Food & Function Blog

Lipids are important compounds in foods and influence many factors from nutrition to mouth-feel. However, lipid compounds readily undergo oxidation reactions, which negatively effect the texture, odour and colour of foods, which in turn lead to a reduced shelf-life. In fact, some previous research has shown that oxidized lipids from the diet could directly contribute to major illnesses in humans, such as cancers and heart disease.

In order to prevent lipid oxidation, active packaging systems containing antioxidant agents, radical scavengers, metal chelators and ultraviolet (UV) absorbers have been introduced into the food industry with the aim to increase the safety and quality of packaged foods. Active packaging goes goes beyond the traditional role of packaging by imparting specific, intentional functionality to the packaging system and is discussed in depth in this recent Food & Function review. Here, Fang Tian, Eric Decker and Julie Goddard, from Massachusetts, USA, discuss the recent advances in antioxidant active packaging and highlight the development and application of active packaging systems. The opportunity to apply these antioxidant active packaging systems commercially is also discussed, with a focus on maintaining safety, quality and nutrition of packaged foods.

To find out more, click the link below to read the full article. It’s free until the 15th May:

Controlling lipid oxidation of food by active packaging technologies, Fang Tian, Eric A. Decker and Julie M. Goddard, Food Funct., 2013, DOI: 10.1039/c3fo30360h

Energy drinks could help enhance memory and attention. Image © Shutterstock’

Glucose is very important for healthy brain function as it modulates mental alertness and cognition. However, glucose cannot be easily stored and the brain requires a constant supply of glucose for fuel. Previous work has shown that consuming a glucose drink can enhance mental alertness, however the precise cognitive abilities that are susceptible to glucose remain unclear.

To investigate this further, Louise Brown and Leigh Riby from Nottingham Trent University and Northumbria University, UK, have examined the effects of glucose on episodic memory and attention processes. 35 participants performed an old/new recognition memory task and a Stroop colour naming task. The results showed that glucose enhances the neuro-cognitive processes related to verbal episodic memory and recollection, which was consistent with earlier work. However, there was also some evidence of enhanced attention during the task under difficult conditions. Therefore, the results suggest that glucose drinks may facilitate attention as well as memory.

To find out more, read the article in full by clicking the link below:

Glucose enhancement of event-related potentials associated with episodic memory and attention, Louise A. Brown and Leigh M. Riby, Food Funct., 2013, DOI: 10.1039/C3FO30243A

Tea is one of the most popular drinks worldwide, and it’s nutritional value is comes mainly from the tea polyphenols which are reported to possess a broad spectrum of biological activities.  These include reduction of various cancers, inhibition of inflammation, and protective effects against diabetes and obesity.

In this review article researchers from Rutgers University (USA), National Chiayi University and National Kaohsiung Marine university (Taiwan) review the chemical analysis and stability of black tea.  Accurate analysis of the components of black tea is important for quality control, but also to identify the important biologically active molecules within it and their efficacy in animal and human studies.  Based on these finding, new and improved tea products can be produced.  This review article summarizes the major components of black tea before looking at the methods of analyzing these compounds and their stability.

Read the full article for free:

Black tea: chemical analysis and stability, Shiming Li, Chih-Yu Lo, Min-Hsiung Pan, Ching-Shu Lai and Chi-Tang Ho, Food Funct., 2013, 4, 10-18

Omega-3 (w-3) fatty acids, found in foods such as oily fish, have previously been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, studies on animals and humans have given conflicting results when it comes to the effects of w-3 on obesity. As obesity is associated with other conditions such as high cholesterol, inflammation and cardiovascular disease, reducing the body mass index (BMI) of obese patients (>30 kg m^¬2) to the normal range (20-25 kg m^¬2) is therefore important for good health.

In this research paper, Manohar Garg and Irene Munro from University of Newcastle, Australia, have investigated whether supplementation with LCw-3PUFA (omega-3 fatty acid) alone, then consumed in conjunction with a very low energy diet, facilitates weight loss. The team found that in their double blind randomised controlled trial, women are more responsive to the metabolism of LCw-3PUFA, which is possibly due to the hormone oestrogen and therefore they benefit from enhanced thermogenesis. However, due to the small number of male participants in this study, further research over a longer time period would be required to investigate gender differences and the potential link between LCw-3PUFA and BMI.

Read the full article for free until the 26th March 2013!

Prior supplementation with long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids promotes weight loss in obese adults: a double-blinded randomised controlled trial, Irene A. Munro and Manohar L. Garg, Food Funct., 2013, DOI: 10.1039/c3fo60038f

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As well as adding great flavours to the foods we eat and enhancing the sensory qualities of our meals, spices also provide us with many health benefits.  These include radioprotective effects as well as helping us to fight against, and prevent, diseases such as alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity, cancers and diseases of the bowel.

Read about some of the latest research in this area from selection of articles published in Food & Function below – all free to access until the 19th March 2013!

Dietary spices as beneficial modulators of lipid profile in conditions of metabolic disorders and diseases, Krishnapura Srinivasan, Food Funct., 2013, DOI: 10.1039/C2FO30249G

Curcumin, an active component of turmeric in the prevention and treatment of ulcerative colitis: preclinical and clinical observations, Manjeshwar Shrinath Baliga, Nandhini Joseph, Marikunte V. Venkataranganna, Arpit Saxena, Venkatesh Ponemone and Raja Fayad, Food Funct., 2012, 3, 1109-1117

Radioprotective effects of Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Ginger): past, present and future, Manjeshwar Shrinath Baliga, Raghavendra Haniadka, Manisha Maria Pereira, Karadka Ramdas Thilakchand, Suresh Rao and Rajesh Arora, Food Funct., 2012, 3, 714-723

Dietary agents in the prevention of alcohol-induced hepatotoxicty: preclinical observations, Arnadi Ramachandrayya Shivashankara, Aysha Azmidah, Raghavendra Haniadka, Manoj Ponadka Rai, Rajesh Arora and Manjeshwar Shrinath Baliga, Food Funct., 2012, 3, 101-109

Inhibitory effects of 1,3-bis-(2-substituted-phenyl)-propane-1,3-dione, β-diketone structural analogues of curcumin, on chemical-induced tumor promotion and inflammation in mouse skin, Chuan-Chuan Lin, Yue Liu, Chi-Tang Ho and Mou-Tuan Huang, Food Funct., 2011, 2, 78-83

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The texture and melting behaviour of chocolate are key factors for determining chocolate quality. Textural characteristics such as bite, firmness, melting properties, stickiness and smoothness are important, however, perhaps the most important factor is melting behaviour. It must be solid at room temperature (about 20 ºC) and melt at body temperature (37 ºC). When consumed it melts in the mouth, mixes with saliva and the phase inverts from a fat continuous product into an oil-in-water emulsion upon chewing. It is at this point that levels of mouth-coating can be perceived.

In this work, Bettina Wolf and co-workers from Nottingham, UK, have studied the microstructure of two chocolate samples following oral processing in order to understand the textural behaviour. Two milk chocolate samples with the same composition and viscosity in the melted state were manufactured differently to give differences in textural properties. The microstructureof the chocolate samples following oral processing resembled an emulsion as the chocolate phase inverts in-mouth and was clearly different and between the two samples. The sample that was found to be more mouth-coating appeared less flocculated after 20 chews. The team also performed tribological studies to measure friction properties. The research showed correlations between the sensory behaviour and the physical material properties relating to melting and friction behaviour.

To read the full article (free until the 13th February 2013) click the link below:

Oral processing of two milk chocolate samples, Ana Margarida Carvalho-da-Silva, Isabella Van Damme, Will Taylor, Joanne Hort and Bettina Wolf, Food Funct., 2013, DOI: 10.1039/c2fo30173c

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Recently there has been considerable debate on what is the most appropriate and accurate method to predict the available energy to humans from food, particularly relating to factorial models vs.empirical models.  An alternative approach would be to calculate the physiologically available energy of food at the cellular level (ATP, or adenosine-5′-triphosphate), based on stoichiometric relationships and predictive uptakes of nutrients from the digestive tract. 

In this work, Leah Coles and colleagues from the Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute (Australia) and the Riddet Institute, Massey University (New Zealand) have developed just such a model. The model takes ‘energetic costs’ into account when considering the ATP yield, such as the energetic cost of digesting, absorbing and transporting nutrients in the body. The model is potentially a valuable tool for the development of certain food products which need to provide accurate quantities of energy intake, such as specialised weight-loss products. 

Read the full article for free until the 7th Feburary 2013!

A model to predict the ATP equivalents of macronutrients absorbed from food, Leah Coles,  Shane Rutherfurd and Paul Moughan, Food Funct., 2013, DOI: 10.1039/C2FO30239J

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Colorectal cancer is one of the major causes of cancer-related mortalities in humans across the world.  The disease is one influenced by several factors including diet, environment and smoking.  Previous studies into the effects of diet on this disease have indicated an inverse relationship between consumption of fruits and vegetables and the risk of developing colon cancer. 

In this study, Andriana Kaliora and colleagues from Harokopio University and Corinthian Raisins Cooperative SKOS A.S.E., Greece, have looked at the impact of the total phenolic content from raisins and sultanas on colon cancer cells.  Extracts from both raisins and sultanas showed DPPH scavenging activity in a dose-dependent manner, and both suppressed cell proliferation.  Methanol extracts of the sultanas and raisins exhibited anti-radical activity in vitro and cancer preventative efficacy on colon cancer cells, with sultanas having slightly higher activity.

The authors attribute the beneficial properties of the raisins and sultanas from this region to their high phenolic content.

This article is free to access until the 4th February 2013!

Chemopreventive properties of raisins originating from Greece in colon cancer cells, Aggeliki M. Kountouri, Aristea Gioxari, Evangelia Karvela, Andriana C. Kaliora, Michalis Karvelas and Vaios T. Karathanos, Food Funct., 2013, DOI: 10.1039/C2FO30259D

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