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In this study, the influence of pomegranate peel extract (PPE) and pomegranate concentrate (PC) on improving the oxidative stability of cream powder in comparison with synthetic antioxidant (Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)) during the storage period at 20°C (8 weeks) and 45°C (4 weeks) was evaluated. The finding exhibited that peroxide, p‐anisidine, and total oxidation (TOTOX) values increased during the storage period. Samples containing PPE and PC showed suitable performance in controlling the cream powder oxidation. Also, PPE showed the highest antioxidant activity and can be proposed as a suitable replacement for a synthetic antioxidant (BHT). L* and b* values increased, while a* value decreased during the storage period. Also, the pH of the powders decreased significantly throughout the storage (reached nearly 6). Microbial counts of cream powders did not change during the storage period. The control sample showed the highest overall acceptability. Antioxidants of pomegranate can be proposed to control the oxidative stability of fat‐rich food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a comparative study to evaluate the effectiveness of six pomegranate peel extracts (PPEs) as antibacterial and antiproliferative agents. The Six PPEs were prepared using four solvent systems and each filtrate was concentrated to a gummy material to be used in the evaluation. The well‐diffusion method was used to evaluate their antimicrobial activity against bacteria typically associated with food spoilage: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, and three Bacillus species. The 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐5‐(3‐carboxymethoxyphenyl)‐2‐(4‐sulfophenyl)‐2H‐tetrazolium (MTT) was used to evaluate the cytotoxicity against colorectal carcinoma cells (HCT116), prostate adenocarcinoma (PC3), ovarian cancer cells (SKOV‐3), and fibroblasts (MRC‐5). The antioxidant evaluation was done using the 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl‐hydrate (DPPH) assay. The pH of the water‐containing extracts was acidic and almost the same over 6 weeks. The six PPEs inhibited the bacterial growth in a comparable level to standard antibiotics. The effectiveness of each extract was dependent on the bacterial strain, and the Listeria showed a remarkable inhibition when exposed to the aqueous extract prepared at room temperature (RT). The aqueous (RT) and methanol PPEs had a significant antioxidant scavenging capability and a remarkable cytotoxic activity against the PC3 with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 0.1 μg/mL. The boiled aqueous extract exhibited antiproliferative activity against HCT116 with an IC50 of 21.45 μg/mL. The effect on SKOV‐3 and fibroblasts was insignificant. With the exception of butanol, the antioxidant screening shows an inverse correlation between the polarity of the extraction solvent and the IC50 exhibited by the PPEs. The variation in the effectiveness of PPEs is suggested to be due to variable soluble bioactive compounds that may interact differently with different cells, though water‐containing extracts are promising antibacterial agents. The findings clearly show that pomegranate peel possessed the potential to be an eco‐friendly novel source for natural compounds that can be implemented in the food industry as a natural antimicrobial and natural food additive to prevent foodborne illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder that occurs due to impaired secretion of insulin, insulin resistance, or both. Recent studies show that the antidiabetic drugs used to control hyperglycemic levels are associated with undesirable adverse effects. Therefore, developing a safe and effective medicine with antidiabetic potential is needed. In this context, in silico studies are considered a rapid, effectual, and cost‐effective method in drug discovery procedures. It is evident from the literature that plant‐based natural components have shown promising outcomes in drug development to alleviate various diseases and hence have diversified the screening of potential antidiabetic agents. Purposely, in the present study, an in silico approach was performed on three Punica granatum peel metabolites (punicalin, punicalagin, and ellagic acid). All these three compounds were docked against nine protein targets involved in glucose metabolism (GFAT, PTP1β, PPAR‐ᵞ, TKIR, RBP4, α‐amylase, α‐glucosidase, GCK, and AQP‐2). These three pomegranate‐specific compounds demonstrated significant interactions with GFAT, PTP1β, PPAR‐ᵞ, TKIR, RBP4, α‐amylase, α‐glucosidase, GCK, and AQP‐2 protein targets. Specifically, punicalin, punicalagin, and ellagic acid revealed significant binding scores (−9.2, −9.3, −8.1, −9.1, −8.5, −11.3, −9.2, −9.5, −10.1 kcal/mol; −10, −9.9, −8.5, −8.9, −10.4, −9.0, −10.2, −9.4, −9.0 kcal/mol; and −8.1, −8.0, −8.0, −6.8, −8.7, −7.8, −8.3, −8.1, −8.1 kcal/mol, respectively), with nine protein targets mentioned above. Hence, punicalin, punicalagin, and ellagic acid can be promising candidates in drug discovery to manage diabetes. Furthermore, in vivo and clinical trials must be conducted to validate the outcomes of the current study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), commonly known as a seeded or granular apple, is a delectable fruit eaten worldwide. Pomegranate is one of the healthiest fruits, with a high concentration of phenolic compounds. Large quantities of byproducts, such as seeds and peels, are produced during the pomegranate juice extraction process, which causes disposal problems and environmental contamination. Pomegranate peel (PoP), which accounts for around 30%–40% of the fruit component, is a byproduct of the fruit juice manufacturing industry. PoP is a rich source of polyphenols including phenolic acids, tannins, and flavonoids, especially anthocyanin. These peels offer several functional and nutraceutical qualities owing to their bioactive ingredients, including lowering blood pressure, reducing oxidative stress, lowering cholesterol levels, and restoring heart health. PoPs have a variety of biological effects, including the ability to resist pathogenic microbes effectively, and used as an additive in various food applications. The current review focuses on the PoP's nutritional and practical attributes, as well as their functions as food additives and functional food preparations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the development of pH‐sensitive smart edible films using biopolymers and natural plant extracts (especially those rich in anthocyanins) has attracted much attention. Therefore, in this study, the intelligent edible film was produced and characterized using cassava starch and pomegranate peel powder (PPP) and the possibility of using production films to monitor the freshness of lamb meat. The smart films were prepared using different concentrations of PPP (2, 4, 6, and 8% w/w) and the solvent casting method. The results showed that the incorporation of PPP had a significant effect on the mechanical parameters of the starch films. With increasing the levels of PPP, the color of the films became darker and redder. Increasing the PPP levels also led to an increase in total phenol content (TPC) (from 0 to 13 mg GAE (gallic acid equivalent)/g) and antioxidant activity (from 0% to 70% DPPH (1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picryl hydrazyl) radical scavenging) of the produced films (p <.05). The intelligent film was used in the lamb meat packaging, and the color of the film changed from red to green during the storage period at 25°C. The amount of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB‐N) in the meat could be detected by color changes of the intelligent films. Finally, this study demonstrated that the film based on cassava starch and PPP could be used as an intelligent and pH‐sensitive film to monitor the freshness of meat and meat products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Punicalagin and ellagic acid are the major polyphenols present in pomegranate peels. The contents of α‐punicalagin, β‐punicalagin, and ellagic acid in the pomegranate peels were approximately 75, 72, and 20 µM, respectively. The reactions of polyphenols in pomegranate peels with sodium nitrite under simulated stomach conditions were studied. The reactions decreased the polyphenolic contents of the pomegranate peels and accompanied the formation of nitroso compounds. The oxidation rates followed the order ellagic acid ＜α‐punicalagin ≈ β‐punicalagin. The results suggested that the reactions can occur in the stomach after a meal, while the pH changes from 2 to 4.5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]