Antioxidant capacity of Maillard reaction products in the digestive tract: An in vitro and in vivo study

Isolation, structural characterization and biological activity evaluation of melanoidins from thermally processed cocoa beans, carob kibbles and acorns as potential cytotoxic agents

The aim of this study was to determine the chemical structure and biological activity of melanoidin fractions derived from cocoa beans, carob kibbles, and acorns roasted at different temperature-time conditions. The results showed that plant origin and roasting conditions had significant effects on the chemical composition, structural features, and morphology of melanoidins. All tested melanoidins exhibited significant antioxidant properties in three in vitro assays. In addition, they show significant in vitro anti-inflammatory activity by reducing lipoxygenase. The results from MTT assay showed that the all studied melanoidins had a cytotoxic effect against SW-480 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, the most pronounced activity was observed for acorn melanoidins. This is a unique finding, as the specific cytotoxic effect has not been reported for cocoa, carob and acorn melanoidins, and opens up a great opportunity to develop a potential novel cytotoxic agent against deadly colon cancer in the future.

Effects of slightly acidic electrolyzed water combined with ԑ-polylysine-chitooligosaccharide Maillard reaction products treatment on the quality of vacuum packaged sea bass (Lateolabrax japonicas)

In this study, a new natural preservative, ε-polylysine (ε-PL) and chitooligosaccharides (COS) Maillard reaction products (LC-MRPs), was prepared by Maillard reaction. The preservation effect of LC-MRPs combined with slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) pretreatment (SM) on vacuum-packed sea bass during refrigerated storage was evaluated. The results showed that after 16 days, SM treatment could effectively inhibit the microbial growth and prevent water migration in sea bass. In addition, the highest water holding capacity (69.79 %) and the best sensory characteristics, the lowest malonaldehyde (MDA) (58.96 nmol/g), trimethylamine (TMA) (3.35 mg/100 g), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) (16.93 mg N/100 g), myofibril fragmentation index (MFI) (92.2 %) and TCA-soluble peptides (2.16 μmol tyrosine/g meat) were related to SM group. Combined with sensory analysis, we can conclude that the combined treatment of SAEW and LC-MRPs could prolong the shelf-life of sea bass for another 11 days compared with the DW group. Results disclosed that the composite treatment of SAEW and LC-MRPs is a promising technology to improve the shelf-life of vacuum-packed sea bass during refrigerated storage.

Elucidating the structure of melanoidins derived from biscuits: A preliminary study

Melanoidins present important physiological activities, but their structure is largely unknown. The objective of the present work was to reveal the physicochemical characteristics of biscuit melanoidins(BM) prepared under high temperature(HT) and low temperature(LT) conditions (150 °C/25 min-100 °C/80 min respectively). BM were characterised and analysed by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray and FT-IR. Moreover, the antioxidant capacity and the zeta potential were determined. The phenolic content of HT-BM was higher than that of LT-BM (19.5 ± 2.6% vs 7.8 ± 0.3% respectively, p ≤ 0.05) and the antioxidant capacity determined by ABTS/DPPH/FRAP (p ≤ 0.05) was greater. Also, HT-BM presented a 30% increase in crystal structure compared to LT-BM according to X-ray analysis. The magnitude of the negative net charge was significantly higher in HT-BM (-36.8 ± 0.6) than in LT-BM (-16.8 ± 0.1)(p ≤ 0.05). FT-IR analysis confirmed the presence of phenolic and intermediate Maillard reaction compounds bound to the HT-BM structure. In conclusion, the different heating treatments applied to biscuits led to differences in the melanoidin structure.

Influence mechanism of polysaccharides induced Maillard reaction on plant proteins structure and functional properties: A review

Plant proteins have high nutritional value, a wide range of sources and low cost. However, it is easily affected by the environmental factors of processing and lead the problem of poor functionality. These problems of plant proteins can be improved by the polysaccharides induced Maillard reaction. The interaction between proteins and polysaccharides through Maillard reaction can change the structure of proteins as well as improve the functional properties and biological activity. The products of Maillard reaction, such as reductone intermediates, heterocyclic compounds and melanoidins have certain antioxidant, antibacterial and other biological activities. However, heterocyclic amines, acrylamide, and products generated in the advanced stage of the Maillard reaction also have a negative impact, which may increase cytotoxicity and be associated with chronic diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to effectively control the process of Maillard reaction. This review focuses on the modification of plant proteins by polysaccharide-induced Maillard reaction and the effects of Maillard reaction on protein structure, functional properties and biological activity. It also points out how to accurately reflect the changes of protein structure in Maillard reaction. In addition, it also points out the application ways of plant protein-polysaccharide complexes in the food industry, for example, emulsifiers, delivery carriers of functional substances, and natural antioxidants due to their improved solubility, emulsifying, gelling and antioxidant properties. This review provides theoretical support for controlling Maillard reaction based on protein structure.

Effect of cooking methods on the edible, nutritive qualities and volatile flavor compounds of rabbit meat

BACKGROUND

Rabbit meat is a good edible meat source with high nutritional values. Cooking has a significant impact on the edible properties, nutritional qualities and flavor characteristics of meat. Studying the effect of cooking methods on rabbit meat qualities could encourage more understanding and acceptance of rabbit meat by consumers, and could also provide some reference for rabbit meat processing. Therefore, the effects of boiling, sous-vide cooking, steaming, microwaving, roasting, frying and pressure cooking on the edible, nutritive and volatile qualities of rabbit meat were investigated.

RESULTS

The sous-vide cooked rabbit meat sample showed higher moisture content, water-holding capacity and lower cooking losses than other samples, but the results of roasted rabbit meat sample were the opposite, and scanning electron microscopy observations also verified the results. There was no significant difference in 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) value in the cooked samples except for roasting. Microwaving, roasting and frying exhibited stronger antioxidant activity than the other cooked samples after in vitro digestion. A total of 38 volatiles were identified in the cooked meat samples, and the samples were well divided into four groups by principal component analysis, and 13 volatiles were considered discriminatory variables for the cooked rabbit meat.

CONCLUSION

The physicochemical characteristics of cooked meat differed significantly between the processing methods. Roasted meat showed lower TBARS value and stronger antioxidant activity after simulated digestion compared to the other meats. However, pressure cooked meat detected the most volatile components while roasting the least. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Comparative elucidation of bioactive and volatile components in dry mature jujube fruit (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) subjected to different drying methods

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Convective drying(CD) increased the concentrations of rutin, epicatechin and quercetin in jujube, and the total phenolic content was not significantly different with freeze-drying(FD).

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Six volatile components with OVA >1 were identified in dried jujube, and their concentration changes were related to precursor substances.

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The volatile components expressing “Fruity” aromas increased after CD, and the expression of fruity aromas at CD60 even exceeded that of FD samples.

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CD60 is an efficient drying method with potential to replace FD in terms of bioactivity and aroma.

This study investigated the effects of convective drying(CD) and freeze drying(FD) on bioactive and volatile components in jujube. No significant difference in total phenolic, total flavonoids and antioxidant capacity among CD60, CD70, CD80 and FD samples (P > 0.05). LC-MS/MS analysis showed that this trend mainly originated from the dynamic equilibrium relationships between caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, rutin, epicatechin, and quercetin. HS-SPME-GC–MS identified 31 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) comprising more than 80% aldehydes and acids. Principal component analysis distinguished the VOC characteristics of samples subjected to different drying methods. Six VOCs had an odor activity value (OAV) >1, most of which were fatty acid oxidation or Maillard reaction products. Combined with the precursor components, these reactions were speculated to be the major VOC-producing pathways in dried jujube. Considering the bioactive components and flavor retention, CD at 60 °C was an effective drying method with potential to replace FD.

Antibacterial Properties of Melanoidins Produced from Various Combinations of Maillard Reaction against Pathogenic Bacteria

Novel melanoidins are produced by the Maillard reaction. Here, melanoidins with high antibacterial activity were tested by examining various combinations of reducing sugars and amino acids as reaction substrates. Twenty-two types of melanoidins were examined by combining two reducing sugars (glucose and xylose) and eleven l-isomers of amino acids (alanine, arginine, glutamine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine) to confirm the effects of these melanoidins on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes at 25°C. The melanoidins produced from the combination of d-xylose with either l-phenylalanine (Xyl-Phe) or l-proline (Xyl-Pro), for which absorbance at 420 nm was 3.5 ± 0.2, completely inhibited the growth of L. monocytogenes at 25°C for 48 h. Both of the melanoidins exhibited growth inhibition of L. monocytogenes which was equivalent to the effect of nisin (350 IU/mL). The antimicrobial spectrum of both melanoidins was also investigated for 10 different species of bacteria, including both Gram-positive and Gram-negative species. While Xyl-Phe-based melanoidin successfully inhibited the growth of Bacillus cereus and Brevibacillus brevis, Xyl-Pro-based melanoidin inhibited the growth of Salmonella enterica Typhimurium. However, no clear trend in the antimicrobial spectrum of the melanoidins against different bacterial species was observed. The findings in the present study suggest that melanoidins generated from xylose with phenylalanine and/or proline could be used as potential novel alternative food preservatives derived from food ingredients to control pathogenic bacteria.

IMPORTANCE Although the antimicrobial effect of melanoidins has been reported in some foods, there have been few comprehensive investigations on the antimicrobial activity of combinations of reaction substrates of the Maillard reaction. The present study comprehensively investigated the potential of various combinations of reducing sugars and amino acids. Because the melanoidins examined in this study were produced simply by heating in an autoclave at 121°C for 60 min, the targeted melanoidins can be easily produced. The melanoidins produced from combinations of xylose with either phenylalanine or proline exhibited a wide spectrum of antibiotic effects against various pathogens, including Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, and Salmonella enterica Typhimurium. Since the antibacterial effect of the melanoidins on L. monocytogenes was equivalent to that of a nisin solution (350 IU/mL), we might expect a practical application of melanoidins as novel food preservatives.

In vitro and In vivo digestion comparison of bee pollen with or without wall-disruption

BACKGROUND

Bee pollen is considered as a treasure trove of human and animal nutrients as a result of its extensive nutritional and therapeutic properties. However, the sophisticated pollen wall can largely limit the digestibility and bioavailability of these nutrients.

RESULTS

An ultrasonication and high shear technique was used to break the walls of five species of bee pollen, including rape bee pollen, lotus bee pollen, camellia bee pollen, wuweizi bee pollen and apricot bee pollen. We compared the digestibilities of bee pollen with or without wall-disruption. After in vitro and in vivo digestion, unbroken bee pollen grains were still intact and the fragments of wall-disrupted bee pollen still remained as fragments. Mouse in vivo digestion results suggested that the wall-disrupted bee pollen was more easily emptied from the gastrointestinal tract than unbroken bee pollen. After dynamic in vitro digestion, the digestibilities of protein and crude fat in wall-disrupted bee pollen significantly increased to more than 80%; similarly, the release rates of amino acids and reducing sugars in all wall-disrupted samples were almost 1.5 and 2 times as much as those of unbroken samples.

CONCLUSION

Based on the results obtained in the present study, we strongly recommend that bee pollen should be wall-disrupted. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Improvements of plant protein functionalities by Maillard conjugation and Maillard reaction products

Plant-derived protein research has gained attention in recent years due to the rise of health concerns, allergenicity, trends toward vegan diet, food safety, and sustainability; but the lower techno-functional attributes of plant proteins compared to those of animals still remain a challenge for their utilization. Maillard conjugation is a protein side-chain modification reaction which is spontaneous, and do not require additional chemical additive to initiate the reaction. The glycoconjugates formed during the reaction significantly improves the thermal stability and pH sensitivity of proteins. The modification of plant-derived protein using Maillard conjugation requires a comprehensive understanding of the influence of process conditions on the conjugation process. These factors can be used to establish a correlation with different functional and bioactive characteristics, to potentially adapt this approach for selective functionality enhancement and nutraceutical development. This review covers recent advances in plant-derived protein modification using Maillard conjugation, including different pretreatments to modify the functionality and bioactivity of plant proteins and their potential uses in practice. An overview of different properties of conjugates and MRPs, including food safety aspects, is given.

Structural characteristics and emulsifying properties of myofibrillar protein-dextran conjugates induced by ultrasound Maillard reaction

In this study, we investigated the effect of the ultrasound-assisted Maillard reaction on the structural and emulsifying properties of myofibrillar protein (MP) and dextran (DX) conjugates with different molecular weights (40, 70 and 150 kDa). Compared with classical heating, mild and moderate ultrasound-assisted methods (100-200 W) could accelerate the later stage of the Maillard reaction, which increased the degree of graft (DG) and the content of advanced Maillard reaction products (MPRs). Structural analysis revealed conjugates obtained by Maillard reaction induced the loss of ordered secondary structures (α-helix, β-sheets) and red-shift of maximum emission wavelength of intrinsic fluorescence spectrum. The conjugate containing 40 kDa DX exhibited higher extent of Maillard reaction compared to those containing 70 kDa and 150 kDa DX under various treating methods. Moreover, the ultrasound-assisted Maillard reaction could effectively improve the emulsifying behaviors. 100 W ultrasound-induced conjugates grafted by 70 kDa DX produced the smallest emulsion size with optimum storage stability. Confocal laser scanning microscopy and analytical centrifugal analyzer further confirmed MP grafted by 70 kDa DX with the assistance of 100 W ultrasound field could produce the smallest and most homogeneous MP-base emulsion with no flocculation. Our study demonstrated that mild ultrasound treatment resulted in well-controlled Maillard reaction, and the related glycoconjugate grafted with 70 kDa DX showed the greatest improvements in emulsifying ability and stability. These findings provided a theoretical foundation for the development of emulsion-based foods with excellent characteristics.

Comparison of the edible quality of liquid egg with different cooking methods and their antioxidant activity after in vitro digestion

The purpose of this study was to compare the edible quality of liquid egg after steaming, baking, frying and microwaving. Texture profile analysis (TPA) and color analysis were used to evaluate the sensory characteristics of cooked eggs. The fat, vitamin A and E, protein and amino acid content of cooked eggs and the antioxidant activity after in vitro digestion were determined to display the variations in nutritional value. TPA results demonstrate that baked egg exhibited a softer and more elasticity texture, with a significant lower hardness of 3234 g than fried and microwaved eggs (p < 0.05). This is also consistent with the results of cohesiveness and chewiness. Consequences from scanning electron microscope showed plentiful honeycomb structure in baked egg, which may be related to the soft and elasticity texture. However, significantly higher contents of fat, vitamins A and E, protein were determined in fried egg (p < 0.05), which may be related to its lower moisture content. The strongest free radical scavenging efficiency for the hydroxyl, the DPPH and the superoxide radical were found in the gastrointestinal digestion of fried egg, with the rate of 95.76%, 81.08%, and 91.08%, respectively. Overall, baked egg showed superior soft and elasticity taste characteristics due to its honeycomb structure, while fried egg exhibited better antioxidant activity because of its high contents in vitamins and amino acids. The above results provide potential approach for the manufacture of pre-cooked eggs and related products using liquid eggs as ingredients.

Application of a novel microwave energy treatment on brewers' spent grain (BSG): Effect on its functionality and chemical characteristics

The effect of a new microwave energy treatment on brewers' spent grain (BSG) functionality and its application in a bakery product was evaluated. The physicochemical modifications of BSG were studied with special emphasis on the analysis of non-enzymatic browning reactions. Microwave treatment induced the formation of Maillard reaction products with a high antioxidant activity. The structure of these compounds was fully analyzed and it was concluded that melanoidins were formed by polymerization of furanose rings. Results indicated that chlorogenic acids were also reactants involved in the development of this reaction, leading to the formation of new bioaccesible compounds with important antioxidant activity. Although the addition of BSG in cookie formulations negatively affect their texture, this effect was successfully reduced when the microwave treatment was applied on BSG. This was associated to the disrupting effect that the microwaves had on BSG fiber, which significantly reduced its water absorption index (p ≤ 0.05).

Cytotoxicity study of bakery product melanoidins on intestinal and endothelial cell lines

Melanoidins contribute to organoleptic properties of processed foods and exert benefits in health. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize melanoidins from baked products (common bread, soft bread and biscuits), evaluate their cytotoxicity and determine their suitability as functional additives. Extraction yield, spectrophotometric characteristics, colorimetric properties, antioxidant capacity, and cytotoxicity of melanoidins were assessed. Among the studied products, soft bread had the highest extraction throughput. Melanoidins from biscuit showed the highest antioxidant capacity, closely followed by those of soft bread. Melanoidins did not exert cytotoxic effects on Caco-2 and HUVEC cells (viability was >80%). Nevertheless, incubation of HUVEC cells with melanoidins from common bread and biscuit slightly decreased viability, whereas gastrointestinal digestion of such melanoidins softened the decrease in cell viability. This study point to soft bread as a safe and efficient source of melanoidins, that could be potentially used in the future as functional ingredient.

Dietary Advanced Glycation Endproducts and the Gastrointestinal Tract

The prevalence of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is increasing in the world. The introduction of the Western diet has been suggested as a potential explanation of increased prevalence. The Western diet includes highly processed food products, and often include thermal treatment. During thermal treatment, the Maillard reaction can occur, leading to the formation of dietary advanced glycation endproducts (dAGEs). In this review, different biological effects of dAGEs are discussed, including their digestion, absorption, formation, and degradation in the gastrointestinal tract, with an emphasis on their pro-inflammatory effects. In addition, potential mechanisms in the inflammatory effects of dAGEs are discussed. This review also specifically elaborates on the involvement of the effects of dAGEs in IBD and focuses on evidence regarding the involvement of dAGEs in the symptoms of IBD. Finally, knowledge gaps that still need to be filled are identified.

Characterization of rums sold in Spain through their absorption spectra, furans, phenolic compounds and total antioxidant capacity

A total of 42 different rums currently marketed in Spain were analyzed to study the effect of aging time and manufacturing steps (filtration, addition of additives or spices, solera aging method, use of different types of aging barrels) on several parameters: color, non-enzymatic browning, antioxidant capacity and phenolic profile. Different analytical techniques to obtain a broader descriptions of the samples were employed: absorption and UV-vis spectrophotometry, antioxidant capacity (DPPH, FRAP, ABTS methods), total phenols and HPLC to detect individual phenolic and furanic compounds. Results showed that spectrophotometric techniques could potentially be used to detect adulteration and frauds, as well as to differentiate rums by aging time. Those rums aged longer, especially those aged in oak barrels that had previously contained Bourbon or wine, showed higher phenolic content, antioxidant capacity and concentration of furanic compounds. Filtration results in the loss of antioxidant compounds while adding spices increases their concentration in rums.