Food & Function Blog

Scientists from Coimbra, Portugal, have investigated the anti-oxidant behaviour of a series of dietary chromone derivatives. Anti-oxidant compounds are important for our health because the balance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body has been linked to damage in DNA and proteins, which can thus result in cardiovascular diseases or cancer.

In this paper, the free radical scavenging ability of several chromone derivatives were investigated and a theoretical ab initio approach was used to help explain experimental results. The ring substitution patterns of the various chromones were found to be related to their anti-radical behaviour, whereas the chromone core by itself does not ensure radical scavenging activity. The structure–activity relationships (SARs) established during this study may assist the development of tailored novel compounds for the prevention of cancer or cardiovascular disease in the future.

To read the full article for free, click the link below:

Dietary chromones as antioxidant agents—the structural variable, M. M. Dias, N. F. L. Machado and M. P. M. Marques, Food Funct., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/c1fo10098j

In a newly published Food & Function review, Garry Duthie and Adrian Wood have looked into the role of natural salicylates in disease prevention. Salicylates have been used as anti-inflammatories for over 5000 years, in particular the protective effects of acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin) are well known. Due to these bioactive properties and associated health advantages, the salicylate compound class has gained significant interest from researchers.

In this review, the role of dietary salicylates is put into context in relation to disease prevention. It is highlighted that while dietary salicylates may have long term health benefits, the foods that salicylates are commonly found in (such as tomato-based sauces, fruit juice, tea, wine, and herbs) are also sources of a wide variety of other bioactive phenolic compounds, which equally may have beneficial qualities.

To read the full review for free, click the link below:

Natural salicylates: foods, functions and disease prevention
Garry G. Duthie and Adrian D. Wood, Food Funct., 2011,
DOI: 10.1039/c1fo10128e

Scientists from the UK have investigated the short-term effects of drinking coffee on heart rate and cardiovascular activity. Coffee (and other beverages including tea and some soft drinks) contain caffeine, a compound which is a stimulant and can therefore elicit reflex autonomic responses affecting the cardiovascular system.

In this study the heart rates of participants were monitored after drinking regular and decaffeinated coffee, and were shown to increase immediately after ingestion by decreasing both the diastolic interval and ejection time. This extended for 30 minutes. The results suggest that increased heart rate during the 30 min period following the intake of coffee is mainly due to parasympathetic withdrawal as opposed to increased sympathetic activity. This may help to explain the popularity of these bitter beverages and also provide a link between coffee consumption and coronary heart disease.

Click the link below to read the full article for free:

The immediate and short-term chemosensory impacts of coffee and caffeine on cardiovascular activity Michael McMullen, Julie Whitehouse, Gillian Shine, Peter Whitton and Anthony Towell, Food Funct., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/c1fo10102a

Researchers from France have investigated how refining processes affect the lipotropic capacity of plant-based foods. Lipotropes – such as choline – are important compounds commonly found in vegetables, which prevent excess hepatic fat deposits by catalysing fat metabolism in the body. The lipotropic potential of bioactive phytochemicals from plant-based foods (PBF) has been much less studied and emphasised compared to other properties like antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory potentials. Yet, fatty liver is common to several chronic pathologies like steatohepatitis, fibrosis and cirrhosis.

In this work, Anthony Fardet and co-workers aimed to estimate the effect of various technological processes on the lipotropic capacity and density of plant based foods. Results showed that overall, processing methods significantly reduced lipotropic capacity by approximately 20%, although fermentation was shown to be less drastic than thermal treatment.  Furthermore, results indicated that fermentation and canning may actually increase the lipotropic density.

To find out more, read the full article for free by following the link below:

Thermal and refining processes, not fermentation, tend to reduce lipotropic capacity of plant-based foods
Anthony Fardet, Jean-Francois Martin and Jean-Michel Chardigny, Food Funct., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/c1fo10041f

Mark Lucock and co-workers from Australia have investigated the variation in bitter taste genetics and how this affects nutrient intake. Variations in taste perception can influence dietary preferences and therefore also influence nutrient intake. For example, the bitter taste of folate-rich cruciferous vegetables (such as cabbage and broccoli) is thought to be linked to their unpopularity. Low consumption of these types of vegetables may increase the risk of developing adenomatous polyps/colorectal cancer, which are related to folate metabolism.  Recent research into bitter taste has focused on the TAS2R38 gene, variations in which are known to alter bitter perception.

In this work the relationship between variations in the TAS2R38 gene, red cell folate status as a model of folate-rich food consumption, and risk of developing polyps was investigated.  They demonstrated that bitter taste genetics interacted with red cell folate status to predict the occurrence of colonic adenomatous polyps, a recognised precursor of colon cancer.

To find out more, read the article in full for free by following the link below:

TAS2R38 bitter taste genetics, dietary vitamin C, and both natural and synthetic dietary folic acid predict folate status, a key micronutrient in the pathoaetiology of adenomatous polyps, Mark Lucock, Xiaowei Ng, Lyndell Boyd, Virginia Skinner, Ron Wai, Sa Tang, Charlotte Naylor, Zoe Yates, Jeong-Hwa Choi, Paul Roacha and Martin Veysey, Food Funct., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/c1fo10054h

 Thomas Wolever and co-workers from Canada have studied the effect of preparation methods on the glycaemic index (GI) of novel potato clones designed to be low in GI. High GI diets are associated with increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, due to the rapid release of carbohydrates into the bloodstream. While raw potato starch is resistant to digestive enzymes, cooked potato starch is easily digestible by enzymes and therefore has a high GI value (>70). Due to their high GI value, potatoes are often viewed as bad for our health.

In this study, variations in the GI value were observed when the potato clones were cooked, cooled and reheated, and the extent of this also varied for different clones. The results could potentially help to create new varieties of potatoes with low GI values, which would be beneficial for the prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

To read the full article for free, click the link below: 

Effect of preparation method on the glycaemic index of novel potato clones, Tara Kinnear, Thomas M. S. Wolever, Agnes M. Murphy, J. Alan Sullivan, Qiang Liud and Benoit Bizimungu, Food Funct., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/c1fo10042d

Scientists from Shimane, Japan, have investigated the effects of n-3 fatty acids on cognitive functions and learning ability impairments in an animal model of Alzheimer’s. These n-3 fatty acids, found in foods such as salmon and tuna, have recently been associated with reduced risk of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and can also lower the possibility of developing cardiovascular disease.

In this study, an animal model of Alzheimer’s was treated with TAK-085 (highly purified and concentrated n-3 fatty acids containing eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl ester and docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester) for 12 weeks. The rats behaviour and memory functions were assessed by their completion of an 8-arm radial maze task. The results showed that the memory errors performed during the task were significantly reduced during the treatment period, and suggests that TAK-085 can be used as a possible therapeutic agent for protecting against AD-induced learning deficiencies.

Read the full article for free by following the link below:

Protective effects of prescription n-3 fatty acids against impairment of spatial cognitive learning ability in amyloid b-infused rats, M. Hashimoto, R. Tozawa, M. Katakura, H. Shahdat, A. Md. Haque, Y. Tanabe, S. Gamoha and O. Shidoa, Food Funct., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/c1fo00002k

Researchers from Fisciano, Italy, have provided new insights into the mechanism of interaction between tau proteins and the extra-virgin olive oil component oleocanthal (OLC). Extra-virgin olive oil is the primary source of fat in the Mediterranean diet, and is widely associated with a variety of health benefits.  The olive oil phenolic compound OLC has attracted great interest due to the suggestion it could be involved in modulating diseases such as inflammation and Alzheimer’s.

Fibrillization of Tau protein is one of the leading causes of Alzheimer’s disease and OLC has been shown to halt this process. Understanding how this compound interacts with tau protein and prevents fibrillization could prove to be crucial in the fight against Alzheimer’s.

In this study, it was shown that OLC irreversibly modifies tau protein via covalent modification of the tau protein fibrillogenic fragment K18, thus preventing its fibrillization. This occurs through Schiff base formation between the 3-amino group on the lysine residues of tau protein and the carbonyl groups of OLC in a 1:1 stoichiometry.

To find out more read the article in full for free; follow the link below

New insights on the interaction mechanism between tau protein and oleocanthal, an extra-virgin olive-oil bioactive component

Maria Chiara Monti, Luigi Margarucci, Alessandra Tosco, Raffaele Riccio and Agostino Casapullo, Food Funct., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/c1fo10064e

Scientists from New Jersey, America, have reported that modified 3-polylysine (M-EPL) can improve the water solubility of poorly-soluble bioactive compounds. The discovery suggests that M-EPL could potentially be used as a biopolymer to deliver poorly soluble drugs thereby improving their bioactivities.

At concentrations above the critical aggregation concentration, M-EPL forms a polymer micelle in aqueous solutions of size 2.4-2.6 nm, which upon further aggregation results in micelles of radius 26.8-30.8 nm as determined by synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). It was found that the M-EPL micelles were able to capture and solubilize compounds such as curcuminoids, which are ordinarily water-insoluble. This finding is of interest because curcuminoids (extracted from tumeric) have shown anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, but their use as drug candidates is hindered by their very poor solubility.

To find out more, read the article in full for free by following the link below:

Structure of modified 3-polylysine micelles and their application in improving cellular antioxidant activity of curcuminoids
H. Yu, J. Li, K. Shi and Q. Huang, Food Funct., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/c1fo10053j

Researchers from Montreal, Canada, have investigated the link between iron deficiency and highly unsaturated fatty acids in the diet of Canadian Arctic Inuits. Impaired fatty acid synthesis has been noted in iron deficient animal models but data from humans is scarce. The typical diet of the Canadian Inuit consists primarily of red meat – an excellent source of heme iron and unsaturated n–3 fatty acids. However, recent reports have highlighted the prevalence of iron deficiency among the Inuit population – in fact these reports suggest that iron deficiency could affect up to 18% of Inuit children compared to 4.5% of American children. Although these statistics may seem counter-intuitive considering the iron and nutrient rich traditional red meat diet of the Inuit, recent trends in dietary behaviour amongst the population has seen a shift from the traditional nutrient rich diet to one containing more convenient “market foods”. This so-called “dietary transition” has resulted in concerns over inadequate iron intake – a concern which was virtually non-existent before. The high levels of iron deficiency in the Inuit population allowed investigation of the link between iron deficiency and fatty acid synthesis in humans.

The traditional Inuit diet is also rich in compounds called n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (or n-3 HUFA), which have previously been shown to be protective against cardiovascular disease. From the results found in this study, a correlation was observed between the activity of desaturase 5 (a crucial enzyme in the biosynthesis of n-3 HUFA) and serum ferritin (an indicator of iron status) in the Inuit population. Therefore, in a shift away from the traditional red meat Inuit diet, n-3 HUFA consumption and biosynthesis are both reduced and exacerbated by the decreased iron levels. This potentially suggests that the Inuit population may be more susceptible to obesity and cardiovascular disease, in particular ischemic heart disease.

To read the full article for free, please follow the link below:

Is iron status associated with highly unsaturated fatty acid status among Canadian Arctic Inuit? Yuan E. Zhou, Stan Kubow and Grace M. Egeland, Food Funct., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/c1fo10051c