Bioactive phytochemicals of tree nuts. Determination of the melatonin and sphingolipid content in almonds and pistachios

Groundnut and tree nuts: a comprehensive review on their lipid components, phytochemicals, and nutraceutical properties

The health benefits of nut consumption have been extensively demonstrated in observational studies and intervention trials. Besides the high nutritional value, countless evidences show that incorporating nuts into the diet may contribute to health promotion and prevention of certain diseases. Such benefits have been mostly and certainly attributed not only to their richness in healthy lipids (plentiful in unsaturated fatty acids), but also to the presence of a vast array of phytochemicals, such as polar lipids, squalene, phytosterols, tocochromanols, and polyphenolic compounds. Thus, many nut chemical compounds apply well to the designation "nutraceuticals," a broad umbrella term used to describe any food component that, in addition to the basic nutritional value, can contribute extra health benefits. This contribution analyses the general chemical profile of groundnut and common tree nuts (almond, walnut, cashew, hazelnut, pistachio, macadamia, pecan), focusing on lipid components and phytochemicals, with a view on their bioactive properties. Relevant scientific literature linking consumption of nuts, and/or some of their components, with ameliorative and/or preventive effects on selected diseases - such as cancer, cardiovascular, metabolic, and neurodegenerative pathologies - was also reviewed. In addition, the bioactive properties were analyzed in the light of known mechanistic frameworks.

Insights and Perspectives on Plant-Based Beverages

The emerging demand for everyday food substitutes is increasing on a daily basis. More and more individuals struggle with allergies and intolerances, which makes it mandatory to provide alternatives for simple products like dairy milk. Plant-based beverages (PBBs) are currently trending due to the multiple diets that promote their consumption with or without a justification. PBBs can derive from various types of plants, not exclusively nuts. Some of the most well-known sources are almonds, soy, rice, and hazelnuts, among others. In view of the need for sustainable approaches to resource utilization and food production, novel sources for PBBs are being sought, and those include fruit kernels. The plant kingdom offers a palette of resources with proven bioactivity, i.e., containing flavonoids, phenolic acids, vitamins, carotenoids, and phenolics, among others. Many of these beneficial substances are water soluble, which means they could be transferred to the plant beverage compositions. The current review aims at comparing the vast number of potential formulations based on their specific nutritional profiles and potential deficiencies, as well as their expected health-promoting properties, based on the raw material(s) used for production. Special attention will be given to the antinutrients, usually abundant in plant-based sources.

The Association between Melatonin-Containing Foods Consumption and Students' Sleep-Wake Rhythm, Psychoemotional, and Anthropometric Characteristics: A Semi-Quantitative Analysis and Hypothetical Application

Food is an important source of melatonin (MT), which belongs to a group known as chronobiotics, a class of substances that affect the circadian system. Currently, no studies have been conducted on how the consumption of foods containing MT (FMT) is associated with indicators characterizing the human circadian system. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that FMT consumption is associated with chronotype and social jetlag. A total of 1277 schoolchildren and university students aged M (SD) 19.9 (4.1) years (range: 16-25 years; girls: 72.8%) participated in a cross-sectional study. Each participant completed an online questionnaire with their personal data (sex, age, height, weight, waist circumference, and academic performance) and a sequence of tests to assess their sleep-wake rhythm (the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire), sleep quality (the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), and depression level (the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale). Study participants also completed a modified food frequency questionnaire that only included foods containing MT (FMT). They were asked how many foods containing MT (FMT) they had eaten for dinner, constituting their daily serving, in the past month. The consumption of foods containing MT (FMT) during the day (FMTday) and at dinner (FMTdinner) was assessed using this test. Multiple regression analyses were performed to assess the association between the studied indicators. We found that higher FMTday values were associated with early chronotype (β = -0.09) and less social jetlag (β = -0.07), better sleep quality (β = -0.06) and lower levels of depression (β = -0.11), as well as central adiposity (β = -0.08). Higher FMTdinner values were associated with a lower risk of central adiposity (β = -0.08). In conclusion, the data obtained confirm the hypothesis that the consumption of foods containing MT (FMT) is associated with chronotype and social jetlag in adolescents and young adults.

An overview on lipids in nuts and oily fruits: oil content, lipid composition, health effects, lipidomic fingerprinting and new biotechnological applications of their by-products

Tree nuts and oily fruits are used as a diet complement and are highly consumed worldwide. The production and consumption of these foods have been increasing, and an enormous global market value is forecasted for 2023. Besides their high nutritional value and lipid content, they provide health benefits to fat metabolism, heart, skin, and brain. The industrial by-products of these oily foods represent promising raw materials for many industries. However, the lipidomic analysis of nuts and oily fruits is still in its early stages. State-of-the-art analytical approaches for the lipid profiling and fingerprinting of nuts and oily fruits have been developed using high-performance liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry for the accurate identification and structural characterization at the molecular species level. It is expected to bring a new understanding of these everyday foods' nutritional and functional value. This review comprises the oil content and lipid composition of various nuts and oily fruits, particularly those mostly consumed worldwide and having recognized beneficial health effects, biological activities associated with the lipids from different oily foodstuffs, analytical methodologies to analyze lipids in nuts and oily fruits, and the potential biotechnological applications of their industrial by-products for a lipid-based commercial valorization.

Mediterranean Diet and Melatonin: A Systematic Review

The Mediterranean diet (MD) has beneficial effects on human health, which is evidenced by the observation of lower incidence rates of chronic diseases in Mediterranean countries. The MD dietary pattern is rich in antioxidants, such as melatonin, which is a hormone produced mainly by the pineal gland and controls several circadian rhythms. Additionally, melatonin is found in foods, such as fruit and vegetables. The purpose of this systematic review was to assess the melatonin content in Mediterranean foods and to evaluate the influence of the MD on melatonin levels in both humans and model organisms. A comprehensive search was conducted in four databases (PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Web of Science) and data were extracted. A total of 31 records were chosen. MD-related foods, such as tomatoes, olive oil, red wine, beer, nuts, and vegetables, showed high melatonin contents. The consumption of specific MD foods increases melatonin levels and improves the antioxidant status in plasma.

Melatonin in different food samples: Recent update on distribution, bioactivities, pretreatment and analysis techniques

Melatonin (MLT) plays a significant role on maintaining the basic physiological functions and regulating various metabolic processes in plentiful organisms. Recent years have witnessed an increase in MLT's share in global market with its affluent functions. However, the worrisome quality issues and inappropriate or excessive application of MLT take place inevitably. In addition, its photosensitive properties, oxidation, complex substrate concentration and trace levels leave exact detection of MLT doubly difficult. Therefore, it is essential to exploit precise, sensitive and stable extraction and detection methods to resolve above questions. In this study, we reviewed the distribution and bioactivities of MLT and conducted a comprehensive overview of the developments of pretreatment and analysis methods for MLT in food samples since 2010. Commonly used pretreatment methods for MLT include not only traditional techniques, but also novel ones, such as solid-phase extraction, QuEChERS, microextraction by packed sorbent, solid phase microextraction, liquid phase microextraction, and so on. Analysis methods include liquid chromatography coupled with different detectors, GC methods, capillary electrophoresis, sensors, and so on. The advantages and disadvantages of different techniques have been compared and the development tendency was prospected.

Time-Series Lipidomics Insights into the Progressive Characteristics of Lipid Constituents of Fresh Walnut during Postharvest Storage

A high-throughput lipid profiling platform adopting an accurate quantification strategy was built based on Q-Orbitrap mass spectrometry. Lipid components of fresh walnut during postharvest storage were determined, and the fatty acid distributions in triacylglycerol and polar lipids were also characterized. A total of 554 individual lipids in fresh walnut were mainly glycerolipids (56.7%), glycerophospholipids (32.4%), and sphingolipids (11%). With the progress of postharvest storage, 16 lipid subclasses in the stored walnut sample were significantly degraded, in which 34 lipids changed significantly between the fresh and stored groups. The sphingolipid metabolism, glycerolipid metabolism, and linoleic acid metabolism pathways were significantly enriched. The oxidation and degradation mechanism of linoleic acid in walnut kernel during postharvest storage was proposed. The established lipidomics platform can supply reliable and traceable lipid profiling data, help to improve the understanding of lipid degradation in fresh walnut, and offer a framework for analyzing lipid metabolisms in other tree nuts.

Sphingolipids in foodstuff: Compositions, distribution, digestion, metabolism and health effects - A comprehensive review

Sphingolipids (SLs) are common in all eukaryotes, prokaryotes, and viruses, and played a vital role in human health. They are involved in physiological processes, including intracellular transport, cell division, and signal transduction. However, there are limited reviews on dietary effects on endogenous SLs metabolism and further on human health. Various dietary conditions, including the SLs-enriched diet, high-fat diet, and vitamins, can change the level of endogenous SLs metabolites and even affect human health. This review systematically summarizes the main known SLs in foods concerning their variety and contents, as well as their isolation and identification approaches. Moreover, the present review discusses the role of dietary (particularly SLs-enriched diet, high-fat diet, and vitamins) in endogenous SLs metabolism, highlighting how exogenous SLs are digested and absorbed. The role of SLs family in the pathogenesis of diseases, including cancers, neurological disorders, infectious and inflammatory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases, and in recently coronavirus disease-19 outbreak was also discussed. In the post-epidemic era, we believe that the concern for health and the need for plant-based products will increase. Therefore, a need for research on the absorption and metabolism pathway of SLs (especially plant-derived SLs) and their bioavailability is necessary. Moreover, the effects of storage treatment and processing on the content and composition of SLs in food are worth exploring. Further studies should also be conducted on the dose-response of SLs on human health to support the development of SLs supplements. More importantly, new approaches, such as, making SLs based hydrogels can effectively achieve sustained release and targeted therapies.

In-vitro and in-vivo metabolism of different aspirin formulations studied by a validated liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method

Low-dose aspirin (ASA) is used to prevent cardiovascular events. The most commonly used formulation is enteric-coated ASA (EC-ASA) that may be absorbed more slowly and less efficiently in some patients. To uncover these "non-responders" patients, the availability of proper analytical methods is pivotal in order to study the pharmacodynamics, the pharmacokinetics and the metabolic fate of ASA. We validated a high-throughput, isocratic reversed-phase, negative MRM, LC-MS/MS method useful for measuring circulating ASA and salicylic acid (SA) in blood and plasma. ASA-d4 and SA-d4 were used as internal standards. The method was applied to evaluate: (a) the "in vitro" ASA degradation by esterases in whole blood and plasma, as a function of time and concentration; (b) the "in vivo" kinetics of ASA and SA after 7 days of oral administration of EC-ASA or plain-ASA (100 mg) in healthy volunteers (three men and three women, 37-63 years). Parameters of esterases activity were Vmax 6.5 ± 1.9 and Km 147.5 ± 64.4 in plasma, and Vmax 108.1 ± 20.8 and Km 803.2 ± 170.7 in whole blood. After oral administration of the two formulations, tmax varied between 3 and 6 h for EC-ASA and between 0.5 and 1.0 h for plain-ASA. Higher between-subjects variability was seen after EC-ASA, and one subject had a delayed absorption over eight hours. Plasma AUC was 725.5 (89.8-1222) for EC-ASA, and 823.1(624-1196) ng h/mL (median, 25-75% CI) for plain ASA. After the weekly treatment, serum levels of TxB2 were very low (< 10 ng/mL at 24 h from the drug intake) in all the studied subjects, regardless of the formulation or the tmax. This method proved to be suitable for studies on aspirin responsiveness.

CA.ME.LI.A. An epidemiological study on the prevalence of CArdiovascular, MEtabolic, LIver and Autoimmune diseases in Northern Italy

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

CA.ME.LI.A (CArdiovascular risks, MEtabolic syndrome, LIver and Autoimmune disease) is a cross-sectional, epidemiological study performed between 2009-2011 in Abbiategrasso (Milan, Italy) to estimate the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, metabolic syndrome, liver and autoimmune diseases in the general adult population. This report focuses on the description and presentation of baseline characteristics of the population.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Citizens were randomly selected from the city electoral registers (n = 30903), yielding a sample of 2554 subjects (M = 1257, F = 1297; age, 47 ± 15 yrs; range 18-77 yrs). Men had higher prevalence of overweight or obesity (60.8% vs 41.6%; p < 0.0001) and greater thickness of visceral adipose tissue (40 ± 19 vs 27 ± 17 mm; p < 0.0001); no gender difference was found in subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness. Men also showed higher levels of serum triglycerides, γ-GT, fasting blood glucose, insulin and Homa-IR Index, while HDL, CRP, and prevalence of elevated (>5.0 mg/L) CRP were lower. Compared to normal weight men, risk-ratio (RR) of CRP elevation was 1.32 (ns) in overweight and 2.68 (p < 0.0001) in obese subjects. The corresponding figures in females were 2.68 (p < 0.0001) and 5.18 (p < 0.0001). Metabolic syndrome was more frequent in men (32.7% vs 14.5%; RR: 2.24, p < 0.0001). Interadventitia common carotid artery diameter was higher in men and increased with age and BMI.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study reports on the overall characteristics of a large population from Northern Italy. It aims to identify the associations among cardiovascular risk factors to prevent their development and progression, improve healthy lifestyle and identify subjects liable to pharmacological interventions.

In vitro gastrointestinal digestion and simulated colonic fermentation of pistachio nuts determine the bioaccessibility and biosynthesis of chronobiotics

Chronodisruption leads to obesity and other metabolic disorders that can be alleviated by food-derived potential chronobiotics, such as phytomelatonin (PMT), phenolic compounds (PCs) and dietary fiber rich pistachios. Pistachios with (PN + SC) or without (PN) the seed coat were investigated for their in vitro chronobiotic potential since they are one of the main reported PMT sources. Consequently we evaluated the bioaccessibility, permeability, and biosynthesis of pistachio chronobiotics, particularly PMT, during gastrointestinal and colonic fermentation. The maximum in vitro bioaccessibility and apparent permeability (efflux-prone) of PCs, flavonoids and PMT were sample-specific [∼1.3% (both), 27 and 3.4% (PN + SC)], but additional amounts (flavonoids > PCs > PMT) were released under simulated colonic conditions. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs; 38 mM; >50% butyrate, PN + SC > PN) and some metabolites (e.g., indole, benzaldehyde, phenolic acids, and aliphatic/aromatic hydrocarbons) were detected depending on the sample. The predominant pistachio butyrate production during in vitro colonic fermentation can improve chronodisruption and benefit obese individuals. Pistachio's digestion increases the bioaccessibility and intestinal permeability of potential chronobiotics (PMT and PCs) and the biosynthesis of colonic metabolites (SCFAs, among others) also with chronobiotic potential.

Effect of Food Processing on Antioxidant Potential, Availability, and Bioavailability

Antioxidants are understood to play a key role in disease prevention; because of this, research and interest in these compounds are ever increasing. Antioxidative phytochemicals from natural sources are preferred, as some negative implications have been associated with synthetic antioxidants. Beans, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables, to name a few, are important sources of phytochemicals, which have purported health benefits. The aforementioned plant sources are reportedly rich in bioactive compounds, most of which undergo some form of processing (boiling, steaming, soaking) prior to consumption. This article briefly reviews selected plants (beans, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables) and the effects of processing on the antioxidant potential, availability, and bioavailability of phytochemicals, with research from our laboratory and other studies determining the health benefits of and processing effects on bioactive compounds.

Tryptophan Derivatives by Saccharomyces cerevisiae EC1118: Evaluation, Optimization, and Production in a Soybean-Based Medium

Given the pharmacological properti es and the potential role of kynurenic acid (KYNA) in human physiology and the pleiotropic activity of the neurohormone melatonin (MEL) involved in physiological and immunological functions and as regulator of antioxidant enzymes, this study aimed at evaluating the capability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae EC1118 to release tryptophan derivatives (dTRPs) from the kynurenine (KYN) and melatonin pathways. The setting up of the spectroscopic and chromatographic conditions for the quantification of the dTRPs in LC-MS/MS system, the optimization of dTRPs' production in fermentative and whole-cell biotransformation approaches and the production of dTRPs in a soybean-based cultural medium naturally enriched in tryptophan, as a case of study, were included in the experimental plan. Variable amounts of dTRPs, with a prevalence of metabolites of the KYN pathway, were detected. The LC-MS/MS analysis showed that the compound synthesized at highest concentration is KYNA that reached 9.146 ± 0.585 mg/L in fermentation trials in a chemically defined medium at 400 mg/L TRP. Further experiments in a soybean-based medium confirm KYNA as the main dTRPs, whereas the other dTRPs reached very lower concentrations. While detectable quantities of melatonin were never observed, two MEL isomers were successfully measured in laboratory media.

The Nutritional Potential of the Native Australian Green Plum (Buchanania obovata) Compared to Other Anacardiaceae Fruit and Nuts

The native Australian green plum (Buchanania obovata) is a small fruit that grows in the northern parts of the Northern Territory and Western Australia. The fruit belongs to the family Anacardiaceae, which includes the other agriculturally important fruit mangoes, pistachios and cashew nuts. The green plum is a favored species of fruit for the Aboriginal communities and an important bush food in the Northern Territory. To date, only minimal scientific studies have been performed on the green plum as a food. This review is about plant foods in the family Anacardiaceae and the key nutritional compounds that occur in these fruit and nuts. It looks at the more traditional nutrient profiles, some key health metabolites, allergens and anti-nutrients that occur, and the role these foods play in the health of populations. This provides a guide for future studies of the green plum to show what nutritional and anti-nutritional properties and compounds should be analyzed and if there are areas where future studies should focus. This review includes an update on studies and analysis of the green plum and how its nutritional properties give it potential as a food for diet diversification in Australia.

Melatonin rich foods in our diet: food for thought or wishful thinking?

Melatonin continues to generate interest in the scientific community and the general public. In recent years, there has been growing interest in the possibility that melatonin present in human foods may have physiological effects. This has led to the promotion of "melatonin-rich" foods and "phyto-melatonin". The night time secretion of endogenous melatonin from the pineal gland provides a daily circadian signal which is detected by receptors in various tissues. In animals the changing circadian pattern of melatonin secretion across seasons is important to them to program their reproductive behaviours to ensure optimal reproductive success, while in humans it probably plays a prominent role in anchoring sleep to the night period. When melatonin is administered in non-physiological, milligram amounts to humans, the onset of sleep can be manipulated and in larger doses anti-oxidant properties may emerge. Melatonin-rich foods are considered in this context too, but the question remains whether the amounts of melatonin in the food can be expected to be high enough to realistically change sleep or have antioxidant properties. In this review, papers reporting the effects of ingestion of melatonin-rich food on plasma or saliva melatonin or its urinary metabolite are critically evaluated. Unfortunately many of the papers are compromised by poor experimental design and assay methodologies and uncritical evaluation of results. The conclusion drawn from this review is that it is wishful thinking to expect that the amount of melatonin in "melatonin-rich" foods will impact on sleep or have any other physiological impact.

Mass spectrometry-based lipidomics in food science and nutritional health: A comprehensive review

With the advance in science and technology as well as the improvement of living standards, the function of food is no longer just to meet the needs of survival. Food science and its associated nutritional health issues have been increasingly debated. Lipids, as complex metabolites, play a key role both in food and human health. Taking advantages of mass spectrometry (MS) by combining its high sensitivity and accuracy with extensive selective determination of all lipid classes, MS-based lipidomics has been employed to resolve the conundrum of addressing both qualitative and quantitative aspects of high-abundance and low-abundance lipids in complex food matrices. In this review, we systematically summarize current applications of MS-based lipidomics in food field. First, common MS-based lipidomics procedures are described. Second, the applications of MS-based lipidomics in food science, including lipid composition characterization, adulteration, traceability, and other issues, are discussed. Third, the application of MS-based lipidomics for nutritional health covering the influence of food on health and disease is introduced. Finally, future research trends and challenges are proposed. MS-based lipidomics plays an important role in the field of food science, promoting continuous development of food science and integration of food knowledge with other disciplines. New methods of MS-based lipidomics have been developed to improve accuracy and sensitivity of lipid analysis in food samples. These developments offer the possibility to fully characterize lipids in food samples, identify novel functional lipids, and better understand the role of food in promoting healt.

Discovery of Unexpected Sphingolipids in Almonds and Pistachios with an Innovative Use of Triple Quadrupole Tandem Mass Spectrometry

The densely packed storage of valuable nutrients (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, micronutrients) in the endosperm of nuts and seeds makes the study of their complex composition a topic of great importance. Ceramides in the total lipid extract of some ground almonds and pistachios were searched with a systematic innovative discovery precursor ion scan in a triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry, where iso-energetic collision activated dissociation was performed. Five descriptors were used to search components with different C18 long chain bases containing different structural motifs (d18:0, d18:1, d18:2, t18:0, t18:1). The presence of hexoside unit was screened with a specific neutral loss experiment under iso-energetic collision activated dissociation conditions. The discovery scans highlighted the presence of two specific hexosyl-ceramides with a modified sphingosine component (d18:2) and C16:0 or C16:0 hydroxy-fatty acids. The hexosyl-ceramide with the non-hydroxylated fatty acid seemed specific of pistachios and was undetected in almonds. The fast and comprehensive mass spectrometric method used here can be useful to screen lipid extracts of several more seeds of nutraceutical interest, searching for unusual and/or specific sphingosides with chemically decorated long chain bases.

LC-MS/MS-Based Profiling of Tryptophan-Related Metabolites in Healthy Plant Foods

Food plants contain hundreds of bioactive phytochemicals arising from different secondary metabolic pathways. Among these, the metabolic route of the amino acid Tryptophan yields a large number of plant natural products with chemically and pharmacologically diverse properties. We propose the identifier "indolome" to collect all metabolites in the Tryptophan pathway. In addition, Tryptophan-rich plant sources can be used as substrates for the fermentation by yeast strains to produce pharmacologically active metabolites, such as Melatonin. To pursue this technological development, we have developed a UHPLC-MS/MS method to monitor 14 Tryptophan, Tryptamine, amino-benzoic, and pyridine metabolites. In addition, different extraction procedures to improve the recovery of Tryptophan and its derivatives from the vegetal matrix were tested. We investigated soybeans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and spirulina because of their botanical diversity and documented healthy effects. Four different extractions with different solvents and temperatures were tested, and water extraction at room temperature was chosen as the most suitable procedure to extract the whole Tryptophan metabolites pattern (called by us "indolome") in terms of ease, high efficiency, short time, low cost, and sustainability. In all plant matrices, Tryptophan was the most abundant indole compound, while the pattern of its metabolites was different in the diverse plants extracts. Overall, 5-OH Tryptamine and Kynurenine were the most abundant compounds, despite being 100-1000-fold lower than Tryptophan. Melatonin was undetected in all extracts, but sesame showed the presence of a Melatonin isomer. The results of this study highlight the variability in the occurrence of indole compounds among diverse food plants. The knowledge of Tryptophan metabolism in plants represents a relevant issue for human health and nutrition.