Chocolate and chocolate constituents influence bone health and osteoporosis risk

Influence of the Different Maturation Conditions of Cocoa Beans on the Chemical Profile of Craft Chocolates

Cocoa beans (Theobroma cacao L.) can be used for craft chocolate production, which arouses consumer interest due to their perceived better quality. This study aimed to evaluate the chemical profile of 80% artisanal chocolate samples produced with cocoa beans subjected to different maturation conditions. In the first maturation process, beans were matured under no-oxygen conditions, and in the second, the toasted beans were matured in oak barrels. The volatile compounds of the chocolate samples were extracted by the solid-phase microextraction method in headspace mode and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometer. The non-volatile compounds were extracted with methanol and analyzed through paper spray mass spectrometry. Overall, 35 volatile compounds belonging to different chemical classes (acids, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, and pyrazines) were identified, such as propanoic acid and butane-2,3-diol. In addition, 37 non-volatile compounds, such as procyanidin A pentoside and soyasaponin B, were listed. Tannins, flavonoids, and phenylpropanoids were the main chemical classes observed, varying between the two samples analyzed. Therefore, it was possible to verify that maturation conditions affected the metabolomic profile of the 80% artisanal chocolate samples, being able to influence the sensory characteristics and bioactive compounds profile. Given these results, the sensory evaluation of these chocolates is suggested as the next step.

Fortification of chocolates with high-value-added plant-based substances: Recent trends, current challenges, and future prospects

High consumption of delicious foods, such as chocolates, is considered excellent snacks, capable of converting from health-threatening to great functional foods. The fortification of chocolates with high-value-added plant-based substances might improve their healthful effects, nutritional properties, and shelf life. Chocolate could be an effective carrier for plant-based substances delivery, and it could be an effective vehicle to treat and reduce the indications of disease, such as obesity, overweight, hypertension, stress, cardiovascular failure, congestive heart failure, and diabetes. Referring to the recent studies in chocolate fortification with high-value-added plant-based substances, it seems that the recent trends are toward its therapeutic effects against noncommunicable diseases. Despite the undeniable functional effects of fortified chocolates, there are some challenges in the fortification way of chocolates. In other words, their functional characteristics, such as rheological and sensory attributes, may undesirably change. It seems that encapsulation techniques, such as spray drying, antisolvent precipitation, nanoemulsification, and liposomal encapsulation, could almost overcome these challenges. Thus, several studies focused on designing and fabricating nanoscale delivery systems with the aim of chocolate fortification, which is discussed.

The role of metabolites under the influence of genes and lifestyles in bone density changes

Purpose

Osteoporosis is a complex bone disease influenced by numerous factors. Previous studies have found that some metabolites are related to bone mineral density (BMD). However, the associations between metabolites and BMD under the influence of genes and lifestyle have not been fully investigated.

Methods

We analyzed the effect of metabolites on BMD under the synergistic effect of genes and lifestyle, using the data of 797 participants aged 55–65 years from the Taizhou Imaging Study. The cumulative sum method was used to calculate the polygenic risk score of SNPs, and the healthful plant-based diet index was used to summarize food intake. The effect of metabolites on BMD changes under the influence of genes and lifestyle was analyzed through interaction analysis and mediation analysis.

Results

Nineteen metabolites were found significantly different in the osteoporosis, osteopenia, and normal BMD groups. We found two high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subfractions were positively associated with osteopenia, and six very-low-density lipoprotein subfractions were negatively associated with osteopenia or osteoporosis, after adjusting for lifestyles and genetic factors. Tea drinking habits, alcohol consumption, smoking, and polygenic risk score changed BMD by affecting metabolites.

Conclusion

With the increased level of HDL subfractions, the risk of bone loss in the population will increase; the risk of bone loss decreases with the increased level of very-low-density lipoprotein subfractions. Genetic factors and lifestyles can modify the effects of metabolites on BMD. Our results show evidence for the precise prevention of osteoporosis.

Assessing the Association between Important Dietary Habits and Osteoporosis: A Genetic Correlation and Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study

Objective: Osteoporosis (OP) is the most common bone disease. The genetic and metabolic factors play important roles in OP development. However, the genetic basis of OP is still elusive. The study aimed to explore the relationships between OP and dietary habits. Methods: This study used large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics from the UK Biobank to explore potential associations between OP and 143 dietary habits. The GWAS summary data of OP included 9434 self-reported OP cases and 444,941 controls, and the GWAS summary data of the dietary habits included 455,146 participants of European ancestry. Linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) was used to detect the genetic correlations between OP and each of the 143 dietary habits, followed by Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to further assess the causal relationship between OP and candidate dietary habits identified by LDSC. Results: The LDSC analysis identified seven candidate dietary habits that showed genetic associations with OP including cereal type such as biscuit cereal (coefficient = −0.1693, p value = 0.0183), servings of raw vegetables per day (coefficient = 0.0837, p value = 0.0379), and spirits measured per month (coefficient = 0.115, p value = 0.0353). MR analysis found that OP and PC17 (butter) (odds ratio [OR] = 0.974, 95% confidence interval [CI] = (0.973, 0.976), p value = 0.000970), PC35 (decaffeinated coffee) (OR = 0.985, 95% CI = (0.983, 0.987), p value = 0.00126), PC36 (overall processed meat intake) (OR = 1.035, 95% CI = (1.033, 1.037), p value = 0.000976), PC39 (spirits measured per month) (OR = 1.014, 95% CI = (1.011, 1.015), p value = 0.00153), and servings of raw vegetables per day (OR = 0.978, 95% CI = (0.977, 0.979), p value = 0.000563) were clearly causal. Conclusions: Our findings provide new clues for understanding the genetic mechanisms of OP, which focus on the possible role of dietary habits in OP pathogenesis.

Valorization of bio-waste eggshell as a viable source of dietary calcium for confectionery products

BACKGROUND

The market of innovative foods is developing very dynamically and consumers are paying increasingly more attention to the health properties of the food offered. In addition, many studies on food consumption indicate a deficiency of minerals in the diet and experts suggest that the consumption of fortified functional foods in a selected group of consumers may contribute to the improvement of their health and quality of life.

RESULTS

The aim of the work was to present the possibility of using bio-waste eggshell as a source of calcium in designing confectionery products. A snack with high calcium (0.567 g Ca kg^-1 of product) and fiber (11.44 g kg^-1 of product) content and potentially high calcium bioavailability was prepared. The results of the sensory expert-based assessment indicate a high (6-7 conventional units) overall sensory quality (OSQ) of the four flavor versions of the product during up to 3 months storage. In order to accurately illustrate the effect of storage time on the quality of the samples, texture analysis was carried out and the presented results indicate low correlations (r = -0.5554; r = -0.1494) between instrumentally measured hardness and sensory attribute of crispness, as well as hardness and OSQ, respectively.

CONCLUSION

It is possible to reuse bio-waste eggshells as a calcium-fortifying substance for food design. The addition of powdered eggshells to food is an interesting direction, both for nutritional reasons (high concentration of calcium and optimal bioavailability) and also for environmental protection (reduction of post-production waste). © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of maternal and postnatal cocoa supplementation on testicles of adult Wistar rats

Early weaning can lead to changes in the morphology of organs in adulthood, and the consumption of functional foods during lactation and postnatal life is believed to prevent these changes. However, it is not known if early weaning affects testicular morphology and if the use of cocoa can prevent that. We studied the effects of maternal and postnatal supplementation of cocoa powder on the testicular morphology of early weaned adult rats. The animals were divided into four groups (n = 6 each), control group, cocoa control group, early weaning (EW) group, and cocoa early weaning (EWCa) group, and were analyzed for 90 d, after which they were euthanized. The animals from the EW group showed a reduction in the tubular diameter and height of the seminiferous epithelium, a decrease in epithelial surface density (Sv), and an increase in the lumen and proper tunic. However, the animals from the EWCa group showed an increase in the diameter and height of the epithelium, an increase in the epithelium Sv, and a decrease in the lumen and the proper tunic. The early weaning promotes morphological changes in the testicles; however, supplementation with cocoa powder can preserve the testicular histoarchitecture.

The Effect of Yellow Tea Leaves Camellia sinensis on the Quality of Stored Chocolate Confectionery

Chocolate and tea leaves are considered the most valuable sources of highly bioactive polyphenols due to their potential anti-cancer properties and beneficial effects on the cardiovascular and nervous systems. The objective of the present study was the development of a sensory profiling modality that is correlated with the taste of the chocolate enriched with yellow tea phytochemicals. The additive concentration was optimized in white chocolate and the designed product was evaluated using the sensory profiling method. It was shown that the yellow tea extract in chocolate had a significant effect on the taste and color of the product. Addition of 2.0% yellow tea powdered extract increased the value of color acceptance and caused an intensification of the aromas, particularly the leafy taste, compared to the control samples. The next step of the study was to determine the influence of tea addition in white, milk and dark chocolate subjected to 6 months of storage. The designed chocolates were tested for their activity as antioxidants (DPPH, ABTS and ORAC assay) and cholinesterase inhibitors (AChE, BChE assay). It was confirmed that the yellow tea addition affected the activity of prepared chocolates with respect to radical scavenging activity and was highest for dark chocolate with yellow tea where the values were as follows: 4373 mg Tx/100 g (DPPH), 386 mg Tx/100 g (ABTS) and 4363 µM Tx/100 g (ORAC). An increase in the anti-radical activity of chocolate with yellow tea was found after 3 months of storage, but the subsequent 3 months of storage resulted in its reduction. AChE values ranged from 0.118 to 0.730 [µM eserine/g dw] and from 0.095 to 0.480 [µM eserine/g dw] for BChE assay. Total capacity to inhibit AChE and BChE differed depending on the type of chocolate and was negatively influenced by the half-year storage. Summarizing tested values for individual samples were higher, with increasing content of cocoa liquor and yellow tea extract in the product. The results of the research show that the use of yellow tea in confectionery is promising and may appoint a new direction in functional foods.

Bioactive compounds and techno-functional properties of high-fiber co-products of the cacao agro-industrial chain

The cacao shell (CS) and cacao pod husk (CPH), two of the most promising high-fiber co-products of the cacao agro-industrial chain, were evaluated to determine their potential incorporation into food products. This research determined bioactive compounds and techno-functional properties of CS and CPH, and was evaluated the enzymatic inactivation by thermal treatments in CPH. We found that CS is rich in protein, lipids, dietary fiber (48.1 ± 0.3 g 100 gdw -1), and antioxidant molecules such as epicatechin (1.10 ± 0.02 mg g-1) and isoquercetin (1.04 ± 0.09 mg g-1). Moreover, in CS a positive effect of hydration mechanism occur; in fact, it was observed a reduction of Lightness (L∗) value and a remarkable color difference (ΔE∗,18.8 ± 0.7) (CIEL∗a∗b∗ color space), between hydrated and dry CS samples; so, it could be used as a potential natural colorant in foods. CPH resulted equally rich in dietary fiber (35.3-37.4%) and flavonoids (2.9 ± 0.1 mg RE g-1); in this co-product, the rapid enzymatic inactivation by thermal treatments was essential to obtain the highest antioxidant activity and polyphenols content; regarding the techno-functional properties, it was found that CPH flour had high hydration capacity, so CPH can use it as a replacement for emulsifiers or water holding additives while incorporating the fiber and abundantly found antioxidants.

Impact of cocoa flavanols on human health

Cocoa is a source of flavanols, and these phenolic compounds exert beneficial effects on health and aging, and reduce the risk of suffering chronic diseases (cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, cancer). An increasing body of evidence has emerged to suggest that cocoa flavanols potentially are important chemopreventive natural agents. This review summarizes human studies from the past two decades, providing data related to the effects derived from cocoa intake on health and disease. Most human studies have reported beneficial effects of cocoa consumption on health and chronic diseases; however, outcomes are not unequivocal. Review of human studies enable to identify different mechanisms of action for cocoa, although they are not fully understood at present. In addition, it remains unclear whether cocoa consumption should be recommended to healthy subjects or to patients and what is the appropriate dosage or duration of cocoa consumption. Elucidation of information regarding these crucial issues could lead to cocoa use as an approach for decreasing the risk of certain chronic diseases, as well as improving health and quality of life.

Attenuating Effect of Peruvian Cocoa Populations on the Acute Asthmatic Response in Brown Norway Rats

Cocoa contains bioactive components, which vary according to genetic and environmental factors. The present study aimed to ascertain the anti-allergic properties of native Peruvian cocoa populations ("Blanco de Piura" or BPC, "Amazonas Peru" or APC, "Criollo de Montaña" or CMC, "Chuncho" or CCC, and an ordinary cocoa or OC). To do so, after an initial in vitro approach, an in vivo study focused on the induction of an anaphylactic response associated with allergic asthma in Brown Norway rats was carried out. Based on their polyphenol content, antioxidant activity and in vitro effects, the APC and CMC were selected to be included in the in vivo study. Cocoa diets were tested in a model of allergic asthma in which anaphylactic response was assessed by changes in body temperature, motor activity and body weight. The concentration of specific immunoglobulin E (IgE), mast cell protease and leukotrienes was also quantified in serum and/or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. CMC and OC populations exhibited a protective effect on the allergic asthma rat model as evidenced by means of a partial protection against anaphylactic response and, above all, in the synthesis of IgE and the release of mast cell protease.

The sweet side of dark chocolate for chronic kidney disease patients

Chocolate is a widely appreciated foodstuff with historical appreciation as a food from the gods. In addition to its highly palatable taste, it is a rich source of (poly)phenolics, which have several proposed salutogenic effects, including neuroprotective anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and cardioprotective capabilities. Despite the known benefits of this ancient foodstuff, there is a paucity of information on the effects of chocolate in the context of chronic kidney disease (CKD). This review focusses on the potential salutogenic contribution of chocolate intake, to mitigate inflammatory and oxidative burden in CKD, its potential, for cardiovascular protection and on the maintenance of diversity in gut microbiota, as well as clinical perspectives, on regular chocolate intake by CKD patients.

RANKL/RANK/OPG Pathway: A Mechanism Involved in Exercise-Induced Bone Remodeling

Bones as an alive organ consist of about 70% mineral and 30% organic component. About 200 million people are suffering from osteopenia and osteoporosis around the world. There are multiple ways of protecting bone from endogenous and exogenous risk factors. Planned physical activity is another useful way for protecting bone health. It has been investigated that arranged exercise would effectively regulate bone metabolism. Until now, a number of systems have discovered how exercise could help bone health. Previous studies reported different mechanisms of the effect of exercise on bone health by modulation of bone remodeling. However, the regulation of RANKL/RANK/OPG pathway in exercise and physical performance as one of the most important remodeling systems is not considered comprehensive in previous evidence. Therefore, the aim of this review is to clarify exercise influence on bone modeling and remodeling, with a concentration on its role in regulating RANKL/RANK/OPG pathway.