proanthocyanidins were 9-fold higher in hydroalcoholic extracts. The LC-DAD analysis showed that catechins were the major phenolic compounds in samples, with epigallocatechin levels up to 138.62 mg mL^?1. Zein microparticles loaded with aqueous extract released 2.3 times more phenolic compounds than the hydroalcoholic extracts and the DSC thermograms showed that extracts of pecan nut shell remained thermally stable up to 240 °C. The zein microcapsules obtained in this study were efficiently encapsulated and represent an interesting additive due its high antioxidant capacity, physicochemical characteristics and morphology. The use of zein microparticles combined with natural extracts constitute a step forward in the improvement of current technology for delivering phenolic compounds with applications in functional foods and nutraceuticals.