Selected nutrients and antinutrients in peanut cultivars harvested in Brazil

BACKGROUND

There are more than 30 peanut cultivars registered in Brazil. However, there are no published data about the content of nutrients and antinutrients even in the most commercially important ones. Therefore, our objective was to characterize commercial peanut cultivars harvested in Brazil by determining proximate and fatty acid composition and content of selected minerals and phytates, saponins and condensed tannins.

RESULTS

Significant variations were found among the cultivars for almost all studied nutrients, except Mg. Granoleico and IAC 505 were identified as high oleic. Results were compared with data from the Brazilian Food Composition Table (TACO) and, for this, percentage differences (D%) were calculated. Appreciable D% were found for proteins, lipids, ash, dietary fiber, almost all fatty acids (except 20:0) and almost all studied minerals (except zinc). Moreover, remarkable variations in content of antinutrients were observed. IAC Red Tatu had the highest content of saponins; IAC OL3 and IAC 886 had the highest amounts of phytates; and IAC 886 had the highest amounts of condensed tannins.

CONCLUSION

Results confirm the relevance of differentiating cultivars in the market and in national food composition tables and databases. Furthermore, some of these cultivars may be indicated for new use trends. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Influence of home cooking conditions on Maillard reaction products in beef

The influence of home cooking methods on the generation of Maillard reaction products (MRP) in beef was investigated. Grilling and frying hamburgers to an internal temperature below 90 °C mainly generated furosine. When the temperature reached 90 °C and 100 °C, furosine content decreased by 36% and fluorescent compounds increased by up to 98%. Baking meat at 300 °C, the most severe heat treatment studied, resulted in the formation of carboxymethyllysine. Boiling in water caused very low MRP formation. Acrylamide concentrations in grilled, fried or baked meat were extremely low. Home cooking conditions leading to low MRP generation and pleasant colours were obtained and could be used to guide diabetic and chronic renal patients on how to reduce their carboxymethyllysine intake.

The Effects of Yerba Maté (Ilex Paraguariensis) consumption on IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-10 production by bone marrow cells in wistar rats fed a high-fat diet

An excessive consumption of a high-fat diet (HFD) results in becoming overweight or obese, which triggers a chronic inflammatory condition that is associated with a high white blood cell count. Because of the potential for yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis) (YM) to impact obesity, this study aimed to investigate the effects of YM consumption on the hematological response and on the production of interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and IL-10 by bone marrow cells from Wistar rats fed a HFD. Male Wistar rats were fed a control (CON) or HFD diet for twelve weeks. At the end of this period, the rats received YM (1 g/kg/day body weight) for 4 weeks. After euthanasia, hemograms and myelograms were evaluated, while the bone marrow cells were cultured in the presence or absence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to evaluate the production of IL-1α, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-10. The consumption of YM reduced the body weight, the body adiposity, and the cholesterol levels in HFD-fed rats. Bone marrow cells from the HFD group produced more IL-1α, IL-6, and TNF-α, and less IL-10, when compared to cells from the control group, and YM consumption reduced the IL-1α, IL-6, and TNF-α production by the cells. However, cells from the HFD rats that were stimulated with LPS increased their IL-1α, IL-6, and TNF-α production, but YM consumption did not change this result. In summary, the consumption of YM affects the production of IL-1α, IL-6, and TNF-α by bone marrow cells, promotes weight loss, decreases the number of white blood cells, and significantly improves serum cholesterol level in HFD-fed rats. However, the bone marrow cells from the HFD+YM-fed rats challenged with LPS did not show improvement in the inflammatory response compared to the cells from animals fed only a HFD that were also challenged with LPS.

Produtos da reação de Maillard em alimentos: implicações para a saúde

A reação de Maillard é uma reação de escurecimento não enzimático que pode ocorrer em alimentos e em organismos vivos. Esta revisão tem como objetivo analisar a formação e o papel dos produtos originados a partir da reação de Maillard e seus efeitos na saúde. Para isso foram realizados levantamentos bibliográficos nas bases da área, sem restrição de data. Os resultados da revisão apontam que produtos carbonílicos inter-mediários da reação de Maillard e da peroxidação reagem facilmente com grupamentos aminas de proteínas e ácidos nucleicos, levando a modificações biológicas que podem resultar em complicações observadas no diabetes, aterosclerose e doenças neurodegenerativas. O consumo de produtos da reação de Maillard aumentou nas últimas décadas, devido ao aumento do consumo de alimentos industrializados que, em geral, sofreram processamento térmico. Essas substâncias são biodisponíveis em alguma proporção e, embora ainda não haja consenso sobre os possíveis efeitos deletérios à saúde decorrentes de sua ingestão, a comunidade científica tem expressado preocupação com as implicações em processos patológicos de que participam. Diante desses achados, ressalta-se a necessidade de estimar o consumo dos produtos da reação de Maillard, principalmente por populações vulneráveis, como crianças e diabéticos, a fim de, se necessário, estabelecer consumos diários aceitáveis e ampliar o conhecimento com vistas ao estabelecimento, no futuro, de limites para a indústria de alimentos.