Heikki Kallio

Different berries and berry fractions have various but slightly positive effects on the associated variables of metabolic diseases on overweight and obese women.

Background/Objectives:Dietary habits have a major role in obesity, type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we compared the effects of sea buckthorn (SB) and its fractions, and bilberries (BBs) on associated variables of metabolic diseases on overweight and obese women.Subjects/Methods:In total, 110 female volunteers were recruited, and they followed four different berry diets (BB, SB, SB phenolic extract (SBe) and SB oil (SBo)) in a randomized order for 33–35 days. Each intervention was followed by a wash-out period of 30–39 days. Blood samples were drawn and physical measurements were performed after each period. Eighty volunteers completed the study.Results:There was statistically significant decrease in waist circumference after BB (Δ, −1.2 cm; P=0.041) and SB (Δ, −1.1 cm; P=0.008) periods and also a small decrease in weight after BB diet (Δ, −0.2 kg; P=0.028). Vascular cell adhesion molecule decreased after BB (Δ, −49.8 ng/ml; P=0.002) and SBo (Δ, −66.1 ng/ml; P=0.001) periods, and in intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM) after SBe diet (Δ, −6.1 ng/ml; P=0.028).Conclusions:Based on the results, it can be stated that different berries and berry fractions have various but slightly positive effects on the associated variables of metabolic diseases.

Structure of the polyphenolic component of suberin isolated from potato (Solanum tuberosum var. Nikola).

Suberin is present in the underground parts of vegetables and in the bark of trees. Characterization of suberin and the structure of its polyphenolic component have been hampered by insolubility of the polymers. Thus, enzymatically isolated and extractive free suberin enriched fraction from potato, Solanum tuberosum var. Nikola, and the chemically further fractionated phenolics were characterized in solid state by FTIR, DSC, and elemental analysis to identify the groups and to verify success of isolation. For MW and quantitative determination of the groups, polymers were solubilized in ionic liquid derivatized and analyzed by GPC and (31)P NMR. Suberin enriched fraction, MW = ca. 44 x 10(3) g/mol, is a mixture of carbohydrates and polyesters of aliphatic long chain hydroxy fatty acids and diacids linked via ester bonds to the phenolics, MW = ca. 27 x 10(3) g/mol, formed by guaiacyl- and p-hydroxyphenyl structures. Phenolics in peels may be important sources of antioxidants for various applications.

Chemical and Functional Characterization of Kañiwa (Chenopodium pallidicaule) Grain, Extrudate and Bran

Cereals provide a good source of dietary fibre and other important compounds with nutritional potential, such as phenolic compounds, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. Although native Andean cereals are known to have high nutritional value, their minor components have not been studied thoroughly. In this study, two varieties of a native Andean crop, kañiwa (Chenopodium pallidicaule), were investigated as sources of dietary fibre and specific antioxidant compounds. Two products, an extrudate and bran, were also prepared and their functional properties and bioactive compounds were determined. Both varieties were rich in total dietary fibre and lignin, and the phenolic components analyzed had high antioxidant activity. The extrudates had good functional properties, such as degree of gelatinization, sectional expansion index and water solubility index; the bran was high in bioactive compounds, such as total phenolics. In conclusion, kañiwa may offer an alternative to traditional cereals as a health-promoting food ingredient.

Phenolic compounds in hawthorn (Crataegus grayana) fruits and leaves and changes during fruit ripening.

Phenolics in the fruits and leaves of Crataegus grayana were identified by HPLC-UV-ESI-MS. The contents of these compounds and their changes during autumn were also analyzed. Epicatechin [1-7 mg/g dry mass (DM) in fruits and 1-10 mg/g DM in leaves), procyanidins B2 (2-4 and 1-8 mg/g DM) and C1 (2-4 and 1-8 mg/g DM), hyperoside (0.5-1 and 2-11 mg/g DM), and a quercetin-pentoside (0.3-0.5 and 2-6 mg/g DM) were the major phenolics in both fruits and leaves. C-Glycosyl flavones were present in leaves (2-5 mg/g DM), whereas only trace levels were found in fruits. Ideain and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid were found only in fruits. An additional 11 phenolics were identified/tentatively identified. Total phenolic contents reached highest levels by the end of August in fruits and by the end of September in leaves. The compositional profiles of phenolics in fruits and leaves of C. grayana were different from those of other Crataegus species.

Inositols and methylinositols in sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides) berries.

Sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.) berries, especially of ssp. sinensis, contain significant quantities of an unknown, water-soluble compound, evidently a cyclitol derivative. The compound was isolated by HPLC and analyzed by GC-MS [trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivative, selected ion monitoring (SIM) and total ion chromatogram (TIC) analyses], by (1)H and (13)C NMR and by optical activity measurements. The results together with analyses of reference compound verified the unambiguous structure (-)-2-O-methyl-L-chiro-inositol (L-quebrachitol). In addition, chiro-inositol and myo-inositol existing in trace amounts were identified based on reference compounds, chromatographic data and mass spectra of the TMS derivatives. Methyl-myo-inositol was tentatively identified based on chromatography and mass spectrometry. Inositols and methyl inositols are bioactive compounds essential for regulating physiological processes of plants and humans. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the presence of chiro-inositol and myo-inositol in sea buckthorn and L-quebrachitol in edible berries. The identification of the inositols and l-quebrachitol in sea buckthorn may bring new insights into the sensory properties and also mechanisms behind the health effects of the berry.

Effects of Antioxidants on Rapeseed Oil Oxidation in an Artificial Digestion Model Analyzed by UHPLC–ESI–MS

A normal diet contains large quantities of oxidized fatty acids, glycerolipids, cholesterol, and their cytotoxic degradation products because many foods in the diet are fried, heated, or otherwise processed and consumed often after long periods of storage. There is also evidence that the acid medium of the stomach promotes lipid peroxidation and that the gastrointestinal tract is a major site of antioxidant action, as demonstrated by various colorimetric methods. The identity and yields of specific products of lipid transformation have seldom been determined. The present study describes the molecular species profiles of all major gastrointestinal lipids formed during digestion of autoxidized rapeseed oil in an artificial digestion model in the presence of L-ascorbic acid, 6-palmitoyl-O-L-ascorbic acid, 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxytoluene (BHT), DL-α-tocopherol, and DL-α-tocopheryl acetate. Differences in oxidized lipid profiles were detected in the samples digested in the presence of different antioxidants, but none of them could prevent the formation of oxidized lipids or promote their degradation in a gastric digestion model. The lack of effect is attributed to the inappropriate nature of the gastrointestinal medium for the antioxidant activity of these vitamins and BHT. A fast ultrahigh performance liquid chromatographic-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometric method was developed for the analysis of lipolysis products, including epoxy, hydroperoxy, and hydroxy fatty acids, and acylglycerols, utilizing lithium as ionization enhancer.

Suberin of Potato (Solanum tuberosum Var. Nikola): Comparison of the Effect of Cutinase CcCut1 with Chemical Depolymerization

Chemical and enzymatic depolymerizations of suberin isolated from potato peel ( Solanum tuberosum var. Nikola) were performed under various conditions. Enzymatic hydrolysis with cutinase CcCut1 and chemical methanolysis with NaOMe of suberin yielded monomeric fragments, which were identified as TMS derivatives with GC-MS and GC-FID. The solid, hydrolysis-resistant residues were analyzed with solid state (13)C CPMAS NMR, FT-IR, and microscopic methods. Methanolysis released more CHCl(3)-soluble material than the cutinase treatment when determined gravimetrically. Interestingly, cutinase-catalyzed hydrolysis produced higher proportions of aliphatic monomers than hydrolysis with the NaOMe procedure when analyzed by GC in the form of TMS derivatives. Monomers released by the two methods were mainly alpha,omega-dioic acids and omega-hydroxy acids, but the ratios of the detected monomers were different, at 40.0 and 32.7% for methanolysis and 64.6 and 8.2% for cutinase, respectively. Thus, cutinase CcCut1 showed higher activity toward ester bonds of alpha,omega-dioic acids than toward the bonds of omega-hydroxy acids. The most abundant monomeric compounds were octadec-9-ene-1,18-dioic acid and 18-hydroxyoctadec-9-enoic acid, which accounted for ca. 37 and 28% of all monomers, respectively. The results of the analyses of the chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis products were supported by the spectroscopic analyses with FT-IR and CPMAS (13)C NMR together with the analysis of the microstructures of the hydrolysis residues by light and confocal microscopy.

Effects of oral sea buckthorn oil on tear film Fatty acids in individuals with dry eye.

Purpose: Evaporative dry eye is associated with meibomian gland dysfunction and abnormalities of the tear film lipids. Dry eye is known to be affected positively by intake of linoleic and γ-linolenic acids and n-3 fatty acids. Oral sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides) (SB) oil, which contains linoleic and α-linolenic acids and antioxidants, has shown beneficial effects on dry eye. The objective was to investigate whether supplementation with SB oil affects the composition of the tear film fatty acids in individuals reporting dry eye. Methods: One hundred participants were randomized to this parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, which 86 of them completed. The participants daily consumed 2 g of SB or placebo oil for 3 months. Tear film samples were collected at the beginning, during, and at the end of the intervention and 1 to 2 months later. Tear film fatty acids were analyzed as methyl esters by gas chromatography. Results: There were no group differences in the changes in fatty acid proportions during the intervention (branched-chain fatty acids: P = 0.49, saturated fatty acids: P = 0.59, monounsaturated fatty acids: P = 0.53, and polyunsaturated fatty acids: P = 0.16). Conclusions: The results indicate that the positive effects of SB oil on dry eye are not mediated through direct effects on the tear film fatty acids. Carotenoids and tocopherols in the oil or eicosanoids produced from the fatty acids of the oil may have a positive effect on inflammation and differentiation of the meibomian gland cells.

Effects of Genotype, Latitude, and Weather Conditions on the Composition of Sugars, Sugar Alcohols, Fruit Acids, and Ascorbic Acid in Sea Buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides ssp. mongolica) Berry Juice

Sea buckthorn berries (Hippophaë rhamnoides ssp. mongolica) of nine varieties were collected from three growth locations in five inconsecutive years (n = 152) to study the compositional differences of sugars, sugar alcohols, fruit acids, and ascorbic acid in berries of different genotypes. Fructose and glucose (major sugars) were highest in Chuiskaya and Vitaminaya among the varieties studied, respectively. Malic acid and quinic acid (major acids) were highest in Pertsik and Vitaminaya, respectively. Ascorbic acid was highest in Oranzhevaya and lowest in Vitaminaya. Berry samples of nine varieties collected from two growth locations in five years (n = 124) were combined to study the effects of latitude and weather conditions on the composition of H. rhamnoides ssp. mongolica. Sea buckthorn berries grown at lower latitude had higher levels of total sugar and sugar/acid ratio and a lower level of total acid and were supposed to have better sensory properties than those grown at higher latitude. Glucose, quinic acid, and ascorbic acid were hardly influenced by weather conditions. The other components showed various correlations with temperature, radiation, precipitation, and humidity variables. In addition, fructose, sucrose, and myo-inositol correlated positively with each other and showed negative correlation with malic acid on the basis of all the samples studied (n = 152).

Children’s hedonic response to berry products: Effect of chemical composition of berries and hTAS2R38 genotype on liking

The hedonic response of 104 healthy children, recruited from day-care centres and schools, to 12 different berry products with varying content of added sugar was studied. The berries used as ingredients were blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum), sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides), bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), and lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea). Another aim of the study was to study the effects of the chemical composition of berries as well as childrens hTAS2R38 taste receptor genotypes on liking. The most liked product was bilberry with yoghurt, followed by bilberry juice, dried bilberries, and lingonberry rye bread. The most disliked products were sea buckthorn juice, sea buckthorn berries with yoghurt, and oatmeal with blackcurrant powder and berry oil. High total organic acid concentration was strongly related with a poor average liking score of the berries/berry products. A total of four different alleles of hTAS2R38 gene were observed in the study. Of the genotyped children, 45% were bitter taste insensitive individuals of the genotype AVI/AVI, and 40% were of the genotype PAV/AVI. Children of the genotype PAV/AVI were reported using more vegetables, but not berries, than the AVI/AVI children. The results also show that the liking scores of the children of the AVI/AVI, PAV/AVI, and PAV/PAV genotypes differed from each other, and that the familiarity of a berry product is likely to be an important factor in liking.