Applications of Natural Products in Foods

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Physics and (Bio)Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2020) | Viewed by 52827

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
Interests: bioactive compounds; phenolic compounds; extraction and analysis of compounds in foods; structural characterization; stability and sensory properties of plant-based foods; compound transformations in food; antioxidant properties; health implications; polyphenol metabolites and analysis of compounds in biological systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Grupo de Investigación en Polifenoles, Departamento de Química Analítica, Nutrición y Bromatología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, E37007 Salamanca, Spain
Interests: characterization of phenolic compounds in plant foods; liquid chromatography (HPLC) mass spectrometry analysis; technological processes in order to improve the quality of legumes; structural analysis and physico-chemical properties in red wines; bioavailability and biological activity of dietary flavonoids; influence of phenolic compounds on sensorials characteristics (astringency)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The term “natural products” includes any substance produced by a living organism. The compounds or mixtures of compounds included in these substances can exert beneficial effects on the matrix of which they are part, i.e., foods, dietary supplements, or cosmetics. Among these beneficial effects are organoleptic characteristic modifications, extended the shelf life, and improved technological characteristics. Moreover, food can exert beneficial effects on the organism that consumes them. The growing number of scientific papers published in recent decades on the relationship between diet and the incidence of chronic diseases has highlighted the extraordinary possibilities offered by food to maintain, and even to improve, health status. A way to improve food is to add natural substances that produce different biological activities with the aim of maintaining or improving health. It is necessary to correctly evaluate the effects that natural compounds could exert on both the food matrix and the organism. Thus, the aim of this Special Issue of Foods is to provide a number of documents focused on the applications, evaluation of effects, and activities of natural products in food. Papers in which the mechanisms underlying the effects produced by the natural products are studied will also be included.

Prof. Susana Gonzalez-Manzano
Prof. Montserrat Dueñas Paton
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • bioactive compound
  • antioxidants
  • preservatives
  • natural additives
  • functional additives
  • flavoring agents
  • fragrances
  • food
  • nutrition
  • health

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Editorial

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5 pages, 205 KiB  
Editorial
Applications of Natural Products in Food
by Susana González-Manzano and Montserrat Dueñas
Foods 2021, 10(2), 300; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10020300 - 02 Feb 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1824
Abstract
The term natural products includes any substance produced by living organisms [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Natural Products in Foods)

Research

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13 pages, 778 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Two-Component Mixtures from Spanish Origanum Oil with Spanish Marjoram Oil or Coriander Oil on Antilisterial Activity and Sensory Quality of a Fresh Cut Vegetable Mixture
by Karolina Kraśniewska, Olga Kosakowska, Katarzyna Pobiega and Małgorzata Gniewosz
Foods 2020, 9(12), 1740; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9121740 - 26 Nov 2020
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 2161
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate two-component mixtures of essential oils (EOs) in sub-inhibitory concentrations for antilisterial protection of minimally processed vegetables. Spanish origanum oil (SOO), Spanish marjoram oil (SMO) and coriander oil (CO) and a mixture of fresh leafy vegetables [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to evaluate two-component mixtures of essential oils (EOs) in sub-inhibitory concentrations for antilisterial protection of minimally processed vegetables. Spanish origanum oil (SOO), Spanish marjoram oil (SMO) and coriander oil (CO) and a mixture of fresh leafy vegetables with red beet were used. The chemical compositions of selected EOs were analyzed by gas chromatography. Carvacrol was the major component of SOO. The dominant active component of SMO was 1,8-cineole, while the major constituent in CO was linalool. The study shows that essential oils in combination, namely SOO + SMO and SOO + CO in a ¼ MIC + ¼ MIC (Minimal Inhibitory Concentration), have a synergistic effect against L. monocytogenes. The reduction of L. monocytogenes in vegetable mixtures treated by EOs in these selected combinations after 24 h of storage was approximately equal to the limit of detection. Furthermore, it was found that the vegetable mixture treated with SOO + SMO had the highest-rated sensorial quality and could therefore meet consumer expectations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Natural Products in Foods)
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18 pages, 3664 KiB  
Article
Chrysanthemum indicum and Chrysanthemum morifolium: Chemical Composition of Their Essential Oils and Their Potential Use as Natural Preservatives with Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities
by Fadia S. Youssef, Safaa Y. Eid, Elham Alshammari, Mohamed L. Ashour, Michael Wink and Mahmoud Z. El-Readi
Foods 2020, 9(10), 1460; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9101460 - 14 Oct 2020
Cited by 54 | Viewed by 6501
Abstract
The composition of essential oils of Chrysanthemum indicum and C. morifolium were comparatively studied using both Gas Chromatography/Flame ionization Detector (GC/FID) and Gas Chromatography/Mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analyses. The antiviral activity was determined using a plaque reduction assay against three common viruses namely, herpes [...] Read more.
The composition of essential oils of Chrysanthemum indicum and C. morifolium were comparatively studied using both Gas Chromatography/Flame ionization Detector (GC/FID) and Gas Chromatography/Mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analyses. The antiviral activity was determined using a plaque reduction assay against three common viruses namely, herpes simplex type-1 (HSV-1), hepatitis A (HAV) and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). The antimicrobial activity was assessed using agar diffusion and microdilution methods and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were determined. In addition, the anti-mycobacterial evaluation was carried out using the Alamar blue assay and the effect against Helicobacter pylori was investigated. The anti-trypanosomal activity was evaluated using the resazurin method. GC investigations revealed that camphor is the major constituent of both oils accounting for 36.69 and 14.56% in the essential oils from C. indicum and C. morifolium, respectively. C. indicum was biologically more active in all experiments; it exhibited a notable antitrypanosomal activity with an IC50 value equals 45.89 μg/mL and a notable antimicrobial activity versus Streptococcus agalactiae with a MIC value of 62.5 μg/mL. It also inhibited the replication of VSV with an IC50 value of 3.14 μg/mL. Both oils revealed antioxidant potential with IC50 values of 2.21 and 2.59 mg/mL for C. indicum and C. morifolium, respectively. This study provides evidence beyond the traditional use of both Chrysanthemum indicum and C. morifolium as anti-infective agents. Thus they could be used as spices in food and can be incorporated in different food products and pharmaceutical preparations as natural preservatives possessing antioxidant potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Natural Products in Foods)
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13 pages, 1737 KiB  
Article
In Vitro Antibacterial Activity of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Phenolic Extract and Its In Situ Application on Shelf-Life of Beef Meat
by Ana Selene Márquez-Rodríguez, Susana Nevárez-Baca, Julio César Lerma-Hernández, León Raul Hernández-Ochoa, Guadalupe Virginia Nevárez-Moorillon, Néstor Gutiérrez-Méndez, Laila Nayzzel Muñoz-Castellanos and Erika Salas
Foods 2020, 9(8), 1080; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9081080 - 08 Aug 2020
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 5141
Abstract
Compounds from spices and herbs extracts are being explored as natural antibacterial additives. A plant extract used in traditional folk medicine is Hibiscus sabdariffa L., also known as Roselle. Therefore, the potential use of a phenolic hibiscus extract as antibacterial or natural food [...] Read more.
Compounds from spices and herbs extracts are being explored as natural antibacterial additives. A plant extract used in traditional folk medicine is Hibiscus sabdariffa L., also known as Roselle. Therefore, the potential use of a phenolic hibiscus extract as antibacterial or natural food preservative was analyzed in vitro and in situ. A phenolic extract was obtained from hibiscus calyces and fractionated, and then the fractions were tested against foodborne pathogen bacteria. Liquid–liquid extraction and solid-phase extraction were used to fractionate the hibiscus extract, and HPLC was employed to analyze the fractions’ phenolic composition. Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) were calculated for brute hibiscus phenolic extract, each of the fractions and pure commercial phenolic compounds. Bacteria tested were Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Bacillus cereus. The fraction obtained after liquid–liquid extraction presented the best performance of MBC and MIC against the bacteria tested. Furthermore, a hibiscus ethanolic extract was employed as a natural preservative to extend the shelf-life of beef. Microbiological, color and sensory analyses were performed to the meat during the shelf-life test. The application of the phenolic hibiscus extract also showed an increase of the duration of the meat`s shelf life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Natural Products in Foods)
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14 pages, 1167 KiB  
Article
Lupin Seed Protein Extract Can Efficiently Enrich the Physical Properties of Cookies Prepared with Alternative Flours
by Joana Mota, Ana Lima, Ricardo B. Ferreira and Anabela Raymundo
Foods 2020, 9(8), 1064; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9081064 - 05 Aug 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4226
Abstract
Legume proteins can be successfully used in bakery foods, like cookies, to obtain a protein-enriched product. A lupin extract (10 g/100 g) was added to gluten and gluten-free flours from different sources: rice, buckwheat, oat, kamut and spelt. The impact on the physical [...] Read more.
Legume proteins can be successfully used in bakery foods, like cookies, to obtain a protein-enriched product. A lupin extract (10 g/100 g) was added to gluten and gluten-free flours from different sources: rice, buckwheat, oat, kamut and spelt. The impact on the physical properties of the dough and cookies was evaluated for the different systems. Rice and buckwheat doughs were 20% firmer and 40% less cohesive than the others. The incorporation of lupin extract had a reduced impact on the shape parameters of the cookies, namely in terms of area and thickness. The texture differed over time and after eight weeks, the oat and buckwheat cookies enriched with lupin extract were significantly firmer than the cookies without lupin. The incorporation of lupin extract induced a certain golden-brown coloring on the cookies, making them more appealing: lightness (L*) values decreased, generally, for the cookies with lupin extract when compared to the controls. The aw and moisture content values were very low for all samples, suggesting a high stability food product. Hence, the addition of lupin extract brought some technological changes in the dough and cookies in all the flours tested but improved the final product quality which aligns with the trends in the food industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Natural Products in Foods)
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12 pages, 249 KiB  
Article
Effects of Olive Leaf Extracts as Natural Preservative on Retailed Poultry Meat Quality
by Ebeed Saleh, Alaa Eldin Morshdy, Eman El-Manakhly, Sarah Al-Rashed, Helal F. Hetta, Philippe Jeandet, Ramadan Yahia, Gaber El-Saber Batiha and Eman Ali
Foods 2020, 9(8), 1017; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9081017 - 29 Jul 2020
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 3936
Abstract
Poultry meat is commonly marketed at refrigerated temperatures (2–5 °C). The major concern for retailers and consumers is the quality and safety of refrigerated poultry meat. During the chilling period, poultry meat undergoes too many undesirable changes due to microbial growth that leads [...] Read more.
Poultry meat is commonly marketed at refrigerated temperatures (2–5 °C). The major concern for retailers and consumers is the quality and safety of refrigerated poultry meat. During the chilling period, poultry meat undergoes too many undesirable changes due to microbial growth that leads to spoilage and economic loss. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the effects of olive leaf extracts (OLE) used at three concentrations (0.25, 0.5, and 1%) on the sensory attributes, as well as the chemical and microbiological quality of raw poultry meat stored at 4 ± 1 °C for 15 days. The results revealed that the OLE addition reduced microbial growth successfully, and maintained the chemical quality and sensory attributes of poultry meat. Moreover, OLE extended the shelf-life of the poultry meat that held under proper refrigeration conditions up to 15 days compared to the control group, that was completely spoiled by the sixth day of storage. This study concludes that OLE could be used both as a natural antioxidant and an antimicrobial preservative for chilled poultry meat held at refrigerated temperature. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Natural Products in Foods)
14 pages, 996 KiB  
Article
Use of Gum Cordia (Cordia myxa) as a Natural Starch Modifier; Effect on Pasting, Thermal, Textural, and Rheological Properties of Corn Starch
by Shahzad Hussain, Abdellatif A. Mohamed, Mohamed Saleh Alamri, Mohamed A. Ibraheem, Akram A. Abdo Qasem, Syed Ali Shahzad and Ibrahim A. Ababtain
Foods 2020, 9(7), 909; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9070909 - 10 Jul 2020
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 4234
Abstract
Incorporation of hydrocolloid gums in native starches help to improve their pasting, thermal, rheological and textural properties along with improvement in the stability of starch gels. The use of Cordia gum is not widely studied as a starch modifier and this fact could [...] Read more.
Incorporation of hydrocolloid gums in native starches help to improve their pasting, thermal, rheological and textural properties along with improvement in the stability of starch gels. The use of Cordia gum is not widely studied as a starch modifier and this fact could make this study more interesting and unique. This study investigated the effects of the non-conventional hydrocolloid gum (Cordia gum) on corn starch properties. Corn starch and gum Cordia (GC) blends were prepared at different replacement levels (0%, 3%, 6%, 9%, and 12%). The effect of GC levels on pasting, thermal, rheological, and textural properties were evaluated using rapid viscoanalyzer, differential scanning colorimeter, rheometer, and texture analyzer. The presence of GC significantly increased starch gelatinization temperatures, enthalpies, peak viscosities, final viscosities, and setback viscosities. GC improved freeze thaw stability in starch. The shear rate (1/s) versus shear stress (σ) data of all samples fitted well to the simple power law model (R2 = 0.97–0.99). The control had the lowest flow behavior index (n; 0.17), which increased to (0.36–0.56) with increasing GC levels. The consistency index (K) of the starch-gum blends increased with increasing GC levels. The dominance of elastic properties over viscous properties was demonstrated by G′ > G″. The magnitudes of G′ and G″ increased with increasing GC concentration. The outcomes could help to use this modification method as an alternative to chemical and enzymatic modification with respect to cost, safety, less time consumption and less requirement of process modifications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Natural Products in Foods)
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16 pages, 393 KiB  
Article
Improving the Quality Characteristics and Shelf Life of Meat and Growth Performance in Goose Fed Diets Supplemented with Vitamin E
by Zabihollah Nemati, Kazem Alirezalu, Maghsoud Besharati, Saeid Amirdahri, Daniel Franco and José M. Lorenzo
Foods 2020, 9(6), 798; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9060798 - 17 Jun 2020
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3416
Abstract
The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of dietary vitamin E on growth performance, cellular immunity, carcass characteristics, and meat quality in geese. Sixty-four one-day-old male geese were selected from 1200 goose chicks with the same average body weight (92.5 [...] Read more.
The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of dietary vitamin E on growth performance, cellular immunity, carcass characteristics, and meat quality in geese. Sixty-four one-day-old male geese were selected from 1200 goose chicks with the same average body weight (92.5 ± 2.5 g) and subjected to two treatments (basal diet or control and basal diet plus 120 mg/kg vitamin E supplement) with 4 replicates (8 geese per replicate) for 8 weeks. After slaughter, goose meat was aerobically packed in polyethylene packages and stored at 4 °C for 9 days. The results showed that vitamin E supplementation improved the growth performance, carcass yield percentage, and immune response of goose (p < 0.05). The addition of vitamin E in the diet significantly increased the protein and fat content of goose meat but decreased the moisture and ash content with respect to those obtained from the control diet. During storage, meat from the vitamin E treatment showed higher phenolic content and lower thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARSs) and total volatile nitrogen (TVB-N) values than those from the control treatment. Vitamin E supplementation increased the saturated fatty acids (SFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in goose meat. However, goose meat supplemented with vitamin E displayed a significantly (p < 0.05) higher PUFA/SFA ratio than those of the control group. Based on the results, it was concluded that vitamin E could be used to improve the growth performance of goose, the meat composition in terms of the protein and fat content, the nutritional value in terms of the fatty acid composition, and the shelf life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Natural Products in Foods)
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21 pages, 1967 KiB  
Article
Bioactive Potential of 2-Methoxy-4-vinylphenol and Benzofuran from Brassica oleracea L. var. capitate f, rubra (Red Cabbage) on Oxidative and Microbiological Stability of Beef Meat
by Momna Rubab, Ramachandran Chelliah, Kandasamy Saravanakumar, Kaliyan Barathikannan, Shuai Wei, Jong-Rae Kim, Daesang Yoo, Myeong-Hyeon Wang and Deog-Hwan Oh
Foods 2020, 9(5), 568; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9050568 - 04 May 2020
Cited by 46 | Viewed by 4254
Abstract
In the future, plant based phytochemicals will be considered as efficient replacement sources of chemical preservatives, to act as potential bio-preservatives. We investigated the antibacterial and antioxidant activity of red cabbage (RC) extracts using different solvents. Among all extracts, chloroform extract exhibited strong [...] Read more.
In the future, plant based phytochemicals will be considered as efficient replacement sources of chemical preservatives, to act as potential bio-preservatives. We investigated the antibacterial and antioxidant activity of red cabbage (RC) extracts using different solvents. Among all extracts, chloroform extract exhibited strong antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Hence, the phytochemical constitutions of the RC chloroform extract was examined by GC-MS analysis, and further, based on molecular docking analysis, revealed 2-Methoxy-4-vinylphenol and benzofuran as two major compounds found to be possessing higher degrees of interaction with DNA gyrase (4PLB; −8.63 Kcal.mol−1) and lipoprotein (LpxC−8.229 Kcal.mol−1), respectively, of the bacterial cell wall, which leads to higher antimicrobial efficacy. Further, it was confirmed with that the in vivo Caenorhabditis elegans model (but no cytotoxic effect) was exhibited in the MCF-7 cell line. Thus, we investigated the influence of this extract on the shelf life of meat under refrigeration storage. The physicochemical properties were observed periodically, and microbial analysis was conducted. The shelf life of the beef was enhanced (up to eight days) in terms of microbial and physiochemical properties, at 4 ± 2 °C when compared to control. We concluded that chloroform extract of RC has potential as a natural preservative in the meat processing industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Natural Products in Foods)
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13 pages, 728 KiB  
Article
Chemical Composition, Antibacterial and Radical Scavenging Activity of Essential Oils from Satureja macrantha C.A.Mey. at Different Growth Stages
by Behzad Nezhadasad Aghbash, Mohammad Pouresmaeil, Gholamreza Dehghan, Mohsen Sabzi Nojadeh, Haedeh Mobaiyen and Filippo Maggi
Foods 2020, 9(4), 494; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9040494 - 14 Apr 2020
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4289
Abstract
Essential oils (EOs) from medicinal and aromatic plants are interesting products to be used as natural food preservatives. The EOs from the genus Satureja are reported to inhibit foodborne pathogens being worthy of use as food preservatives. Satureja macrantha is found in Western [...] Read more.
Essential oils (EOs) from medicinal and aromatic plants are interesting products to be used as natural food preservatives. The EOs from the genus Satureja are reported to inhibit foodborne pathogens being worthy of use as food preservatives. Satureja macrantha is found in Western and Northwest Iran and commonly used as a food flavoring agent and for the treatment of urinary diseases. The objective of the present study was to identify the chemical composition of S. macrantha EOs at different growth stages (vegetative, flowering and fruiting stages) and to evaluate their biological activities. Chemical compositions were analyzed using GC-FID and GC-MS. The antibacterial activity was evaluated using the broth microdilution method against the foodborne pathogenic bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC23922), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC29212) (Gram-positive), Enterobacter aerogenes (ATCC13046) and Escherichia coli. The antioxidant activity was estimated using the DPPH, ABTS and reducing power assays. The yields of S. macrantha EOs were in the range of 1.4–1.8%, thus scalable for the manufacture of food preservatives on an industrial level. The main compounds of EOs were carvacrol (42.7–48.2%), thymol (0.2–16.5%), p-cymene (10.1–14.7%) and γ-terpinene (7.9–9.1%) in all phenological stages examined. The strongest antibacterial activity (MICs = 5–20 µg/mL) of the EOs was recorded in samples obtained during the flowering stage where carvacrol (42.7%) and thymol (16.5) were present both at high percentages. On the other hand, the antioxidant activity was found to be slightly higher in the other stages. As the EO obtained at flowering showed the best inhibitory properties against foodborne pathogenic bacteria, it is suggested that plants at this stage can be selected as main sources of food preservative agents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Natural Products in Foods)
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14 pages, 2470 KiB  
Article
Bilberry and Sea Buckthorn Leaves and Their Subcritical Water Extracts Prevent Lipid Oxidation in Meat Products
by Sari Mäkinen, Jarkko Hellström, Maarit Mäki, Risto Korpinen and Pirjo H. Mattila
Foods 2020, 9(3), 265; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9030265 - 02 Mar 2020
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4027
Abstract
The aim of this study was to find new sustainable, Nordic natural antioxidant sources, develop subcritical water extraction (SWE) process for recovering the antioxidant compounds from the most potential raw materials, and to test their antioxidative effects in meat products. The antioxidant capacities [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to find new sustainable, Nordic natural antioxidant sources, develop subcritical water extraction (SWE) process for recovering the antioxidant compounds from the most potential raw materials, and to test their antioxidative effects in meat products. The antioxidant capacities of water and 50% ethanol (aq) extracts of 13 berry, grain, and horticultural plant materials as well as hexane/ethanol extracted stilbene fractions from pine heartwood and spruce inner bark were measured in hydrophilic and lipophilic systems. Tree, bilberry leaf (BL), and sea buckthorn leaf (SBL) extracts showed the highest antioxidant capacities. BL and SBL were selected for the development of SWE. The optimal conditions for recovering maximal antioxidative capacities were 110 °C/1 min for SBL and 120 °C/1 min for BL. Dried BL and SBL and the respective optimized subcritical water extracts were applied in chicken slices and pork sausage, and their ability to prevent lipid oxidation was evaluated during 8 and 20 days storage, respectively, at 6 °C. All tested plant ingredients effectively prevented lipid oxidation in the products compared to the control samples. Sensory acceptance of the plant ingredients was good, especially in the chicken product. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the antioxidant effects of SW extracted berry leaves in meat products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Natural Products in Foods)
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Review

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24 pages, 2485 KiB  
Review
Biological and Pharmacological Potential of Xylitol: A Molecular Insight of Unique Metabolism
by Vishal Ahuja, Markéta Macho, Daniela Ewe, Manoj Singh, Subhasish Saha and Kumar Saurav
Foods 2020, 9(11), 1592; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9111592 - 02 Nov 2020
Cited by 53 | Viewed by 6907
Abstract
Xylitol is a white crystalline, amorphous sugar alcohol and low-calorie sweetener. Xylitol prevents demineralization of teeth and bones, otitis media infection, respiratory tract infections, inflammation and cancer progression. NADPH generated in xylitol metabolism aid in the treatment of glucose-6-phosphate deficiency-associated hemolytic anemia. Moreover, [...] Read more.
Xylitol is a white crystalline, amorphous sugar alcohol and low-calorie sweetener. Xylitol prevents demineralization of teeth and bones, otitis media infection, respiratory tract infections, inflammation and cancer progression. NADPH generated in xylitol metabolism aid in the treatment of glucose-6-phosphate deficiency-associated hemolytic anemia. Moreover, it has a negligible effect on blood glucose and plasma insulin levels due to its unique metabolism. Its diverse applications in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food and polymer industries fueled its market growth and made it one of the top 12 bio-products. Recently, xylitol has also been used as a drug carrier due to its high permeability and non-toxic nature. However, it become a challenge to fulfil the rapidly increasing market demand of xylitol. Xylitol is present in fruit and vegetables, but at very low concentrations, which is not adequate to satisfy the consumer demand. With the passage of time, other methods including chemical catalysis, microbial and enzymatic biotransformation, have also been developed for its large-scale production. Nevertheless, large scale production still suffers from high cost of production. In this review, we summarize some alternative approaches and recent advancements that significantly improve the yield and lower the cost of production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Natural Products in Foods)
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