Editorial

522 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

To Nutraceuticals and Back: Rethinking a Concept

by Antonello Santini and Ettore Novellino

Foods 2017, 6(9), 74; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods6090074 - 05 Sep 2017

Cited by 74 | Viewed by 11480

The concept of nutraceuticals as pharma-foods comes fromfar. This termismade fromthe two words “nutrient” and “pharmaceutical”, was coined by Stephen DeFelice, and is defined as “a food or part of a food that provide medical or health benefits, including the prevention and/or treatment [...] Read more.

The concept of nutraceuticals as pharma-foods comes fromfar. This termismade fromthe two words “nutrient” and “pharmaceutical”, was coined by Stephen DeFelice, and is defined as “a food or part of a food that provide medical or health benefits, including the prevention and/or treatment of a disease” [...]
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutraceuticals: The New Frontier)

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Research

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14 pages, 816 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chemical and Nutritional Characterization of Seed Oil from Cucurbita maxima L. (var. Berrettina) Pumpkin

by Domenico Montesano, Francesca Blasi, Maria Stella Simonetti, Antonello Santini and Lina Cossignani

Foods 2018, 7(3), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods7030030 - 01 Mar 2018

Cited by 94 | Viewed by 14299

Abstract

Pumpkin (Cucurbita spp.) has received considerable attention in recent years because of the nutritional and health-protective value of seed oil. The nutritional composition of pumpkin native to central Italy, locally known as “Berrettina” (Cucurbita maxima L.), was evaluated. In particular, the [...] Read more.

Pumpkin (Cucurbita spp.) has received considerable attention in recent years because of the nutritional and health-protective value of seed oil. The nutritional composition of pumpkin native to central Italy, locally known as “Berrettina” (Cucurbita maxima L.), was evaluated. In particular, the lipid fraction of seed oil was characterized, and the triacylglycerol (TAG) was thoroughly studied by using a stereospecific procedure to obtain the intrapositional fatty acid composition of the three sn-positions of the glycerol backbone of TAG. Moreover, alkaline hydrolysis was carried out to study the main components of the unsaponifiable fraction, i.e., sterols and alcohols. It was observed that monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids were the most abundant (41.7% and 37.2%, respectively) in Berrettina pumpkin seed oil, with high content of oleic and linoleic acid (41.4% and 37.0%, respectively). The main sterols of Berrettina pumpkin seed oil were Δ^7,22,25-stigmastatrienol, Δ^7,25-stigmastadienol, and spinasterol; with regard to the alcoholic fraction, triterpenic compounds were more abundant than aliphatic compounds (63.2% vs. 36.8%). The obtained data are useful to evaluate pumpkin seed oil from a nutritional point of view. The oil obtained from the seed could be used as a preservative and as a functional ingredient in different areas, e.g., cosmetics, foods, and nutraceuticals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutraceuticals: The New Frontier)

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12 pages, 426 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Italian Opuntia ficus-indica Cladodes as Rich Source of Bioactive Compounds with Health-Promoting Properties

by Gabriele Rocchetti, Marco Pellizzoni, Domenico Montesano and Luigi Lucini

Foods 2018, 7(2), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods7020024 - 18 Feb 2018

Cited by 51 | Viewed by 7556

Abstract

Natural by-products, especially phenolic compounds, are in great demand by the nutra-pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. An analytical study was performed to investigate, for the first time, the presence of antioxidant constituents and the corresponding in vitro antioxidant activity in the extract of cladodes [...] Read more.

Natural by-products, especially phenolic compounds, are in great demand by the nutra-pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. An analytical study was performed to investigate, for the first time, the presence of antioxidant constituents and the corresponding in vitro antioxidant activity in the extract of cladodes from Ficodindia di San Cono (Opuntia ficus-indica) protected designation of origin (PDO). The cladode extracts were analysed for target determination of selected constituents, i.e., β-polysaccharides and total phenolic content. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of hydro-alcoholic extracts was assessed by means of two different methods: α, α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging method and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. An untargeted UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS profiling approach was used to depict the phenolic profile of hydro-alcoholic cladode extracts. Interestingly, over 2 g/kg of polyphenols were detected in this matrix, and these compounds were mainly responsible for the antioxidant properties, as shown by the strong correlation between phenolic classes and antioxidant scores. Finally, this study provides basic information on the presence of bioactive compounds and in vitro antioxidant activities in cladode extracts from cactus that might recommend their novel applications at the industrial level in the field of nutraceutical products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutraceuticals: The New Frontier)

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3657 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Composition and Statistical Analysis of Biophenols in Apulian Italian EVOOs

by Andrea Ragusa, Carla Centonze, Maria Elena Grasso, Maria Francesca Latronico, Pier Francesco Mastrangelo, Francesco Paolo Fanizzi and Michele Maffia

Foods 2017, 6(10), 90; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods6100090 - 18 Oct 2017

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5847

Abstract

Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) is among the basic constituents of the Mediterranean diet. Its nutraceutical properties are due mainly, but not only, to a plethora of molecules with antioxidant activity known as biophenols. In this article, several biophenols were measured in EVOOs from [...] Read more.

Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) is among the basic constituents of the Mediterranean diet. Its nutraceutical properties are due mainly, but not only, to a plethora of molecules with antioxidant activity known as biophenols. In this article, several biophenols were measured in EVOOs from South Apulia, Italy. Hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol and their conjugated structures to elenolic acid in different forms were identified and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) together with lignans, luteolin and α-tocopherol. The concentration of the analyzed metabolites was quite high in all the cultivars studied, but it was still possible to discriminate them through multivariate statistical analysis (MVA). Furthermore, principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were also exploited for determining variances among samples depending on the interval time between harvesting and milling, on the age of the olive trees, and on the area where the olive trees were grown. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutraceuticals: The New Frontier)

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1966 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comparative Study of Phenols in Apulian Italian Wines

by Andrea Ragusa, Carla Centonze, Maria E. Grasso, Maria F. Latronico, Pier F. Mastrangelo, Federica Sparascio, Francesco P. Fanizzi and Michele Maffia

Foods 2017, 6(4), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods6040024 - 24 Mar 2017

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 6723

Abstract

Nutraceutics is a growing research field in which researchers study and attempt to improve the biological properties of metabolites in food. Wine is one of the most consumed products in the world and contains a plethora of molecules biologically relevant to human health. [...] Read more.

Nutraceutics is a growing research field in which researchers study and attempt to improve the biological properties of metabolites in food. Wine is one of the most consumed products in the world and contains a plethora of molecules biologically relevant to human health. In this article, several polyphenols with potential antioxidant activity were measured in wines from Apulia, in Southeast Italy. Hydroxytyrosol, gallic and syringic acids, luteolin, quercetin, and trans-resveratrol were identified and quantified by HPLC. The amount of the analyzed metabolites in wines were largely dependent on their color, with red ones being the richest compared to white and rose wines. Gallic acid was the most abundant polyphenol, followed by syringic acid and luteolin. Nevertheless, significant amounts of hydroxytyrosol, quercetin, and trans-resveratrol were also found. The average concentration of polyphenols found in these wines could have potential health-promoting effects, especially if consumed in moderate quantities on a regular basis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutraceuticals: The New Frontier)

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1287 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Stimulatory Effects of Cinnamon Extract (Cinnamomum cassia) during the Initiation Stage of 3T3-L1 Adipocyte Differentiation

by Sang Gil Lee, Joanna A. Siaw and Hye Won Kang

Foods 2016, 5(4), 83; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods5040083 - 06 Dec 2016

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 6182

Abstract

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia) has an anti-diabetic effect by possibly increasing the lipid storage capacity of white adipocytes; however, this effect remains controversial. The aim of this study was to examine which stage of adipogenesis is critical for the stimulatory effect of [...] Read more.

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia) has an anti-diabetic effect by possibly increasing the lipid storage capacity of white adipocytes; however, this effect remains controversial. The aim of this study was to examine which stage of adipogenesis is critical for the stimulatory effect of cinnamon in adipogenesis using 3T3-L1 cells. Cells were treated with cinnamon extract during three different stages of adipogenesis. We found that genes related to adipogenesis and lipogenesis were enhanced when cinnamon extract was administered during the initiation stage of differentiation but not when administered during the preadipocyte and post stages of differentiation. At the same time, genes that were involved in the regulation of fatty acid oxidation were unexpectedly upregulated. Taken together, cinnamon may boost lipid storage in white adipocytes and increase the fatty acid oxidation capacity throughout the initiation stage of differentiation, which may be beneficial for the prevention of obesity-induced type II diabetes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutraceuticals: The New Frontier)

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Review

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4104 KiB

Open AccessReview

Microalgae Nutraceuticals

by Marcello Nicoletti

Foods 2016, 5(3), 54; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods5030054 - 22 Aug 2016

Cited by 73 | Viewed by 13021

Abstract

Among the new entries in the food supplements sector, an important place must be assigned to nutraceuticals containing microalgae, nowadays accounting for a large and rapidly expanding market. The marketed products are mainly based on three production strains, i.e., Spirulina and Chlorella, followed [...] Read more.

Among the new entries in the food supplements sector, an important place must be assigned to nutraceuticals containing microalgae, nowadays accounting for a large and rapidly expanding market. The marketed products are mainly based on three production strains, i.e., Spirulina and Chlorella, followed at a distance by Klamath. It is a composite situation, since two of them are cyanobacteria and the second one is eukaryotic. The reality is that each presents similarities in shape and appearance concerning the marketed form and several utilizations, and peculiarities that need special attention and adequate studies. First, general information is reported about the current scientific knowledge on each microalga, in particular the nutritional value and properties in prevention and wellbeing. Second, original studies are presented concerning the quality control of marketed products. Quality control is a key argument in nutraceuticals validation. Microalgae are particular organisms that need specific approaches to confirm identity and validate properties. The proposed control of quality is based on microscopic analysis of the morphologic characteristics. The final parts of this paper are dedicated to the need for specificity in uses and claims and to considerations about the future of microalgae in food supplements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutraceuticals: The New Frontier)

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168 KiB

Open AccessCommentary

Red Yeast Rice

by Thu Nguyen, Mitchell Karl and Antonello Santini

Foods 2017, 6(3), 19; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods6030019 - 01 Mar 2017

Cited by 36 | Viewed by 11013

Abstract

Red yeast rice (RYR), produced by the fermentation of the Monascus purpureus mold, has been used for a long time in Asian cuisine and traditional medicine. It consists of multiple bioactive substances, including monacolins, which potentially can be used as a nutraceutical. Monacolin [...] Read more.

Red yeast rice (RYR), produced by the fermentation of the Monascus purpureus mold, has been used for a long time in Asian cuisine and traditional medicine. It consists of multiple bioactive substances, including monacolins, which potentially can be used as a nutraceutical. Monacolin K, which is chemically identical to lovastatin, has been recognized as responsible for the cholesterolreducing effect of this compound. While the European Food Safety Authority maintains that the use of monacolin K from RYR preparations of at least 10 mg can produce a normal blood cholesterol level, the United States Food and Drug Administration considers monacolin K, due to its similarity with lovastatin, an unapproved drug, and therefore marketing of products that label the monacolin content is prohibited. This mini-review summarizes the benefit of RYR in hyperlipidemia, maintains RYR use as a food, and addresses the importance of regulation regarding RYR and the need for clinical data and clear label information for consumers with reference to a toxin-free, nonaugmented, standardized amount of monacolins. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutraceuticals: The New Frontier)

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