Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to lycopene and protection of DNA, proteins and lipids from oxidative damage (ID 1608, 1609, 1611, 1662, 1663, 1664, 1899, 1942, 2081, 2082, 2142, 2374), protection of the skin from UV-indu

Food Colour Additives: A Synoptical Overview on Their Chemical Properties, Applications in Food Products, and Health Side Effects

Colour is one of the most relevant organoleptic attributes that directly affects consumers' acceptance and food selection. However, as food colouring pigments are generally unstable and become modified during processing, in order to maintain or restore product colour uniformity, colourants are added to food products around the world. In this context, although they are still widely used, synthetic food colorants, due to their potential hazards, are being replaced by those obtained from natural origins. Indeed, numerous side effects and toxicities, at both the medium and long-terms-namely allergic reactions, and behavioral and neurocognitive effects-have been related to the use of synthetic colourants, whereas their naturally-derived counterparts seem to provide a somewhat high-quality and effective contribution as a health promoter. In order to further understand the implications of the use of synthetic and naturally derived food colourants, this review aims to provide a synoptical approach to the chemical characteristics, properties, uses and side effects on health of those which are currently allowed and applied during food processing.

Insights into the Analysis of Phenolic Secoiridoids in Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) containing more than 5 mg/20 g tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, and their secoiridoids can be recognized by health claims related to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress. Therefore, a reliable, accurate, and standardized analytical procedure is needed to determine these markers of EVOO quality. In order to overcome the limitations of current methods, a detailed investigation of sample preparation and chromatographic conditions was performed by UHPLC-UV-HRMS. The use of a C18 fused-core column and nonacidified gradient elution provided single, sharp peaks for oleocanthal and oleacein, allowing their reliable quantitation in UV profiles. Positive- and negative-UHPLC-HRMS/MS characterization of methanolic extracts revealed the presence of dimethyl acetal, methyl hemiacetal, and monohydrate derivatives of all secoiridoids. These artifacts were formed in aqueous methanol, which is usually employed to extract and analyze EVOO phenols, making the HPLC profiles more complex and the measurements less accurate and reproducible. Acetonitrile proved to be a suitable solvent to avoid the formation of secoiridoid dimethyl acetals and methyl hemiacetals and to efficiently extract EVOO bioactive phenols. Finally, the phenolic contents of Italian EVOO samples were determined by UHPLC-UV analysis of acetonitrile extracts before (direct method) and after acid hydrolysis (indirect method). The results indicated that the use of tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol as reference standards allowed more accurate quantitative data to be obtained. Direct and indirect methods provided comparable levels of EVOO phenols, highlighting the usefulness of acid hydrolysis in routine analyses. The improved procedure defines the most reliable conditions to provide an analytical method with suitable accuracy and repeatability in the analysis of healthy and functional EVOO phenols.

Low-density lipoprotein oxidation biomarkers in human health and disease and effects of bioactive compounds

Based on the significance of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in health and disease, this review focuses on human studies addressing oxidation of LDL, including three lines of biomarkers, (i) ex vivo LDL resistance to oxidation, a "challenge test" model, (ii) circulating oxidized LDL, indicating the "current in vivo status", and (iii) autoantibodies against oxidized LDL as fingerprints of an immune response to oxidized LDL, along with circulating oxysterols and 4-hydroxynonenal as biomarkers of lipid peroxidation. Lipid peroxidation and oxidized LDL are hallmarks in the development of various metabolic, cardiovascular and other diseases. Changes further occur across life stages from infancy to older age as well as in athletes and smokers. Given their responsiveness to targeted nutritional interventions, markers of LDL oxidation have been employed in a rapidly growing number of human studies for more than 2 decades. There is growing interest in foods, which, besides providing energy and nutrients, exert beneficial effects on human health, such as protection of DNA, proteins and lipids from oxidative damage. Any health claim, however, needs to be substantiated by supportive evidence derived from human studies, using reliable biomarkers to demonstrate such beneficial effects. A large body of evidence has accumulated, demonstrating protection of LDL from oxidation by bioactive food compounds, including vitamins, other micronutrients and secondary plant ingredients, which will facilitate the selection of oxidation biomarkers for future human intervention studies and health claim support.

Carotene Degradation and Isomerization during Thermal Processing: A Review on the Kinetic Aspects

Kinetic models are important tools for process design and optimization to balance desired and undesired reactions taking place in complex food systems during food processing and preservation. This review covers the state of the art on kinetic models available to describe heat-induced conversion of carotenoids, in particular lycopene and β-carotene. First, relevant properties of these carotenoids are discussed. Second, some general aspects of kinetic modeling are introduced, including both empirical single-response modeling and mechanism-based multi-response modeling. The merits of multi-response modeling to simultaneously describe carotene degradation and isomerization are demonstrated. The future challenge in this research field lies in the extension of the current multi-response models to better approach the real reaction pathway and in the integration of kinetic models with mass transfer models in case of reaction in multi-phase food systems.