Rising Demand for Healthy Foods-Anthocyanin Biofortified Colored Wheat Is a New Research Trend

Synergistic enhancement of anthocyanin stability and techno-functionality of colored wheat during the steamed bread processing by selectively hydrolyzed soy protein

To improve the stability of anthocyanins and techno-functionality of purple and blue wheat, the selectively hydrolyzed soy protein (reduced glycinin, RG) and β-conglycinin (7S) were prepared and their enhanced effects were comparatively investigated. The anthocyanins in purple wheat showed higher stability compared to that of the blue wheat during breadmaking. The cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and cyanidin-3-O-rutincoside in purple wheat and delphinidin-3-O-rutinoside and delphinidin-3-O-glucoside in blue wheat were better preserved by RG. Addition of RG and 7S enhanced the quality of steamed bread made from colored and common wheat, with RG exhibited a more prominent effect. RG and 7S suppressed the gelatinization of starch and improved the thermal stability. Both RG and 7S promoted the unfolding process of gluten proteins and facilitated the subsequent crosslinking of glutenins and gliadins by disulfide bonds. Polymerization of α- and γ-gliadin into glutenin were more evidently promoted by RG, which contributed to the improved steamed bread quality.

Antitumor Effects of an Anthocyanin-Rich Grain Diet in a Mouse Model of Lewis Lung Carcinoma

Functional foods enriched with plant polyphenol anthocyanins attract particular attention due to their health-promoting properties, including antitumor activity. We evaluated the effects of a grain diet rich in anthocyanins in a mouse model of Lewis lung carcinoma. Mice of the C57BL/6 strain were fed with wheat of near-isogenic lines differing in the anthocyanin content for four months prior to tumor transplantation. Although a significant decrease in the size of the tumor and the number of metastases in the lungs was revealed in the groups with both types of grain diet, the highest percentage of animals without metastases and with attenuated cell proliferation in the primary tumor were observed in the mice with the anthocyanin-rich diet. Both grain diets reduced the body weight gain and spleen weight index. The antitumor effects of the grain diets were associated with the activation of different mechanisms: immune response of the allergic type with augmented interleukin(IL)-9 and eotaxin serum levels in mice fed with control grain vs. inhibition of the IL-6/LIF system accompanied by a decrease in the tumor-associated M2 macrophage marker arginase 1 gene mRNA levels and enhanced autophagy in the tumor evaluated by the mRNA levels of Beclin 1 gene. Thus, anthocyanin-rich wheat is suggested as a promising source of functional nutrition with confirmed in vivo antitumor activity.

Effects of purple cabbage anthocyanin extract on the gluten characteristics and the gluten network evolution of high-gluten dough

BACKGROUND

Anthocyanins are polyphenolic pigments that have hypoglycemic, antioxidation, anti-aging, and other effects. Research has shown that polyphenols can optimize the processing of dough and improve the texture and nutritional characteristics of dough products. The formation of gluten networks is decisive for the quality of flour products. The effects of purple cabbage anthocyanin (PCA) extract on the structure, microscopic morphology, and network formation of gluten protein were studied, and the types of cross-linking between PCA and gluten protein are discussed.

RESULTS

The results show that PCA extract increased the free sulfhydryl (SH) group content and the free amino group of gluten proteins, stimulated an increase in the β-sheet ratio and the decrease of α-helix ratio, and increased the gluten index significantly (P < 0.05). The PCA extract also induced gluten protein aggregation, increased the height of protein molecular chains, and stimulated the formation of gluten networks. When PCA extract concentrations were 4 g kg-1 and 8 g kg-1, the gluten network was more homogeneous, continuous, and dense.

CONCLUSION

Appropriate anthocyanins have a positive effect on the properties of gluten and promote the formation of gluten networks. Excessive anthocyanins destroy gluten protein interaction and harm gluten cross-linking. This study may provide a useful source of data for the production of functional flour products rich in anthocyanins. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Identification and transcriptomic profiling of salinity stress response genes in colored wheat mutant

Background

Salinity is a major abiotic stress that prevents normal plant growth and development, ultimately reducing crop productivity. This study investigated the effects of salinity stress on two wheat lines: PL1 (wild type) and PL6 (mutant line generated through gamma irradiation of PL1).

Results

The salinity treatment was carried out with a solution consisting of a total volume of 200 mL containing 150 mM NaCl. Salinity stress negatively impacted germination and plant growth in both lines, but PL6 exhibited higher tolerance. PL6 showed lower Na+ accumulation and higher K+ levels, indicating better ion homeostasis. Genome-wide transcriptomic analysis revealed distinct gene expression patterns between PL1 and PL6 under salt stress, resulting in notable phenotypic differences. Gene ontology analysis revealed positive correlations between salt stress and defense response, glutathione metabolism, peroxidase activity, and reactive oxygen species metabolic processes, highlighting the importance of antioxidant activities in salt tolerance. Additionally, hormone-related genes, transcription factors, and protein kinases showed differential expression, suggesting their roles in the differential salt stress response. Enrichment of pathways related to flavonoid biosynthesis and secondary metabolite biosynthesis in PL6 may contribute to its enhanced antioxidant activities. Furthermore, differentially expressed genes associated with the circadian clock system, cytoskeleton organization, and cell wall organization shed light on the plant's response to salt stress.

Conclusions

Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing stress-tolerant crop varieties, improving agricultural practices, and breeding salt-resistant crops to enhance global food production and address food security challenges.

Assessment of acceptability of black wheat flour products and factors affecting it among Anganwadi beneficiaries and workers: A mixed-method prospective observational study

Introduction

Malnutrition is very common in India and black wheat might be an acceptable solution to this problem. The aim of the study was to assess acceptability of black wheat flour products and factors affecting it among Anganwadi beneficiaries and workers.

Materials and Methods

This was a mixed-method prospective observational study. All the family members enrolled for supplementary nutrition and Anganwadi workers/helpers of three randomly selected Anganwadi centers were taken in the study. For qualitative data, in-depth interview was done, and for quantitative data, 9-point hedonic scale was administered. Braun and Clarke's six-phase data analysis framework was used for qualitative data.

Results

A total of 16 pregnant females, 14 lactating females, 16 children, 2 Anganwadi workers, and 3 Anganwadi helpers participated in the study. Thematic analysis of the data revealed five significant themes. It included characteristics of black wheat flour, the process of making the product (experience of making the product), family acceptability, availability, and hygiene. Participants expressed that the black color appearance is one of the negative influencers in the acceptability of black wheat flour. Most of the participants liked the taste as well as the texture. However, kneading, rolling, and puffing were more challenging than traditional wheat flour. On the hedonic scale, the mean rank of acceptability is lowest for color (3.03), followed by puffing (3.49) and highest for texture (4.87) and taste (4.60).

Conclusion

Our study results revealed that black wheat is acceptable to the Anganwadi beneficiaries and workers.

Mass spectrometry-based quantification of immunostimulatory gliadin proteins and peptides in coloured wheat varieties: Implications for Celiac Disease

Pigmented wheat varieties (Triticum aestivum spp.) are getting increasingly popular in modern nutrition and thoroughly researched for their functional and nutraceutical value. The colour of these wheat grains is caused by the expression of natural pigments, including carotenoids and anthocyanins, that can be restricted to either the endosperm, pericarp and/or aleurone layers. While contrasts in phytochemical synthesis give rise to variations among purple, blue, dark and yellow grain's antioxidant and radical scavenging capacities, little is known about their influence on gluten proteins expression, digestibility and immunogenic potential in a Celiac Disease (CD) framework. Herein, it has been found that the expression profile and immunogenic properties of gliadin proteins in pigmented wheat grains might be affected by anthocyanins and carotenoids upregulation, and that the spectra of peptide released upon simulated gastrointestinal digestion is also significantly different. Interestingly, anthocyanin accumulation, as opposed to carotenoids, correlated with a lower immunogenicity and toxicity of gliadins at both protein and peptide levels. Altogether, this study provides first-level evidence on the impact modern breeding practices, seeking higher expression levels of health promoting phytochemicals at the grain level, may have on wheat crops functionality and CD tolerability.

Anthocyanins-natural pigment of colored rice bran: Composition and biological activities

Rice by-products are a potential source of various bioactive substances with great processing potential, which are receiving increasing attention. Among them, rice bran is a by-product of rice milling, with high nutritional value and health benefits. Colored rice bran contains a large amount of anthocyanins responsible for color and bioactivities. And anthocyanins are often added to foods as a natural pigment, serving to enhance both the visual appeal and nutritional value. Recent advances in the composition and bioactivities of four common colored rice bran anthocyanins (black, purple, red, and purple red rice) are reviewed in this paper. Rice bran anthocyanins have been confirmed to exhibit biological potential for human health, with their main biological activities being antioxidant, anti-atherosclerosis, anti-cancer, neuroprotective, retinoprotective, immunomodulatory, anti-aging and anti-obesity effects. The structure of anthocyanins determines their biological activities. The anthocyanins composition of rice bran with different colors varied greatly, while that of rice bran with the same color is also slightly different, which is attributed to the rice varieties, growing environment and cropping conditions. However, it remains necessary to conduct further clinical studies to support the health activities of anthocyanins. The present review provides information value for the further development and comprehensive utilization of rice bran anthocyanins.

Molecular cytogenetic identification and nutritional composition evaluation of newly synthesized Triticum turgidum-Triticum boeoticum amphiploids (AABBAbAb)

Triticum boeoticum Boiss. (AbAb, 2n = 2x = 14) is a wheat-related species with the blue aleurone trait. In this study, 18 synthetic Triticum turgidum-Triticum boeoticum amphiploids were identified, which were derived from crosses between T. boeoticum and T. turgidum. Three probes (Oligo-pTa535, Oligo-pSc119.2, and Oligo-pTa713) for multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization (mc-FISH) were combined with genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) to identify chromosomal composition. Seven nutritional indices (anthocyanins, protein, total essential amino acids TEAA, Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu) were measured, and the nutritional components of 18 synthetic amphiploids were comprehensively ranked by principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed that all three synthetic amphiploids used for cytological identification contained 42 chromosomes, including 14 A, 14 B, and 14 Ab chromosomes. The average anthocyanin content was 82.830 μg/g to 207.606 μg/g in the whole meal of the 17 blue-grained lines (Syn-ABAb-1 to Syn-ABAb-17), which was obviously higher than that in the yellow-grained line Syn-ABAb-18 (6.346 μg/g). The crude protein content was between 154.406 and 180.517 g/kg, and the EAA content was 40.193-63.558 mg/g. The Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu levels in the 17 blue-grained lines were 60.55 to 97.41 mg/kg, 60.55-97.41 mg/kg, 35.11 to 65.20 mg/kg and 5.74 to 7.22 mg/kg, respectively, which were higher than those in the yellow-grained line. The contribution of the first three principal components reached 84%. The first principal component was mainly anthocyanins, Fe, Zn and Mn. The second principal component contained protein and amino acids, and the third component contained only Cu. The top 5 Triticum turgidum-Triticum boeoticum amphiploids were Syn-ABAb-11, Syn-ABAb-17, Syn-ABAb-5, Syn-ABAb-8 and Syn-ABAb-4. These amphidiploids exhibited the potential to serve as candidates for hybridization with common wheat, as indicated by comprehensive score rankings, toward enhancing the nutritional quality of wheat.

Influence of Agronomic Practices on the Antioxidant Compounds of Pigmented Wheat (Triticum aestivum spp. aestivum L.) and Tritordeum (× Tritordeum martinii A. Pujadas, nothosp. nov.) Genotypes

Twelve pigmented wheat genotypes, one tritordeum, and one common wheat were grown in three field experiments under varying nitrogen (N) fertilization rates to investigate the contributions of genotype, environment, and fertilization on the levels of phenolic acids, anthocyanins, carotenoids and antioxidant capacity of the grains. Soluble phenolic acids increased significantly (+16%) in the environment with high soil N content, while bound phenolic acids and anthocyanins decreased (-16 and -57%). N fertilization affected the agronomic and qualitative traits but had limited effects on some bioactive compounds (bound phenolic acids and anthocyanins). The greatest differences appeared among the color groups and within the same color types, with the black group showing the most anthocyanins and phenolic acids (34.4 and 1207 mg·kg-1) and the highest antioxidant capacity. Some of the cultivars could be promising for the development of innovative supply chains and the production of functional foods, as they showed good yield and quality performances, and good antioxidant features.

Production and characterization of anthocyanin-rich beer from black wheat by an efficient isolate Saccharomyces cerevisiae CMS12

Beer is the world's third most popular fermented beverage. It is typically made from malted barley. Tropical countries must import barley from temperate countries for brewing, which is an expensive process. Therefore, it is critical to investigate alternative possible substrates for beer production in order to meet the growing demand for high-nutritional-quality beer. The current study involves the creation of a fermented beverage from anthocyanin-rich black wheat with the help of yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae CMS12, isolated from fruit waste. Characterization (UV, HPLC, NMR, FTIR, and ICPMS) was then performed, as well as a comparative study with white (amber) wheat beer. Further, process parameters optimization included initial sugar concentration, inoculum size, and pH. Black wheat wort contained 568 mg GAE/L total phenolic content, 4.67 mg/L anthocyanin concentration, 6.8% (v/v) alcohol content, and a pH of 4.04. The sensory analysis revealed that black wheat beer was more acceptable than white wheat beer. The developed fermented beverage has enormous commercialization potential.

Purple Wheat: Food Development, Anthocyanin Stability, and Potential Health Benefits

Colored wheats such as black, blue, or purple wheat are receiving a great interest as healthy food ingredients due to their potential health-enhancing attributes. Purple wheat is an anthocyanin-pigmented grain that holds huge potential in food applications since wheat is the preferred source of energy and protein in human diet. Purple wheat is currently processed into a variety of foods with potent antioxidant properties, which have been demonstrated by in vitro studies. However, the health impacts of purple wheat foods in humans still require further investigations. Meanwhile, anthocyanins are vulnerable molecules that require special stabilization treatments during food preparation and processing. A number of stabilization methods such as co-pigmentation, self-association, encapsulation, metal binding, and adjusting processing conditions have been suggested as a means to diminish the loss of anthocyanins in processed foods and dietary supplements. The present review was intended to provide insights about purple wheat food product development and its roles in human health. In addition, methods for stabilizing anthocyanins during processing were briefly discussed.

Bioaccessibility and Antioxidant Activity of Polyphenols from Pigmented Barley and Wheat

Polyphenols in pigmented cereals are believed to enhance health outcomes through their antioxidant properties. This study aimed to characterise polyphenols from Hordeum vulgare (purple barley), Triticum turgidum (purple wheat) and Triticum aestivum (blue wheat) in order to evaluate their bioaccessibility and antioxidant activity. An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry coupled with an online 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) system was used to identify the polyphenols and quantify their relative antioxidant levels. Simulated gastrointestinal digestion of the cereals allowed for the assessment of polyphenol bioaccessibility using benchtop assays. Between cereals, the bioaccessible phenolic content was similar following digestion, but the antioxidant activity was significantly different (purple barley > purple wheat > blue wheat; p < 0.01). Among the polyphenols identified, flavan-3-ols and anthocyanins were the least bioaccessible whereas flavones were the most bioaccessible after digestion. This study demonstrated that these pigmented cereal varieties are sources of bioaccessible polyphenols with antioxidant activity. These findings may aid in utilising these pigmented grains for the future design and development of novel functional food products with enhanced health properties.

The Wheat Aleurone Layer: Optimisation of Its Benefits and Application to Bakery Products

The wheat aleurone layer is, according to millers, the main bran fraction. It is a source of nutritionally valuable compounds, such as dietary fibres, proteins, minerals and vitamins, that may exhibit health benefits. Despite these advantages, the aleurone layer is scarce on the market, probably due to issues related to its extraction. Many processes exist with some patents, but a choice must be made between the quality and quantity of the resulting product. Nonetheless, its potential has been studied mainly in bread and pasta. While the nutritional benefits of aleurone-rich flour addition to bread agree, opposite results have been obtained concerning its effects on end-product characteristics (namely loaf volume and sensory characteristics), thus ensuing different acceptability responses from consumers. However, the observed negative effects of aleurone-rich flour on bread dough could be reduced by subjecting it to pre- or post-extracting treatments meant to either reduce the particle size of the aleurone's fibres or to change the conformation of its components.

Bread wheat with enhanced grain carotenoid content: a novel option for wheat biofortification

Colored wheat has piqued the interest of breeders and consumers alike. The chromosomal segment from 7E of Thinopyrum ponticum, which carries a leaf rust resistant gene, Lr19, has been rarely employed in wheat breeding operations due to its association with the Y gene, which gives a yellow tint to the flour. By prioritizing nutritional content over color preferences, consumer acceptance has undergone a paradigm change. Through marker-assisted backcross breeding, we introduced an alien segment harboring the Y (PsyE1) gene into a high yielding commercial bread wheat (HD 2967) background to generate rust resistant carotenoid biofortified bread wheat. Agro-morphological characterization was also performed on a subset of developed 70 lines having enhanced grain carotene content. In the introgression lines, carotenoid profiling using HPLC analysis demonstrated a considerable increase in β-carotene levels (up to 12 ppm). Thus, the developed germplasm caters the threat to nutritional security and can be utilized to produce carotenoid fortified wheat.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-022-01338-0.

Colored wheat and derived products: key to global nutritional security

Ensuring food and nutritional security of fast-growing population will pose a huge challenge in future. An estimated one-half population who does not go hungry, nonetheless suffers the debilitating effects of unhealthy diets. In view of the nutritional awareness, when the major wheat breeding programs have started shifting to quality, instead of quantity in wheat, the colored wheats give a novel twist of targeting the malnutrition by enhancing the antioxidants such as anthocyanin, carotenoids, flavonoids, polyphenols etc. Moreover, changing consumer demands have picked the trend to prefer a nutritionally balanced diet over the conventional high energy diets and thus, colored wheat has opened up a hidden avenue for providing additional value to the wheat-based products. Besides providing nutrition, these pigments have the potential to replace the synthetic dyes and food colorants prevalent in the market. The review summarizes the genetics and biochemistry of the pigments of colored wheat along with their product development, nutritional status and consumer preference. The review also sheds light on the environmental effect on color accumulation and the effect of increased colorants on other quality traits of wheat.