John Shi

Lycopene in Tomatoes: Chemical and Physical Properties Affected by Food Processing

Lycopene is the pigment principally responsible for the characteristic deep-red color of ripe tomato fruits and tomato products. It has attracted attention due to its biological and physicochemical properties, especially related to its effects as a natural antioxidant. Although it has no provitamin A activity, lycopene does exhibit a physical quenching rate constant with singlet oxygen almost twice as high as that of β-carotene. This makes its presence in the diet of considerable interest. Increasing clinical evidence supports the role of lycopene as a micronutri-ent with important health benefits, because it appears to provide protection against a broad range of epithelial cancers. Tomatoes and related tomato products are the major source of lycopene compounds, and are also considered an important source of carotenoids in the human diet. Undesirable degradation of lycopene not only affects the sensory quality of the final products, but also the health benefit of tomato-based foods for the human body. Lycopene in fresh tomato fruits occurs essentially in the all-trans configuration. The main causes of tomato lycopene degradation during processing are isomerization and oxidation. Isomerization converts all-trans isomers to cis-isomers due to additional energy input and results in an unstable, energy-rich station. Determination of the degree of lycopene isomerization during processing would provide a measure of the potential health benefits of tomato-based foods. Thermal processing (bleaching, retorting, and freezing processes) generally cause some loss of lycopene in tomato-based foods. Heat induces isomerization of the all-trans to cis forms. The cis-isomers increase with temperature and processing time. In general, dehydrated and powdered tomatoes have poor lycopene stability unless carefully processed and promptly placed in a hermetically sealed and inert atmosphere for storage. A significant increase in the cis-isomers with a simultaneous decrease in the all-trans isomers can be observed in the dehydrated tomato samples using the different dehydration methods. Frozen foods and heat-sterilized foods exhibit excellent lycopene stability throughout their normal temperature storage shelf life. Lycopene bioavailability (absorption) can be influenced by many factors. The bioavailability of cis-isomers in food is higher than that of all-trans isomers. Lycopene bioavailability in processed tomato products is higher than in unprocessed fresh tomatoes. The composition and structure of the food also have an impact on the bioavailability of lycopene and may affect the release of lycopene from the tomato tissue matrix. Food processing may improve lycopene bioavailability by breaking down cell walls, which weakens the bonding forces between lycopene and tissue matrix, thus making lycopene more accessible and enhancing the cis-isomerization. More information on lycopene bioavailability, however, is needed. The pharmacokinetic properties of lycopene remain particularly poorly understood. Further research on the bioavalability, pharmacology, biochemistry, and physiology must be done to reveal the mechanism of lycopene in human diet, and the in vivo metabolism of lycopene. Consumer demand for healthy food products provides an opportunity to develop lycopene-rich food as new functional foods, as well as food-grade and pharmaceutical-grade lycopene as new nutraceutical products. An industrial scale, environmentally friendly lycopene extraction and purification procedure with minimal loss of bioactivities is highly desirable for the foods, feed, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. High-quality lycopene products that meet food safety regulations will offer potential benefits to the food industry.

Polyphenolics in Grape Seeds—Biochemistry and Functionality

Grape seeds are waste products of the winery and grape juice industry. These seeds contain lipid, protein, carbohydrates, and 5-8% polyphenols depending on the variety. Polyphenols in grape seeds are mainly flavonoids, including gallic acid, the monomeric flavan-3-ols catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, and epicatechin 3-O-gallate, and procyanidin dimers, trimers, and more highly polymerized procyanidins. Grape seed extract is known as a powerful antioxidant that protects the body from premature aging, disease, and decay. Grape seeds contains mainly phenols such as proanthocyanidins (oligomeric proanthocyanidins). Scientific studies have shown that the antioxidant power of proanthocyanidins is 20 times greater than vitamin E and 50 times greater than vitamin C. Extensive research suggests that grape seed extract is beneficial in many areas of health because of its antioxidant effect to bond with collagen, promoting youthful skin, cell health, elasticity, and flexibility. Other studies have shown that proanthocyanidins help to protect the body from sun damage, to improve vision, to improve flexibility in joints, arteries, and body tissues such as the heart, and to improve blood circulation by strengthening capillaries, arteries, and veins. The most abundant phenolic compounds isolated from grape seed are catechins, epicatechin, procyanidin, and some dimers and trimers.

Lycopene in tomatoes: chemical and physical properties affected by food processing.

ABSTRACT:  Lycopene is the pigment principally responsible for the characteristic deep-red color of ripe tomato fruits and tomato products. It has attracted attention due to its biological and physicochemical properties, especially related to its effects as a natural antioxidant. Although it has no provitamin A activity, lycopene does exhibit a physical quenching rate constant with singlet oxygen almost twice as high as that of β-carotene. This makes its presence in the diet of considerable interest. Increasing clinical evidence supports the role of lycopene as a micronutri-ent with important health benefits, because it appears to provide protection against a broad range of epithelial cancers. Tomatoes and related tomato products are the major source of lycopene compounds, and are also considered an important source of carotenoids in the human diet. Undesirable degradation of lycopene not only affects the sensory quality of the final products, but also the health benefit of tomato-based foods for the human body. Lycopene in fresh tomato fruits occurs essentially in the all-trans configuration. The main causes of tomato lycopene degradation during processing are isomerization and oxidation. Isomerization converts all-trans isomers to cis-isomers due to additional energy input and results in an unstable, energy-rich station. Determination of the degree of lycopene isomerization during processing would provide a measure of the potential health benefits of tomato-based foods. Thermal processing (bleaching, retorting, and freezing processes) generally cause some loss of lycopene in tomato-based foods. Heat induces isomerization of the all-trans to cis forms. The cis-isomers increase with temperature and processing time. In general, dehydrated and powdered tomatoes have poor lycopene stability unless carefully processed and promptly placed in a hermetically sealed and inert atmosphere for storage. A significant increase in the cis-isomers with a simultaneous decrease in the all-trans isomers can be observed in the dehydrated tomato samples using the different dehydration methods. Frozen foods and heat-sterilized foods exhibit excellent lycopene stability throughout their normal temperature storage shelf life. Lycopene bioavailability (absorption) can be influenced by many factors. The bioavailability of cis-isomers in food is higher than that of all-trans isomers. Lycopene bioavailability in processed tomato products is higher than in unprocessed fresh tomatoes. The composition and structure of the food also have an impact on the bioavailability of lycopene and may affect the release of lycopene from the tomato tissue matrix. Food processing may improve lycopene bioavailability by breaking down cell walls, which weakens the bonding forces between lycopene and tissue matrix, thus making lycopene more accessible and enhancing the cis-isomerization. More information on lycopene bioavailability, however, is needed. The pharmacokinetic properties of lycopene remain particularly poorly understood. Further research on the bioavalability, pharmacology, biochemistry, and physiology must be done to reveal the mechanism of lycopene in human diet, and the in vivo metabolism of lycopene. Consumer demand for healthy food products provides an opportunity to develop lycopene-rich food as new functional foods, as well as food-grade and pharmaceutical-grade lycopene as new nutraceutical products. An industrial scale, environmentally friendly lycopene extraction and purification procedure with minimal loss of bioactivities is highly desirable for the foods, feed, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. High-quality lycopene products that meet food safety regulations will offer potential benefits to the food industry.

Lycopene degradation and isomerization in tomato dehydration

Lycopene is an important nutrient, since it appears to provide protection against a broad range of epithelial cancers. Tomatoes and tomato products are the major source of lycopene, and are considered to be an important source of carotenoids in the human diet. Biodegradation of lycopene not only affects the attractive color of the final products, but also their nutritive value. The main cause of lycopene degradation in tomato dehydration is isomerization and oxidation. The objectives of this study were to determine the retention of total lycopene and isomerization in different dehydration methods, and to optimize processing technology for the retention of lycopene biological potency in the tomato products. Experiments were carried out to compare the effect of osmotic treatment, vacuum-drying, air-drying and their combination on the retention of lycopene bioactivity. Firstly a skin treatment was applied to the tomatoes, following an osmotic treatment at 25°C in 65°Brix sucrose solution for 4 h, then vacuum-drying at 55°C for 4–8 h, or air-drying at 95°C for 6–10 h. In the fresh tomato samples, lycopene content is 75.5 μg/100 g on dry weight basis. Lycopene occurs in nature primarily in the more stable all-trans form. A significant increase in the cis-isomers with simultaneous decrease in the all-trans isomers can be observed in the dehydrated tomato samples in the different dehydration methods. The cis-isomers increased with temperature and processing time. In the osmotic treatment, the predominating mechanism is isomerization of lycopene. Since the total lycopene content remained essentially constant, but the distribution of trans- and cis-isomers changed. In the air-drying processing, isomerization and oxidation (autoxidation) as two strong factors affected simultaneously the decrease of total lycopene content, distribution of trans-and cis-isomers, and biological potency. A possible explanation of this result is that sugar enters the tomato matrix and strengthen the binding force on lycopene in the tomato matrix. Osmotic solution (sugar) remaining on the surface layer of the tomato prevents oxygen from penetrating and oxidizing lycopene. The osmotic treatment could reduce lycopene losses in comparison with other dehydration methods.

Purification and identification of antioxidant peptides from grass carp muscle hydrolysates by consecutive chromatography and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry

Grass carp muscles were hydrolyzed with various proteases (papain, bovine pancreatin 6.0, bromelain, neutrase 1.5MG and alcalase 2.4L) to extract antioxidant peptides. The hydrolysates were assessed using methods of hydroxyl radical scavenging ability and lipid peroxidation inhibition activity. Hydrolysate prepared with alcalase 2.4L was found to have the highest antioxidant activity. It was purified using ultrafiltration and consecutive chromatographic methods including ion-exchange chromatography, multilayer coil high-speed counter-current chromatography, and gel filtration chromatography. The purified peptide, as a potent antioxidant, was identified as Pro-Ser-Lys-Tyr-Glu-Pro-Phe-Val (966.3Da) using RP-HPLC connected on-line to an electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. As well, it was found that basic peptides had greater capacity to scavenge hydroxyl radical than acidic or neutral peptides and that hydrophobic peptides contributed more to the antioxidant activities of hydrolysates than the hydrophilic peptides. In addition, the amino acid sequence of the peptide might play an important role on its antioxidant activity.

Saponins from edible legumes: chemistry, processing, and health benefits.

Demand for bean products is growing because of the presence of several health-promoting components in edible bean products such as saponins. Saponins are naturally occurring compounds that are widely distributed in all cells of legume plants. Saponins, which derive their name from their ability to form stable, soaplike foams in aqueous solutions, constitute a complex and chemically diverse group of compounds. In chemical terms, saponins contain a carbohydrate moiety attached to a triterpenoid or steroids. Saponins are attracting considerable interest as a result of their diverse properties, both deleterious and beneficial. Clinical studies have suggested that these health-promoting components, saponins, affect the immune system in ways that help to protect the human body against cancers, and also lower cholesterol levels. Saponins decrease blood lipids, lower cancer risks, and lower blood glucose response. A high saponin diet can be used in the inhibition of dental caries and platelet aggregation, in the treatment of hypercalciuria in humans, and as an antidote against acute lead poisoning. In epidemiological studies, saponins have been shown to have an inverse relationship with the incidence of renal stones. Thermal processing such as canning is the typical method to process beans. This study reviews the effect of thermal processing on the characteristics and stability of saponins in canned bean products. Saponins are thermal sensitive. During soaking and blanching, portions of saponins are dissolved in water and lost in the soaking, washing, and blanching liquors. An optimum thermal process can increase the stability and maintain the saponins in canned bean products, which is useful for assisting the food industry to improve thermal processing technology and enhance bean product quality.

Extraction of Polyphenolics from Plant Material for Functional Foods—Engineering and Technology

Polyphenolic substances or polyphenols include many classes of compounds ranging from phenolic acids, colored anthocyanins, simple flavonoids, and complex flavonoids. Polyphenolics contribute to the bitterness and astringency of fruits and fruit juices due to the interaction between polyphenolics, mainly procyanidins, and the glycoproteins in saliva. Polyphenols contribute largely to cellular processes within the body. In terms of pharmacological activity, they act against the oxidation of high-density lipoproteins (HDLs). Hence, they help the body retain important HDL while helping it get rid of problematic low-density lipoproteins (LDLs). In addition, polyphenols have also been found to have antiulcer, anticarcinogenic, and antimutagenic activities. The reason behind these activities is polyphenols strong antioxidant power because they are able to quench free radicals. Green tea and grape seed extracts provide a superior source of monomers that are relatively inexpensive to extract. Comparatively, pine bark and other fruits extracts have low levels of monomers. Therefore, the nutraceutical industry has focused on optimizing extraction processes for green tea leaves and grape pomace, skins, and seeds. During extraction, a solvent is mixed with the plant material (grape seeds, grape skins, pine bark, or tea leaves). Extraction can be either completed by the addition of a solvent to the sample in a container and then removed by drying, or the solvent can be removed by concentration by ultrafiltration (UF). After any one of these processes, the extract must be dried to obtain a powder form. Alternatively, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) can also be used, which produces the final product as a powder without any use of final drying. Organic solvent extraction is efficient and simple, yet costly. Large amounts of organic solvents are needed. This, in turn, is also detrimental to human use because traces of the organic solvent are present in the polyphenol extract. Polyphenol separation and concentration by membrane separation is even more efficient than organic solvent extraction. Organic solvents are still used but in lower quantities, and UF ensures the purity of the polyphenol extract. The drawback is membrane fouling, which can disrupt the process, and the time it takes to complete the process. The separation process has to be repeated several times. Supercritical fluid extraction is the extraction process of the future. CO2 is low cost, nontoxic, nonflammable, and noncorrosive, making it the perfect solvent for natural products. In the U.S. market, where

Enhanced antioxidant and antityrosinase activities of longan fruit pericarp by ultra-high-pressure-assisted extraction.

141 million was spent on grape seed products in 1999, it is imperative that safe and efficient extraction procedures are delivered that guarantee a pure polyphenol product.

OSMOTIC DEHYDRATION OF FOODS: MASS TRANSFER AND MODELING ASPECTS

The health benefits of fruits acting against chronic diseases are ascribed to their antioxidant activities which are mainly responsible due to the presence of phenolic compounds. The use of ultra-high-pressure-assisted extraction (UHPE) has shown great advantages for the extraction of these phenolic compounds from longan fruit pericarp (LFP). Studies were carried out to investigate the effects of UHPE at pressures of 200, 300, 400 and 500 MPa on total phenolic contents, extraction yield, antioxidant and antityrosinase activities from LFP. The antioxidant activities of these extracts were analyzed, using various antioxidant models like 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, total antioxidant capacity and superoxide anion radical scavenging activity. Extract from ultra-high-pressure-assisted extraction at 500MPa (UHPE-500) showed the highest antioxidant activities of all the tested models. In addition, it also showed moderate tyrosinase inhibitory activity. Three phenolic acids, namely gallic acid, ellagic acid, and corilagin were identified and quantified by HPLC. Corilagin content was the highest compared to other phenolic acids identified. UHPE-500 obtained the higher phenolic acid contents compared to other high pressure processing and conventional extractions (CE). Compared with CE, UHPE-500 exhibited good extraction effectiveness in terms of higher extraction yields with high phenolic contents and also with higher antioxidant and antityrosinase activities.

Effects of acetic acid/acetic anhydride ratios on the properties of corn starch acetates

Biological materials contain a variety of individual soluble components. When cellular biological materials are immersed in osmotic solution, multicomponent mass transfer occurs, which ultimately leads to the loss of water from the food, or osmotic dehydration. Mass transfer of food constituents during osmotic dehydration may cause changes in food quality in terms of nutritional value, texture, color, and taste. The aspects that are important for mass transfer modeling are the driving force and the physical properties of cell units and tissue matrix of cellular material. The complex cell wall structure of cellular material acts as a semipermeable membrane, resulting in two simultaneous and countercurrent flows in the biological tissue: water transfer out of material tissue and transfer of the solute from the osmotic solution into the cellular tissue. When the cells remain intact, the chemical potential of water is the main local driving force for mass transfer towards the free intercellular spaces. At the same time, volume changes in the cellular tissue occur throughout the process after immersion in osmotic solution. Diffusion, osmotic processes, flux interactions, and tissue shrinkage should all be taken into account for accurate description of the mass transfer phenomena during osmotic dehydration. The mass transfer process has been modeled based on the theories of Fickian diffusion, irreversible thermodynamics, multicomponent diffusion, and hydrodynamic flow. The use of vacuum or pulsed vacuum has an effect on mass transfer, which reveals the effect of material structure property on mass transfer. Evaluation of the long-term equilibrium and the distribution of the phases in the tissue provide a better understanding of the phenomena that control the mass transfer processes in osmotic dehydration. It is important to link microstructural investigations with the processing parameters during osmotic dehydration, and the compositional and mechanical characteristics of the tissues. Knowledge of the structural characteristics of the materials and the relationship between all components in the mass transfer process needs to be further understood.