Food & Function Blog

Scientists in Israel have evaluated the literature surrounding oral food delivery systems. These delivery systems are used to protect foods enriched with bioactive ingredients as they pass through the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and provide controlled targeted release of active compounds to the appropriate site.

In their review piece, Uri Lesmes and co-workers discuss carbohydrate-, protein- and lipid-based delivery systems and evaluate their benefits and limitations. It is highlighted that food grade delivery systems need to address the variety of physical and chemical processes of the human GIT by adopting a cutting edge pharmacological approach. Establishing structure–function relationships of food delivery systems and coping with the complexity of the digestive process are key factors for utilising the full potential of food delivery systems.

To view the full review article for free, please click below:

Development of oral food-grade delivery systems: Current knowledge and future challenges
Revital Cohen Benshitrit, Carmit Shani Levi, Sharon Levi, Eyal Shimoni and Uri Lesmes
Food Funct., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/c1fo10068h

Scientists in the US have looked into the mechanisms behind the protective effects of lowbush blueberries on cardiovascular disease. Lowbush blueberries have already been shown to inhibit the growth of atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta of mice, however, the mechanism of this action is not fully understood.

In their paper, Xianli Wu and co-workers from Arkansas, US, found that when blueberries were incorporated into the diet at 1% they were capable of inhibiting expression of scavenger receptors CD36 and SR-A in peritoneal macrophages of apoE deficient mice. This was proposed to be due to the down-regulation of PPAR-gamma receptor and a reduction in its endogenous ligands. CD36 and SR-A scavenger receptors have been shown to play a significant role in the development of atherosclerosis.

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

Lowbush blueberries inhibit scavenger receptors CD36 and SR-A expression and attenuate foam cell formation in ApoE-deficient mice, Chenghui Xie, Jie Kang, Jin-Ran Chen, Oxana P. Lazarenko, Matthew E. Ferguson, Thomas M. Badger, Shanmugam Nagarajanad and Xianli Wu, Food Funct., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/c1fo10136f

Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower have been associated with a decreased risk of gastrointestinal, lung and prostate cancers. In their recent review article, Johanna Lampe and colleagues from the US provide an update on the proposed mechanisms of action behind this observed cancer chemoprevention.

Vegetables from the Brassicaceae family (such as cabbage and Brussels sprouts) contain significant amounts of sulfur-containing glucosinolates which are converted to bioactive compounds such as indoles and isothiocyanates during digestion. It is these compounds which are thought to be responsible for the increased chemoprotective effects observed by cruciferous vegetable consumption compared to other fruits and vegetables.  It is concluded that a systems biology approach may help our understanding of these compounds because such a wide variety of isothiocyanates are produced from glucosinolates and there are many diverse pathways on which they act.

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

Mechanisms of action of isothiocyanates in cancer chemoprevention: an update, Sandi Navarro, Fei Li and Johanna Lampe, Food Funct., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/c1fo10114e

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