Amaranth and quinoa as potential nutraceuticals: A review of anti-nutritional factors, health benefits and their applications in food, medicinal and cosmetic sectors

A comprehensive review of processing, functionality, and potential applications of lentil proteins in the food industry

There is a pressing need for sustainable sources of proteins to address the escalating food demands of the expanding global population, without damaging the environment. Lentil proteins offer a more sustainable alternative to animal-derived proteins (such as those from meat, fish, eggs, or milk). They are abundant, affordable, protein rich, nutritious, and functional, which makes them highly appealing as ingredients in the food, personal care, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and other industries. In this article, the chemical composition, nutritional value, and techno-functional properties of lentil proteins are reviewed. Then, recent advances on the extraction, purification, and modification of lentil proteins are summarized. Hurdles to the widespread utilization of lentil proteins in the food industry are highlighted, along with potential strategies to surmount these challenges. Finally, the potential applications of lentil protein in foods and beverages are discussed. The intention of this article is to offer an up-to-date overview of research on lentil proteins, addressing gaps in the knowledge related to their potential nutritional benefits and functional advantages for application within the food industry. This includes exploring the utilization of lentil proteins as nanocarriers for bioactive compounds, emulsifiers, edible inks for 3D food printing, meat analogs, and components of biodegradable packaging.

Quinoa greens as a novel plant food: a review of its nutritional composition, functional activities, and food applications

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) is widely regarded as a versatile pseudo-cereal native to the Andes Mountains in South America. It has gained global recognition as a superfood due to its rich nutritional profile. While quinoa grains are well-known, there is an undiscovered potential in quinoa greens, such as sprouts, leaves, and microgreens. These verdant parts of quinoa are rich in a diverse array of essential nutrients and bioactive compounds, including proteins, amino acids, bioactive proteins, peptides, polyphenols, and flavonoids. They have powerful antioxidant properties, combat cancer, and help prevent diabetes. Quinoa greens offer comparable or even superior benefits when compared to other sprouts and leafy greens, yet they have not gained widespread recognition. Limited research exists on the nutritional composition and biological activities of quinoa greens, underscoring the necessity for thorough systematic reviews in this field. This review paper aims to highlight the nutritional value, bioactivity, and health potential of quinoa greens, as well as explore their possibilities within the food sector. The goal is to generate interest within the research community and promote further exploration and wider utilization of quinoa greens in diets. This focus may lead to new opportunities for enhancing health and well-being through innovative dietary approaches.

From 'Farm to Fork': Exploring the Potential of Nutrient-Rich and Stress-Resilient Emergent Crops for Sustainable and Healthy Food in the Mediterranean Region in the Face of Climate Change Challenges

In the dynamic landscape of agriculture and food science, incorporating emergent crops appears as a pioneering solution for diversifying agriculture, unlocking possibilities for sustainable cultivation and nutritional bolstering food security, and creating economic prospects amid evolving environmental and market conditions with positive impacts on human health. This review explores the potential of utilizing emergent crops in Mediterranean environments under current climate scenarios, emphasizing the manifold benefits of agricultural and food system diversification and assessing the impact of environmental factors on their quality and consumer health. Through a deep exploration of the resilience, nutritional value, and health impacts of neglected and underutilized species (NUS) such as quinoa, amaranth, chia, moringa, buckwheat, millet, teff, hemp, or desert truffles, their capacity to thrive in the changing Mediterranean climate is highlighted, offering novel opportunities for agriculture and functional food development. By analysing how promoting agricultural diversification can enhance food system adaptability to evolving environmental conditions, fostering sustainability and resilience, we discuss recent findings that underscore the main benefits and limitations of these crops from agricultural, food science, and health perspectives, all crucial for responsible and sustainable adoption. Thus, by using a sustainable and holistic approach, this revision analyses how the integration of NUS crops into Mediterranean agrifood systems can enhance agriculture resilience and food quality addressing environmental, nutritional, biomedical, economic, and cultural dimensions, thereby mitigating the risks associated with monoculture practices and bolstering local economies and livelihoods under new climate scenarios.

Investigating the physicochemical, rheological, and sensory properties of low-fat mayonnaise prepared with amaranth protein as an egg yolk replacer

This study investigated the possibility of using amaranth protein isolate (API) as a plant-based substitute for egg yolk (EY) in the preparation of low-fat mayonnaise (LFM). The alkali extraction/acidic precipitation method was used to isolate amaranth protein; its functional properties were then studied. The results showed that besides its great water and oil absorption capacities, API had better emulsifying capacity and significantly higher (p < .05) emulsion stability at pH 2.0 than alkali pH values. Five mayonnaise samples with different API/EY combination ratios (%) (i.e., 0/0.75, 0.25/0.5, 0.375/0.375, 0.5/0.25, and 0.75/0) were prepared. The color, emulsion stability (ES), freeze-thaw stability (FTS), droplet size, structure, rheology, and sensory properties of samples were examined. API replacement showed no adverse effects on the L* value, ES, and sensory attributes (p > .05). Low API concentrations (0.25% and 0.375%) significantly (p < .05) increased the droplet size and decreased the FTS of LFM emulsion. High API concentrations (0.5% and 0.75%) had no significant effect (p > .05) on droplet size and formed emulsions with more tightly packed oil droplets. The Cross model was chosen best to describe the flow behavior of LFM samples (R 2 = 0.99). The sample with 0.75% API had significantly (p < .05) the highest values of η o (zero-shear viscosity) and λ (relaxation time), indicating greater interaction between the emulsion particles. All samples showed a weak gel structure (G' > G"). In conclusion, API can be considered an appropriate substitute for EY in LFM production, which can benefit human health and offer a new strategy for preparing vegan products.

A comparative analysis of the nutrient and phytochemical richness among different varieties of quinoa in China

Quinoa is a nutrient-dense pseudocereal that has garnered global attention for its potential to bolster food security and nutrition. Despite its celebrated status, the detailed nutritional profiles of various quinoa varieties remain poorly understood, which poses a significant barrier to the strategic cultivation and utilization of quinoa's genetic diversity to combat malnutrition. The impetus for this research lies in the urgent need to identify superior quinoa strains that can be tailored to meet specific nutritional requirements and adapt to diverse agro-ecological zones. Our findings reveal substantial variation in nutrient content across different quinoa varieties, highlighting the variety ZLZX-8 as a particularly nutrient-rich strain with the highest levels of protein, fat, essential fatty acids, amino acids, and key minerals such as Mg, K, and Zn. Moreover, ZLZX-8's exceptional antioxidant capacity suggests it may have additional health benefits beyond its macronutrient profile. In contrast, ZLZX-7 stands out for its dietary fiber and phenolic content, which are critical for digestive health and disease prevention, respectively. Meanwhile, ZLZX-5, with its high starch content, could be better suited for energy production in dietary applications. Notably, the study also uncovers a correlation between grain color and nutrient profile, with colored quinoa varieties exhibiting superior fiber, inositol, phenolic content, and antioxidant activity compared to their white counterparts. This work lays the groundwork for an informed selection of quinoa varieties that can enhance dietary quality, support local and global food systems, and contribute to the fight against malnutrition.

Comparative Analysis of Polyphenolic Compounds in Different Amaranthus Species: Influence of Genotypes and Harvesting Year

Amaranth is a nutritionally valuable crop, as it contains phenolic acids and flavonoids, yielding diverse plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) like phytosterol, tocopherols, and carotenoids. This study explored the variations in the contents of seventeen polyphenolic compounds within the leaves of one hundred twenty Amaranthus accessions representing nine Amaranthus species. The investigation entailed the analysis of phenolic content across nine Amaranthus species, specifically A. hypochondriacus, A. cruentus, A. caudatus, A. tricolor, A. dubius, A. blitum, A. crispus, A. hybridus, and A. viridis, utilizing ultra performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection (UPLC-PDA). The results revealed significant differences in polyphenolic compounds among accessions in which rutin content was predominant in all Amaranthus species in both 2018 and 2019. Among the nine Amaranthus species, the rutin content ranged from 95.72 ± 199.17 μg g-1 (A. dubius) to 1485.09 ± 679.51 μg g-1 (A. viridis) in 2018 and from 821.59 ± 709.95 μg g-1 (A. tricolor) to 3166.52 ± 1317.38 μg g-1 (A. hypochondriacus) in 2019. Correlation analysis revealed, significant positive correlations between rutin and kaempferol-3-O-β-rutinoside (r = 0.93), benzoic acid and ferulic acid (r = 0.76), and benzoic acid and kaempferol-3-O-β-rutinoside (r = 0.76), whereas gallic acid showed consistently negative correlations with each of the 16 phenolic compounds. Wide variations were identified among accessions and between plants grown in the two years. The nine species and one hundred twenty Amaranthus accessions were clustered into six groups based on their seventeen phenolic compounds in each year. These findings contribute to expanding our understanding of the phytochemical traits of accessions within nine Amaranthus species, which serve as valuable resources for Amaranthus component breeding and functional material development.

Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses reveals anthocyanin biosynthesis in leaf coloration of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.)

BACKGROUND

Quinoa leaves demonstrate a diverse array of colors, offering a potential enhancement to landscape aesthetics and the development of leisure-oriented sightseeing agriculture in semi-arid regions. This study utilized integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses to investigate the mechanisms underlying anthocyanin synthesis in both emerald green and pink quinoa leaves.

RESULTS

Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses indicated that both flavonoid biosynthesis pathway (ko00941) and anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway (ko00942) were significantly associated with anthocyanin biosynthesis. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were analyzed between the two germplasms during different developmental periods. Ten DEGs were verified using qRT-PCR, and the results were consistent with those of the transcriptomic sequencing. The elevated expression of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), chalcone synthase (CHS), 4-coumarate CoA ligase (4CL) and Hydroxycinnamoyltransferase (HCT), as well as the reduced expression of flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H) and Flavonol synthase (FLS), likely cause pink leaf formation. In addition, bHLH14, WRKY46, and TGA indirectly affected the activities of CHS and 4CL, collectively regulating the levels of cyanidin 3-O-(3'', 6''-O-dimalonyl) glucoside and naringenin. The diminished expression of PAL, 4CL, and HCT decreased the formation of cyanidin-3-O-(6"-O-malonyl-2"-O-glucuronyl) glucoside, leading to the emergence of emerald green leaves. Moreover, the lowered expression of TGA and WRKY46 indirectly regulated 4CL activity, serving as another important factor in maintaining the emerald green hue in leaves N1, N2, and N3.

CONCLUSION

These findings establish a foundation for elucidating the molecular regulatory mechanisms governing anthocyanin biosynthesis in quinoa leaves, and also provide some theoretical basis for the development of leisure and sightseeing agriculture.

Hortensins, Type 1 Ribosome-Inactivating Proteins from Seeds of Red Mountain Spinach: Isolation, Characterization, and Their Effect on Glioblastoma Cells

Ribosome inactivating proteins (RIPs) are specific N-β-glycosylases that are well-characterized in plants. Their enzymatic action is to damage ribosomes, thereby blocking protein translation. Recently, several research groups have been working on the screening for these toxins in edible plants to facilitate the use of RIPs as biotechnological tools and biopesticides and to overcome public prejudice. Here, four novel monomeric (type 1) RIPs have been isolated from the seeds of Atriplex hortensis L. var. rubra, which is commonly known as edible red mountain spinach. These enzymes, named hortensins 1, 2, 4, and 5, are able to release the β-fragment and, like many other RIPs, adenines from salmon sperm DNA, thus, acting as polynucleotide:adenosine glycosidases. Structurally, hortensins have a different molecular weight and are purified with different yields (hortensin 1, ~29.5 kDa, 0.28 mg per 100 g; hortensin 2, ~29 kDa, 0.29 mg per 100 g; hortensin 4, ~28.5 kDa, 0.71 mg per 100 g; and hortensin 5, ~30 kDa, 0.65 mg per 100 g); only hortensins 2 and 4 are glycosylated. Furthermore, the major isoforms (hortensins 4 and 5) are cytotoxic toward human continuous glioblastoma U87MG cell line. In addition, the morphological change in U87MG cells in the presence of these toxins is indicative of cell death triggered by the apoptotic pathway, as revealed by nuclear DNA fragmentation (TUNEL assay).

Pseudocereal Oils, Authenticated by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, and their Chemopreventive Properties

Amaranth, quinoa, and buckwheat are the representatives of pseudocereals, different parts and by-products of which are used in daily nutrition and food processing industry. However, only scarce information exists on the bioactivity of their oils. Thus, oils obtained from amaranth, buckwheat, and red, yellow, and white quinoa seeds were evaluated in terms of their nutritional (fatty acid profile, squalene), cytotoxic (against normal and neoplastic gastrointestinal, prostate, and skin cells), anti-inflammatory and antiradical (interleukin 6, TNF-alpha, nitric oxide, DPPH, Total phenolics, and superoxide dismutase) potential in the in vitro model. Linoleic (42.9-52.5%) and oleic (22.5-31.1%) acids were the two main unsaturated, while palmitic acid (4.9-18.6%) was the major saturated fatty acid in all evaluated oils. Squalene was identified in all evaluated oils with the highest content in amaranth oil (7.6 g/100 g), and the lowest in buckwheat oil (2.1 g/100 g). The evaluated oils exerted a high direct cytotoxic impact on cancer cells of different origins, but also revealed anti-inflammatory and antiradical potentials. Yellow quinoa oil was the most active, especially toward skin (A375; IC50 6.3 µg/mL), gastrointestinal (HT29 IC50 4.9 µg/mL), and prostate cancer cells (LNCaP IC50 7.6 µg/mL). The observed differences in the activity between the oils from the tested quinoa varieties deserve further studies. High selectivity of the oils was noted, which indicates their safety to normal cells. The obtained results indicate that the oils are good candidates for functional foods with perspective chemopreventive potential.

Effect of Germination on the Physicochemical Properties, Functional Groups, Content of Bioactive Compounds, and Antioxidant Capacity of Different Varieties of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) Grown in the High Andean Zone of Peru

Germination is an effective strategy to improve the nutritional and functional quality of Andean grains such as quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.); it helps reduce anti-nutritional components and enhance the digestibility and sensory aspects of the germinated. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of germination (0, 24, 48, and 72 h) on the physicochemical properties, content of bioactive compounds, and antioxidant capacity of three varieties of quinoa: white, red, and black high Andean from Peru. Color, nutritional composition, mineral content, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity were analyzed. Additionally, infrared spectra were obtained to elucidate structural changes during germination. The results showed color variations and significant increases (p < 0.05) in proteins, fiber, minerals, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity after 72 h of germination, attributed to the activation of enzymatic pathways. In contrast, the infrared spectra showed a decrease in the intensity of functional groups -CH-, -CH2-, C-OH, -OH, and C-N. Correlation analysis showed that flavonoids mainly contributed to antioxidant activity (r = 0.612). Germination represents a promising alternative to develop functional ingredients from germinated quinoa flour with improved nutritional and functional attributes.

Chenopodium quinoa Willd. and Amaranthus hybridus L.: Ancestral Andean Food Security and Modern Anticancer and Antimicrobial Activity

The species Chenopodium quinoa Willd. and Amaranthus hybridus L. are Andean staples, part of the traditional diet and gastronomy of the people of the highlands of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, northern Argentina and Chile, with several ethnopharmacological uses, among them anticancer applications. This review aims to present updated information on the nutritional composition, phytochemistry, and antimicrobial and anticancer activity of Quinoa and Amaranth. Both species contribute to food security due to their essential amino acid contents, which are higher than those of most staples. It is highlighted that the biological activity, especially the antimicrobial activity in C. quinoa, and the anticancer activity in both species is related to the presence of phytochemicals present mostly in leaves and seeds. The biological activity of both species is consistent with their phytochemical composition, with phenolic acids, flavonoids, carotenoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, saponins and peptides being the main compound families of interest. Extracts of different plant organs of both species and peptide fractions have shown in vitro and, to a lesser degree, in vivo activity against a variety of bacteria and cancer cell lines. These findings confirm the antimicrobial and anticancer activity of both species, C. quinoa having more reported activity than A. hybridus through different compounds and mechanisms.

Plant-based proteins: advanced extraction technologies, interactions, physicochemical and functional properties, food and related applications, and health benefits

Even though plant proteins are more plentiful and affordable than animal proteins in comparison, direct usage of plant-based proteins (PBPs) is still limited because PBPs are fed to animals as feed to produce animal-based proteins. Thus, this work has comprehensively reviewed the effects of various factors such as pH, temperature, pressure, and ionic strength on PBP properties, as well as describes the protein interactions, and extraction methods to know the optimal conditions for preparing PBP-based products with high functional properties and health benefits. According to the cited studies in the current work, the environmental factors, particularly pH and ionic strength significantly affected on physicochemical and functional properties of PBPs, especially solubility was 76.0% to 83.9% at pH = 2, while at pH = 5.0 reduced from 5.3% to 9.6%, emulsifying ability was the lowest at pH = 5.8 and the highest at pH 8.0, and foaming capacity was lowest at pH 5.0 and the highest at pH = 7.0. Electrostatic interactions are the main way for protein interactions, which can be used to create protein/polysaccharide complexes for food industrial purposes. The extraction yield of proteins can be reached up to 86-95% with high functional properties using sustainable and efficient routes, including enzymatic, ultrasound-, microwave-, pulsed electric field-, and high-pressure-assisted extraction. Nondairy alternative products, especially yogurt, 3D food printing and meat analogs, synthesis of nanoparticles, and bioplastics and packaging films are the best available PBPs-based products. Moreover, PBPs particularly those that contain pigments and their products showed good bioactivities, especially antioxidants, antidiabetic, and antimicrobial.

Development of Functional Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread with Pseudocereals and Enriched with Moringa oleifera

Celiac patients tend to have an unbalanced diet, because gluten-free products typically contain a high amount of fats and carbohydrates and a low amount of proteins, minerals, and dietary fiber. This research focused on the development of gluten-free functional breads using pseudocereals, psyllium, and gluten-free sourdough to replace commercial yeast, fortifying them with Moringa oleifera. Six different gluten-free breads were made with sourdough: three control breads differentiated by sourdough (quinoa, amaranth, and brown rice) and three breads enriched with moringa leaf differentiated by sourdough. The antioxidant capacity, phenolic compounds, nutritional composition, physicochemical parameters (color, pH, and acidity), folate content, amino acid profile, reducing sugars, mineral composition, mineral bioaccessibility, fatty acid profile, and sensory acceptability were evaluated. A commercial gluten-free (COM) bread was included in these analyses. Compared with COM bread, the reformulated breads were found to have better nutritional properties. Moringa leaf increased the nutritional properties of bread, and highlighted the QM (quinoa/moringa) bread as having increased protein, fiber, sucrose, glucose, maltose, phenylalanine, and cysteine. The AM (amaranth/moringa) bread was also shown to have a higher total folate content, antioxidant capacity, phenolic compounds, 9t,11t-C18:2 (CLA), and 9t-C18:1. Reformulated breads enriched with moringa could meet nutritional requirements and provide health benefits to people with celiac disease.