New Frontiers on the Metabolism, Bioavailability and Health Effects of Phenolic Compounds

Effects of dietary Allium mongolicum Regel powder supplementation on the growth performance, meat quality, antioxidant capacity and muscle fibre characteristics of fattening Angus calves under heat stress conditions

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary Allium mongolicum Regel powder (AMRP) supplementation on the growth performance, meat quality, antioxidant capacity and muscle fibre characteristics of fattening Angus calves. Growth performance data and longissimus thoracis (LT) samples were collected from four groups of fattening Angus, which were fed either a basal diet (CON) or a basal diet supplemented with an AMRP dose of 10 (LAMR), 15 (MAMR), or 20 g/animal/day AMRP (HAMR) for 120 days before slaughter. AMRP addition to the feed improved growth performance and meat quality and altered muscle fibre type. Some responses to AMRP supplementation were dose dependent, whereas others were not. Together, the results of this study demonstrated that dietary supplementation with 10 g/animal/day AMRP was the optimal dose in terms of fattening calf growth performance, while 20 g/animal/day AMRP supplementation was the optimal dose in terms of meat quality.

Role of Flavonols and Proanthocyanidins in the Sensory Quality of Sea Buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.) Berries

Sensory profile, flavonols, proanthocyanidins, sugars, and organic acids were investigated in purees of six sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides) cultivars. The sensory profiles of the purees were dominated by intense sourness followed by astringency and bitterness due to the high content of malic acid. Malic acid and isorhamnetin glycosides, especially isorhamnetin-3-O-sophoroside-7-O-rhamnoside, had close association with the astringent attributes in the different purees, whereas some of the known astringent compounds such as proanthocyanidin dimers and trimers or quercetin glycosides, had less impact. Moreover, the ratios between contents of acids and phenolic compounds were more important predictors of bitterness than the individual variables alone. Astringency and bitterness are important sensory factors for the consumer acceptance of sea buckthorn products. The current study provides new knowledge on the correlations between sensory properties and composition and supports industrial utilization of the sea buckthorn berries.