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Anthocyanins (ANCs), a kind of natural pigments, are widely present in food substrates. Evidence has shown that ANCs can promote health in terms of anti-oxidation, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammation. However, the oxidative stability of ANCs limits accurate quantitation and analysis. Therefore, faster, more accurate, and highly sensitive extraction and determination methods are necessary for understanding the role of ANCs in medicine and food. This review presents an updated overview of pretreatment and detection techniques for ANCs in various food substrates since 2015. Liquid-liquid extraction and various green solvent extraction methods, such as accelerated solvents extraction, deep eutectic solvents extraction, ionic liquids extraction, and supercritical fluid extraction, are commonly used pretreatment methods for extraction and purification of ANCs. Liquid chromatography coupled with different detectors (tandem mass spectrometry and UV detectors) and spectrophotometry methods are some of the determination methods for ANC. This study has updated, compared, and discussed different pretreatment and analysis methods. Moreover, the advanced methods and development prospects in this field are comprehensively summarized, which can provide references for further utilization of ANCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, ice cream functionalized with guabijú (Myrcianthes pungens) and Lactobacillus paracasei was developed and characterized, using 4%, 8%, and 12% of guabijú powder. The ice creams had bioactive characteristics, evidenced by anthocyanins (7.41 to 11.41 mg 100 g−1), phenolic compounds (215 to 317 mg GAE 100 g−1), and antioxidant capacity (EC50 1829 to 472 g g−1 DPPH) (p < 0.05). Moreover, ice creams had the characteristic color of guabijú, suitable overrun, L. paracasei viability and sensory acceptance – guabijú powder up to 8% presented an acceptance index > 80%, and purchase intention in the degree “would certainly buy.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe intense coloration of the petals of the butterfly bean flowers (Clitoria Ternatea L.) is attributed to high content of anthocyanins, which are considered as an antioxidant phytochemicals that have many health benefits. In this context, it is so important to implement a new method for the separation and purification of phenolic compounds. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the adsorption and desorption behavior of anthocyanins extracted from the petals of the butterfly bean flowers, using six different macroporous adsorption resins (XAD 2, XAD 4, XAD 7HP, DAX 8. XAD 1180 N and XAD 16), and to identify the best type of resin for anthocyains recovery from butterfly bean flowers extract. The XAD7HP and DAX8 resins showed high adsorption capacity, (248.55 ± 8.8 mg/g) and (228.84 ± 16.9 mg/g) at pH 5, and the highest recovery values for anthocyanins; (75.66 ± 1.1%) and (52.64 ± 1.2%), respectively. The Langmuir model described better the adsorption isotherm process on DAX 8, in turn, the experimental data of equilibrium were better fitted by Freundlich model for isotherm adsorption of anthocyanin on XAD7HP resin. The pseudo-second order model was the best to fit the experimental data of the adsorption kinetics at the different temperatures used. Both resins XAD 7HP and DAX 8 presented high recovery of anthocyanin, comparing with conventional extracted methods the purified anthocyanin using XAD 7HP and DAX 8 can be used as biological compounds with more purity for food and pharmaceutical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low levels of natural light within the late fall and winter periods are main restricting factors for greenhouse-cut rose flower production in northern countries. Here, the effects of supplemental lighting on photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic pigments and the morphological response of cut rose flower cv. 'Dolce Vita' were investigated. Four different supplemental lighting regimes, including 85, 170, 255, and 340 μmol·m−2·s−1 PPFD using a high-pressure sodium lamp for a six-hour day extension started at sunset were applied to rose plants during late fall and winter. With increasing light intensity to 255 μmol·m−2·s−1 PPFD, the content of chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll, carotenoid content, and the ratio of chlorophylls a/b as well as amount of anthocyanins greatly improved. The highest phenol content and total antioxidant capacity was observed in 170 μmol·m−2·s−1 PPFD. Moreover, extending of daylength by light intensity of 255 μmol·m−2·s−1 PPFD had a significant affirmative effect on traits of growth, including flower stem length (P < 0.01), leaf number (P < 0.05), renewal bud formation (P < 0.05), time of harvesting (P < 0.05), and vase life of cut flowers (P < 0.01). Considering physiological and morphological improvement, extending of daylength from 10-h to 16-h by supplemental light of 255 μmol·m−2·s−1 PPFD would be the best choice to cultivate cut rose flower cv. 'Dolce Vita'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preharvest sun-exposure can improve the tolerance of fruit during postharvest handling conditions and thus we examined the postharvest responses of mangos. Sun-exposed and shaded fruit of 'Keitt' and 'Reynal' mango were harvested and assessed for external and internal damage following postharvest hot water (HW 55°C/50min) and hot air (HA 47°C/20min; 49°C/90min) treatments used for fruit fly disinfestation. Heat shock proteins and antioxidant systems were examined as possible biochemical strategies for stress protection of fruit tissues. With maximum air temperatures <37°C, fruit exposed to direct sunlight reached temperatures up to 47°C. Following HW, sun-exposed 'Reynal' fruit had less external damage than shaded fruit, with damage mainly on the exposed surfaces. In contrast, sun-exposed and shaded 'Keitt' fruit had similar levels of damage following HW. For both cultivars, HA treatments of either sun-exposed or shaded fruit did not cause any significant external damage, but internal damage was observed. Both cultivars exhibited biochemical stress responses. Hsp17.4 in the flesh of sun-exposed 'Reynal' and 'Keitt' fruit were 2 and 6 times higher than in shaded fruit, respectively. Total polyphenols and anthocyanins were higher in tissues of sun-exposed than shaded fruit. Results are discussed in terms of the different biochemical defence strategies among these cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumers have an increasing demand for fruit and vegetables with high nutritional value worldwide. However, most fruit and vegetables are vulnerable to quality loss and spoilage during processing, transportation, and storage. Among the recently introduced emerging technologies, supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO2) has been extensively utilized to treat and maintain fruit and vegetables mainly due to its nontoxicity, safety, and environmentally friendly. SCCO2 technology generates low processing costs and mild processing conditions (temperature and pressure) that allow for the application of CO2 at a supercritical state. This review aimed to summarize the current knowledge on the influence of SCCO2 technology on the quality attributes of fruit and vegetable products, such as physicochemical properties (pH, color, cloud, particle size distribution, texture), sensory quality, and nutritional composition (ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, anthocyanins, carotenoids, and betalains). In addition, the effects and mechanisms of the SCCO2 technique on endogenous enzyme inactivation (polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, and pectin methylesterase) were also elucidated. Finally, the prospects of the SCCO2 technique for industrial application was discussed from the economic and regulatory aspect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanins, a significant subclass of polyphenols, are prevalent across various plant species. Known for their vibrant colors, which make them desirable as natural pigments, anthocyanins have also garnered attention for their diverse biological activities, leading to their widespread use in food processing and supplement development. However, their structural instability poses a challenge, as it directly impacts their bioavailability and, consequently, their nutritional efficacy. This review paper delves into the chemical structure and food sources of anthocyanins and examines strategies to enhance their stability and bioavailability, particularly through improved understanding of their digestion and absorption in the human body. Additionally, it explores the broad spectrum of anthocyanins’ biological activities, including their antioxidant, hypoglycemic, anticancer, cardiovascular, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects, analyzing these properties from a mechanistic perspective. Factors such as pH, temperature, light exposure, solvent interactions, and metal ions are known to negatively affect anthocyanin stability. Thus, future research should prioritize processing techniques that can preserve their structure more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analysed the effects of black geotextile inter-row mulch, grass mulch and clean tillage as a control on the microclimate, anthocyanin components and fruit quality of 'Xinyu' table grape in a semi-arid climate. Black geotextile inter-row mulch increased the air and soil temperatures, while grass mulch decreased these. Six types of anthocyanins were detected in the grapes. Around 50% of the total anthocyanins were malvidin based (38.60%–39.10%) and peonidin based (25.80%–31.10%), with malvidin-3-O-glucoside being the main pigment (38.75%–39.05%), followed by peonidin-3-O-glucoside (23.84%–28.68%). The soluble solid content, reducing sugar content and sugar-acid ratio for the black geotextile treatment group were 12.93%, 10.05% and 25.85% higher, respectively, than the control. By contrast, grapes in the grass mulch treatment group had a significantly lower soluble solid content than the control, with a 7.32% reduction being observed. Neither type of mulch had a large effect on the vitamin C content nor yield. However, both black geotextile inter-row mulch and grass mulch could regulate the orchard microclimate and increased the total anthocyanin content by 36.04% and 5.03%, respectively, compared with the control. These findings suggest that grass mulch is the preferable cultivation method in the Turpan area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Color of a food is one of the major factors influencing its acceptance by consumers. At presently synthetic dyes are the most commonly used food colorant in food industry by providing more esthetically appearance and as a means to quality control. However, the growing concern about health and environmental due to associated toxicity with synthetic food colorants has accelerated the global efforts to replace them with safer and healthy food colorants obtained from natural resources (plants, microorganisms, and animals). Further, many of these biocolorants not only provide myriad of colors to the food but also exert biological properties, thus they can be used as nutraceuticals in foods and beverages. In order to understand the importance of nature-derived pigments as food colorants, this review provides a thorough discussion on the natural origin of food colorants. Following this, different extraction methods for isolating biocolorants from plants and microbes were also discussed. Many of these biocolorants not only provide color, but also have many health promoting properties, for this reason their physicochemical and biological properties were also reviewed. Finally, current trends on the use of biocolorants in foods, and the challenges faced by the biocolorants in their effective utilization by food industry and possible solutions to these challenges were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanins, naturally found in citrus, play key roles in improving the qualities of citrus fruits and products. Dietary consumption of fruit-derived anthocyanins is concerned increasingly owing to health-promoting properties. However, anthocyanins are vulnerable to many physical and chemical factors during processing and storage, affecting fruit qualities and consumer acceptance. Thus, the aim of this review is to focus on main advances in chemical structures, differential biosynthesis mechanisms, enrichment methods, and bioactivities of anthocyanins in pigmented and unpigmented citrus fruits. In this review, anthocyanin species and concentrations display tissue specificity in citrus, and the chemical structures and contents of main anthocyanins are summarized. For differential biosynthesis mechanisms, the reasons why most citrus fruits lose the ability of anthocyanin biosynthesis compared with pigmented fruits, and the molecular differences of biosynthesis mechanisms in pigmented citrus fruits are both discussed in detail. Furthermore, anthocyanins' enrichment methods (low-temperature stimulus, light irradiation, xenobiotics inductions, and ripeness influence) during processing and storage have been summarized, which achieve quality improvement by promoting structural gene expression, reducing anthocyanin-degrading enzyme activities, or altering DNA methylation status. Meantime, the health benefits of extract from pigmented citrus and their waste are mentioned, which provides a new approach for citrus waste recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to dry jamun pulp (Syzygium cumini) by combining infrared and microwave energy in refractance window drying. The two different sets of experiments were planned using the hybrid design. The three independent parameters considered for the infrared refractance window drying (IR-RWD) included infrared lamp power (30–70% of the 1000 W lamp), pulp layer thickness (1–3 mm), and distance between the lamp and pulp layer (3.42–6.60 cm). In microwave refractance window drying (MW-RWD), the independent variables were oven-set microwave power (150–450 W), pulp layer thickness (1–3 mm), and power density (1–2.5 W g−1). The optimum conditions in IR-RWD were 40.75% infrared lamp power, 1 mm pulp layer thickness, and 3.42 cm distance between the lamp and pulp layer, resulting in dry jamun flakes with 17.93 ± 0.32 mg GAE g−1 total phenolic content, 4.37 ± 0.13 color change, 8.90 ± 0.22 mg QE g−1 total flavonoid content, and 179.05 ± 2.17 C3G mg/100g total anthocyanin content. In the case of MW-RWD, the optimum conditions were 212.4 W oven-set microwave power, 3 mm pulp layer thickness, and 2.2 W g−1 power density, resulting in 15.68 ± 0.28 mg GAE g−1 total phenolic content, 8.47 ± 0.25 color change, 8.20 ± 0.21 mg QE g−1 total flavonoid content, and 149.72 ± 1.81 C3G mg/100g total anthocyanin content. The Page model can precisely describe the jamun pulp drying behavior of IR-RWD and MW-RWD. Also, apparent moisture diffusivity was estimated in both drying methods. IR-RWD was found to be a better drying method than MW-RWD in terms of drying rates and the quality parameters of the dry jamun flakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanins are known to change ligand-receptor bindings, cell membrane permeability, and intracellular signaling pathways. The beneficial effects of dietary anthocyanins have been chronologically demonstrated in interventional and observational studies, including fourteen human chondrocyte studies and related cell culture assays, nineteen human clinical trials in osteoarthritis patients, seven in vivo obesity assays, nineteen in vitro assays in preadipocytes and related cells, and twenty-two clinical trials in overweight/obese subjects, which are critically discussed in this update. Strawberries, cherries, berries, pomegranate, tropical fruits, rosehip, purple rice, purple corn, red beans, and black soybean, together with cyanidin, delphinidin, malvidin, peonidin, some 3-O-glycosides, metabolites, and acylated anthocyanins from a potato cultivar have shown the best outcomes. The set of these five key tests and clinical trials, taken together, contributes to the understanding of the underlying mechanisms and pathways involved. Furthermore, this set shows the value of anthocyanins in counteracting the progression of osteoarthritis/obesity. The interplay between the inflammation of osteoarthritis and obesity, and the subsequent regulation/immunomodulation was performed through isolated and food anthocyanins. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties of anthocyanins explain the findings of the studies analyzed. However, further interventional studies should be conducted to finally establish the appropriate doses for anthocyanin supplementation, dose-response, and length of consumption, to include dietary recommendations for osteoarthritis/obese patients for preventive and management purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aging, a natural and inevitable physiological process, is the primary risk factor for all age-related diseases; it severely threatens the health of individuals and places a heavy burden on the public health-care system. Thus, strategies to extend the lifespan and prevent and treat age-related diseases have been gaining increasing scientific interest. Anthocyanins (ACNs) are a subclass of flavonoids widely distributed in fruits and vegetables. Growing evidence suggests that ACNs delay aging and relieve age-related diseases. However, owing to the low bioavailability of ACNs, their gut metabolites have been proposed to play a critical role in mediating health benefits. In this review, we introduce the biological fate of ACNs after consumption and highlight ACNs metabolites (phenolic acids) from intestinal microorganisms. Additionally, ACNs and gut metabolites exhibit outstanding anti-aging ability in Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, and mouse models, probably associated with increasing antioxidation, anti-inflammation, protein homeostasis, antiglycation, mitochondrial function, and inhibition of insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS). ACNs and gut metabolites have great application prospects as functional foods and drugs to delay aging and manage age-related diseases. Further investigation should focus on the interaction between ACNs and gut microbiota, including clarifying the complex metabolic pathway and maximizing the health effects of ACNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guava (Psidium guajava L.), a member of the family Myrtaceae, is the third richest source of vitamin C after Barbados cherry and aonla. Guava has many medicinal properties associated with every plant part. Coloured guava has additional nutritive value due to its lycopene, anthocyanin, and carotenoid content, which impart colour to its pulp and serve as potential antioxidants. In this review, the various categories of pulp colour in guava, genetics of pulp colour, pigments responsible for various pulp colours, and the biosynthetic pathway of those pigments are presented in detail. The recent advances in guava show that both carotenoids and anthocyanins contribute significantly to its pulp colour. The final pulp colour of the guava depends on the relative proportion of the pigments, i.e. anthocyanins, lycopene, and other carotenoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-voltage electrostatic field assisted freezing (HVEF) and freeze-thaw (H-FT) pretreatment were conducted before the microwave freeze drying to improve the quality of freeze-dried hawthorn. The hawthorn samples were frozen at electric field intensities of 0, 1, 3, and 5 kV/cm (C, HVEF1, HVEF3, and HVEF5, respectively), and freeze-thawed in one to three cycles (H-FT1, H-FT2, and H-FT3, respectively) under the selected electric field intensity of 3 kV/cm. The control group was freeze-thawed in two cycles and without electric field treatment (CFT2). The results showed that the drying time of HVEF- and H-FT-treated hawthorn was reduced by 8–25% compared with that of the untreated hawthorn. The HVEF and H-FT pretreatments also affected the quality of hawthorn. Among the samples treated with HVEF, the total phenolic content of HVEF3 samples was the highest (46.31 mg GAE/g), followed by that of HVEF5 (41.87 mg GAE/g) and HVEF1 (37.25 mg GAE/g) samples. Similarly, among the samples treated with H-FT, the total anthocyanin content of H-FT2 samples was the highest (1.50 mg C-3-G eqiv/g), followed by that of H-FT1 (1.34 mg C-3-G eqiv/g) and H-FT3 (0.87 mg C-3-G eqiv/g) samples. Additionally, the H-FT2 treatment led to higher hardness (16.60 N), rehydration capacity (3.47 g/g), and total phenolic content (38.19 mg GAE/g) than the CFT2 treatment. In conclusion, H-FT2 improved the quality of hawthorn. This study lays a foundation for producing high-quality dried hawthorn using H-FT pretreatment, reducing the drying time and thereby improving drying efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of foliar spraying of different elicitors on some physiological and phytochemical traits like the quality volatile oil of Rosa damascena Mill. at the field conditions in Southwestern Iran were investigated. The experimental treatments were the foliar applications of acetone, ethanol, and methanol (10% and 20% v/v), salicylic acid (1.5 and 3.0 mM), phenylalanine (1.0 and 2.0 g/L), and chitosan (0.25 and 0.50 g/L). Results indicated that the experimental treatments significantly influenced the flower petals yield and the amounts of pigments and the main compounds in the volatile oil. The highest values of the flower petals yield and chlorophyll content were obtained from the plants under the foliar application of 3 mM salicylic acid followed chitosan at 0.25 g/L. The effect of organic elicitors, especially, phenyl alanine on the total phenol, flavonoids, and anthocyanin contents were higher than the alcoholic ones. The highest volatile oil content (0.056% v/w) was obtained from the treated plants by 0.25 g/L chitosan. The foliar application of phenyl alanine, chitosan, and salicylic acid significantly improved the monoterpene alcohols compounds in the volatile oil. The amount of these compounds in treated plants by the organic elicitors 58.32% was higher than the alcoholic elicitors. In conclusion, the foliar spraying of some elicitors such as chitosan, salicylic acid, and phenyl alanine can be a good strategy to improve the flower petals yield, antioxidant capacity, and the quantity and quality of volatile oil from R. damascene in semiarid climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous two-phase extraction (ATPE) has been extensively utilized for the extraction and separation of tiny-molecule substances as a new system (system with short-chain ethanol and inorganic salts). In this study, an innovative method of extracting anthocyanins from mulberry was developed, employing microwave-assisted extraction with ethanol/ammonium sulfate as a biphasic extractant. Response surface methodology (RSM) was utilized to optimize anthocyanin extraction conditions: 39% ethanol (w/w), 13% ammonium sulfate (w/w), and liquid-to-solid ratio of 45:1, microwave duration 3 min, microwave temperature 32 °C, and microwave power 480 Watt (W). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis demonstrated no significant differences in the structure of mulberry anthocyanins before and after MAATPE treatment, furthermore. The extraction behavior of MAATPE was due to hydrogen bonding, according to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Scanning electron microscopy analysis found that MAATPE damaged the cell structure via a microwave enhancement effect, which was more favorable to anthocyanin dissolution than standard extraction methods. The DPPH free radical scavenging rate of mulberry extracts at 0.5 mg/mL was higher than that of vitamin C (96.4 ± 0.76%), and the ABTS free radical scavenging rate (82.52 ± 2.13%) was close to that of vitamin C, indicating that MAATPE-derived mulberry extracts have good antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity and insulin resistance constitute risk factors for the development of tauopathies and other neurodegenerative diseases. (Poly)phenol compounds are under study for its role in protecting effects against neural injuries and degeneration. Here, we investigated the effect of Amazonian açai pulp (AP) intake in the prevention of memory and cognitive impairment resulting from a high-fat diet intake in mice. Obesity and insulin resistance was induced with a high-fat diet and supplemented with 2% AP to investigate peripheral insulin resistance, recognition memory and tau protein stability via AKT/GSK3-β signaling pathway. The consumption of AP for 70 days improved peripheral insulin sensitivity and phosphorylation of AKT/GSK3-β in mice hippocampi. The animals fed high-fat diets supplemented with AP showed better performance in the novel object recognition test (NOR) in comparison to the H group. Catalase activity and reduced glutathione (GSH) values were improved in the treated mice. These results suggest that the supplementation of AP can attenuate the effects of high-fat diet consumption in peripheral insulin resistance and improve cognitive behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of diabetes mellitus is dramatically increasing every year, causing a huge global burden. Moreover, existing anti-diabetic drugs inevitably bring adverse reactions, and the application of islet transplantation is often limited by the damage caused by oxidative stress after transplantation. Thus, new approaches are needed to combat the growing burden of diabetes mellitus. Anthocyanins are of great nutritional interest and have been documented that have beneficial effects on chronic diseases, including diabetes mellitus. Here, we describe the health effects of anthocyanins on diabetes mellitus and islet transplantation. Epidemiological studies demonstrated that moderate intake of anthocyanins leading to a reduction in risk of diabetes mellitus. Numerous experiments both animal and clinical studies also showed positive effects of anthocyanins on prevention and treatment of diabetes and diabetic complications. These effects of anthocyanins may be related to mechanisms of improving glucose and lipid metabolism and insulin resistance, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. In addition, damage and function of pancreatic islets after transplantation are also improved by anthocyanins. These findings suggest that daily intake of anthocyanins may not only improve nutritional metabolism in healthy individuals to prevent from diabetes, but also as a supplementary treatment of diabetes mellitus and islet transplantation. Thus, more evidence is needed to better understand the potential health benefits of anthocyanins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanin concentration is considered an important fruit quality index of blood oranges and has gained popularity among consumers due to its antioxidant capacity, therapeutic properties, and prevention of some human diseases. Anthocyanin biosynthesis occurs in the cytoplasmic face of the endoplasmic reticulum by multi-enzymes complexes through the flavonoid pathway. Polyphenoloxidase (PPO) and β-glucosidase (anthocyanase) are the enzymes responsible for anthocyanin degradation. Blood oranges are cold-dependent for anthocyanin biosynthesis and accumulation, and thus, the low temperature of storage can enhance anthocyanin concentration and improve internal fruit quality. In addition, anthocyanin accumulation can be accelerated by postharvest technologies, either physical treatments or chemical elicitors. However, low temperatures can induce chilling injury (CI) incidence in blood oranges. Postharvest chemical elicitors treatments can enhance anthocyanin accumulation and prevent CI. This review provides the most updated information about postharvest tools modulating the anthocyanin content, and the role of enhancing and preserving pigmentation to produce blood orange with the highest quality standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anthocyanin plays a protective role in cardiovascular disease through antioxidant effect. Whether anthocyanin can reduce salt-induced hypertension and the related mechanisms remain unclear. Methods: Chronic infusion of vehicle (artificial cerebrospinal fluid, aCSF, 0.4 μL/h) or anthocyanin (10 mg/kg, 0.4 μL/h) into bilateral paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of Sprague-Dawley rats was performed. Then, the rats were fed a high salt diet (8% NaCl, HS) or normal salt diet (0.9%, NaCl, NS) for 4 weeks. Results: High salt diet induced an increase in blood pressure and peripheral sympathetic nerve activity (increased LF/HF and decreased SDNN and RMSSD), which was accompanied by increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and angiotensin II type-1 receptor (AT1R) expression and function in the PVN. Moreover, the NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) and related inflammatory proteins (caspase-1) expression, the pro-inflammatory cytokine levels including IL-1β and TNF-α were higher in PVN of rats with a high salt diet. Bilateral PVN infusion of anthocyanin attenuated NLRP3-dependent inflammation (NLRP3, caspase-1, IL-1β and TNF-α) and ROS production, reduced AT1R expression and function in PVN and lowered peripheral sympathetic nerve activity and blood pressure in rats with salt-induced hypertension. Conclusions: Excessive salt intake activates NLRP3-dependent inflammation and oxidative stress and increased AT1R expression and function in the PVN. Bilateral PVN infusion of anthocyanin lowers peripheral sympathetic nerve activity and blood pressure in rats with salt-induced hypertension by improvement of expression and function of AT1R in the PVN through inhibiting NLRP3 related inflammatory and oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to optimize the microwave vacuum drying of raspberries, the temperature variation of different constant power microwave vacuum conditions was investigated. The conventional microwave vacuum drying (MVD) and the three different steady temperature control scheme was selected. A microwave intermittent vacuum drying scheme (MIVD), microwave vacuum drying power curves control scheme (MVD-T), and microwave vacuum drying power curves with intermittent control scheme (MIVD-T) were developed and conducted. As shown, temperatures under control schemes were all kept at more moderate ranges compared to constant power, where MIVD-T showed less fluctuation by adopting power curve changing with time as input variable. It was found that temperature control schemes could improve the appearance, as MVD-T and MIVD-T both reduced carbonization on the exterior and interior of raspberries. For antioxidant properties, there were differences between different schemes, in which MIVD-T could maintain more total monomeric anthocyanin (TMA) compounds and keep other antioxidant compounds similar to other drying methods. Control schemes such as MIVD, MVD-T, and MIVD-T were effective in obtaining more steady temperature materials than conventional microwave vacuum drying and were beneficial for drying quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanins, which are the labile flavonoid pigments widely distributed in many fruits, vegetables, cereal grains, and flowers, are receiving intensive interest for their potential health benefits. Proteins are important food components from abundant sources and present high binding affinity for small dietary compounds, e.g., anthocyanins. Protein-anthocyanin interactions might occur during food processing, ingestion, digestion, and bioutilization, leading to significant changes in the structure and properties of proteins and anthocyanins. Current knowledge of protein-anthocyanin interactions and their contributions to functions and bioactivities of anthocyanin-containing foods were reviewed. Binding characterization of dietary protein-anthocyanins complexes is outlined. Advances in understanding the structure-affinity relationship of dietary protein-anthocyanin interaction are critically discussed. The associated properties of protein-anthocyanin complexes are considered in an evaluation of functional and nutritional values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Nowadays, innovative biodegradable packaging based on pH-sensitive natural dyes is being developed. These smart systems quickly inform the food quality to the consumer and monitor fresh foods in real-time. Smart packaging protects food against ambiance risks and simultaneously sends information to users for variations and alterations in the packaging settings. Anthocyanin (ACY), among the natural dyes used as indicators serves as water-soluble flavonoid pigments which made reflection in light in the red-blue range and can detect chemical and microbial alterations in foods based on their pH-susceptible conditions; on the other hand, they have considerable antimicrobial and antioxidant functions that result in the longer shelf life of food products. They also have beneficial properties including anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory functions, avoidance of heart diseases, overweight, and diabetes. Hence, this paper deals with the characteristics of smart packaging films based on anthocyanins, as well as their application in various food industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lepisanthes rubiginosa (Roxb.) Leenh (LRL), a wild fruit of Thailand, was characterized for phytochemicals including phenolic acids, flavonoids, carotenoids, anthocyanins, organic acids, and sugars. To process it, three drying methods were investigated, namely, freeze drying (FD), hot-air drying (HD), and sun drying (SD), which affected chemical components and antioxidant activities. The predominant phenolic acids and flavonoids were p-hydroxybenzoic acid, chlorogenic acid, vanillic acid, quercetin, rutin, and myricetin. Remarkably high amounts of lycopene (158 mg/100g db) and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (2005 mg/100g db) were observed. Flavonoids, carotenoids, and anthocyanin were decreased by all drying methods. Overall, FD was considered to be the most suitable for drying LRL fruit. Fructose conversion to mannitol during drying was explored by FTIR spectroscopy analysis in FD and HD samples. This study has revealed new information about LRL fruits, which could be a potential source of bioactive compounds; an appropriate drying method is suggested for further applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pigmented maize consumption is of much interest because of its high anthocyanin content and multiple health benefits. This study was aimed to assess the effect of consuming blue maize tortillas on the anxiolytic capacity, preserve emotional memory, and the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in rats subjected to chronic stress. Sixty-four 3-month-old male Wistar rats were used, divided into eight groups (n = 8). Four groups were subjected to chronic stress by movement restriction (7 h/daily/7 consecutive days) and the remaining four groups were subjected to standard management. The treatments were commercial food, blue tortilla, anthocyanin extract, or white tortilla, administered for nine weeks to stressed or unstressed animals. In the eighth week, the animals were subjected to the restraint stress model. Subsequently, anxiety-like behaviour was assessed using the elevated plus-maze, and memory and emotional learning were evaluated by the step-down passive avoidance test. The animals were then sacrificed to quantify the relative expression of hippocampal BDNF by RT-qPCR. The consumption of anthocyanin extract or tortilla made with blue corn decreased anxiety-like behaviours, additionally, it improved the ability to retain emotionally relevant information, and it upregulated BDNF mRNA expression. Thus, the analyse of the impact of blue tortilla consumption on the nervous system is now necessary to guarantee the nutraceutical value of this food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanins are widely distributed in nature and exhibit brilliant colors and multiple health-promoting effects; therefore, they are extensively incorporated into foods, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetic industries. Anthocyanins have been traditionally produced by plant extraction, which is characterized by high expenditure, low production rates, and rather complex processes, and hence cannot meet the increasing market demand. In addition, the emerging environmental issues resulting from traditional solvent extraction technologies necessitate a more efficient and eco-friendly alternative strategy for producing anthocyanins. This review summarizes the efficient approach for green extraction and introduces a novel strategy for microbial biosynthesis of anthocyanins, emphasizing the technological changes in production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanins have received considerable attention for the development of food products with attractive colors and potential health benefits. However, anthocyanin applications have been hindered by stability issues, especially in the context of complex food matrices and diverse processing methods. From the natural microenvironment of plants to complex processed food matrices and formulations, there may happen comprehensive changes to anthocyanins, leading to unpredictable stability behavior under various processing conditions. In particular, anthocyanin hydration, degradation, and oxidation during thermal operations in the presence of oxygen represent major challenges. First, this review aims to summarize our current understanding of key anthocyanin stability issues focusing on the chemical properties and their consequences in complex food systems. The subsequent efforts to examine plenty of cases attempt to unravel a universal pattern and provide thorough guidance for future food practice regarding anthocyanins. Additionally, we put forward a model with highlights on the role of the balance between anthocyanin release and degradation in stability evaluations. Our goal is to engender updated insights into anthocyanin stability behavior under food processing conditions and provide a robust foundation for the development of anthocyanin stabilization strategies, expecting to promote more and deeper progress in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anthocyanin (ACN)-rich roselle extract has the potential to inhibit lung cancer. However, the compounds demonstrate low bioavailability and stability in biological applications. The present study proposed a stable formulation of a water-in-oil (w/o) roselle extract nanoemulsion by combining low (hot temperature inversion) and high-energy approaches (ultrasonication and ultra-homogenization) for pulmonary delivery. The stable w/o formulation comprised of roselle extract (0.04 w/w%), sodium chloride solution (3.0 w/w%), medium-chain triglyceride (81.9 w/w%), surfactant (Tween 80 and Span 80) (15.0 w/w%), hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) of 6.7 [Tween 80/Span 80 (22.5:77.5)] to yield the stable nanoemulsion.The best nanoemulsion showed an average 298 nm particle size, polydispersity index of 0.6, and zeta potential of −49.0 mV. The emulsions were stable in the centrifuge- and freeze-thaw cycle tests,-alongside the 60-days storage tests at 4 °C, 25 °C, and 35 °C. The in-vitro release of the roselle extract at pH 6.5 buffer was 44.7% and 40.7% at pH 7.4 (p > 0.05), with the release patterns following the non-Fickian diffusion. Hence, the present study successfully developed a stable w/o roselle extract nanoemulsion with a relatively moderate release rate of the ACNs, supporting its suitability as a nanocarrier for pulmonary delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disease with complicated interrelationships responsible for initiating its pathogenesis. Novel strategies for the treatment of this devastating disease have attracted increasing attention worldwide. Anthocyanins are bioactive compounds that are widely distributed in the plant kingdom, and multiple studies have elucidated their beneficial role in preventing and managing T2DM. This review summarizes and comments on the hypoglycemic actions of anthocyanins from the perspective of molecular mechanisms and different target-related signaling pathways in vitro, in vivo, and clinical trials. Anthocyanins can ameliorate T2DM by functioning as carbohydrate digestive enzyme inhibitors, facilitating glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) translocation, suppressing the effectiveness of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV), promoting glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion, inhibiting protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) overexpression, and interacting with sodium-glucose co-transporter (SGLT) to delay glucose absorption in various organs and tissues. In summary, anthocyanin is a promising and practical small molecule that can hyperglycemic symptoms and accompanying complications suffered by patients with diabetes. However, rational and potent doses for daily intake and clinical studies are required in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current work, a flash chromatography method was developed to separate the main anthocyanins of blue corn; cyanidin-3-glucoside (Cy3G), peonidin-3-glucoside (Pn3G), and cyanidin-3-(6-malonylglucoside) (Cy3MG). These anthocyanins were identified by mass spectroscopy analysis. The implemented method consisted of the isocratic elution in a two-step mixture of methanol: water: acetic acid as the mobile phase (easy to remove) and C18 resin as the stationary phase. In the chromatographic method, different elution conditions were evaluated. The better condition to separate the anthocyanins with glycoside was 5% methanol and 10% acetic acid for 200 minutes of elution, followed by 200 minutes with 25% methanol and 2.5% acetic acid for the malonylglucoside forms. From the chromatograms prepared, the efficiency of the chromatographic separation was evaluated by calculating the parameters: retention factor ( k), selectivity ( α), number of theoretical plates ( N), and resolution ( R s). The optimal values were determined as follows: Cy3G and Cy3MG were as follows: for Cy3G, the rretention factir (k) was dtermined to be 30.2, the selectivity (α) was 1.55, the number of theorical plates (N) was 202, and the resolution (Rs) was 1.09. For Cy3MG, the corresponding values were; k = 104.9, α =1.21, N=522, and Rs 0.093. These parameters are useful to implement separation processes of anthocyanins from other sources of pigmented corn or even others containing anthocyanins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food processing, especially the juice industry, is an important sector that generate million tons of residues every. Due to the increasing concern about waste generation and the interest in its valorization, the reutilization of by-products generated from the processing of popular fruits of the Prunus genus (rich in high-added value compounds) has gained the spotlight in the food area. This review aims to provide an overview of the high added-value compounds found in the residues of Prunus fruits (peach, nectarine, donut peach, plum, cherry, and apricot) processing and applications in the food science area. Collective (pomace) and individual (kernels, peels, and leaves) residues from Prunus fruits processing contains polyphenols (especially flavonoids and anthocyanins), lipophilic compounds (such as unsaturated fatty acids, carotenes, tocopherols, sterols, and squalene), proteins (bioactive peptides and essential amino acids) that are wasted. Applications are increasingly expanding from the flour from the kernels to encapsulated bioactive compounds, active films, and ingredients with technological relevance for the quality of bread, cookies, ice cream, clean label meat products and extruded foods. Advances to increasing safety has also been reported against anti-nutritional (amygdalin) and toxic compounds (aflatoxin and pesticides) due to advances in emerging processing technologies and strategic use of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanotechnology is a rapidly growing field with profound applications in different domains, particularly in food science and technology. Nanoparticles (NPs) synthesis, an integral part of nanotechnology-based applications, is broadly classified into chemical, physical and biosynthesis methods. Chemically sensitive and energy-intensive procedures employed for NPs synthesis are some of the limits of traditional chemical approaches. Recent research has focused on developing easy, nontoxic, cost-effective, and environment-friendly NPs synthesis during the last decade. Biosynthesis approaches have been developed to achieve this goal as it is a viable alternative to existing chemical techniques for the synthesis of metallic nanomaterials. Fruit peels contain abundant bioactive compounds including phenols, flavonoids, tannins, triterpenoids, steroids, glycosides, carotenoids, anthocyanins, ellagitannins, vitamin C, and essential oils with substantial health benefits, anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties, generally discarded as byproduct or waste by the fruit processing industry. NPs synthesized using bioactive compounds from fruit peel has futuristic applications for an unrealized market potential for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical delivery. Numerous studies have been conducted for the biosynthesis of metallic NPs such as silver (AgNPs), gold (AuNPs), zinc oxide, iron, copper, palladium and titanium using fruit peel extract, and their synthesis mechanism have been reported in the present review. Additionally, NPs synthesis methods and applications of fruit peel NPs have been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanins are naturally occurring bioactive compounds found mainly in fruits, vegetables, and grains. They are usually extracted due to their biological properties and great potential for technological applications. These compounds have characteristic pH-dependent colorations that are natural dyes since they come in different colors. However, they are susceptible to processing conditions, remarkably light, temperature, and oxygen. The acylated anthocyanins showed better stability characteristics, and therefore, an acylation process of these compounds could improve their applications. The enzymatic acylation was effective and showed promising results. The current review provides an overview of the works that performed enzymatic acylation of anthocyanins and studies on the stability, antioxidant activity, and lipophilicity. In general, enzymatically acylated anthocyanins showed better stability to light and temperature than non-acylated compounds. In addition, they were liposoluble, a characteristic that allows their addition to products with lipid matrices. The results showed that these compounds formed by enzymatic acylation have perspectives of application mainly as natural colorants in food products. Therefore, the enzymatic acylation of anthocyanins appears viable to increase the industrial applicability of anthocyanins. There are still some gaps to be filled in process optimization, the reuse of enzymes, and toxicity analysis of the acylated compounds formed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the modeling of the concentration of hibiscus extracts and the effect of the concentration process on some quality properties of hibiscus extracts. Absolute pressure was applied as 250 mbar in all concentration processes. Thermal vacuum concentration process was applied at 75 °C and 80 °C, thermosonic vacuum concentration process was applied at 75 °C and 0.02 W/mL AED, and microwave vacuum concentration treatment was applied at 180 and 300 W. The shortest processing time was achieved with the microwave vacuum concentration process at 300 W. Among the 13 models used, Midilli was the most successful model (R 2 ≥ 0.9951, χ2 ≤ 1.0185 and RMSE ≤ 1.0092)) in describing the concentration data. No significant change was determined in the physicochemical properties of the concentrated samples. However, a significant increase was determined in the turbidity values of the concentrated hibiscus samples, while a significant decrease was noted in the anthocyanin content and composition and antioxidant activity values of the concentrated samples compared to the initial sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Allium comprises of at least 918 species; the majority grown for dietary and medicinal purposes. This review describes the traditional uses, phytoconstituents, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity, and safety profile of six main species, namely Allium sativum L. (garlic), Allium cepa L. (onions), Allium ampeloprasum L. (leek), Allium fistulosum L. (scallion), Allium schoenoprasum L. (chives) and Allium tuberosum Rottler (garlic chives). These species contain at least 260 phytoconstituents; mainly volatile compounds—including 63 organosulfur molecules—, saponins, flavonoids, anthocyanins, phenolic compounds, amino acids, organic acids, fatty acids, steroids, vitamins and nucleosides. They have prominent in vitro anti-inflammatory activity, and in vivo replications of such results have been achieved for all except for A. schoenoprasum. They also exert cytotoxicity against different cancer cell lines. Several anticancer phytoconstituents have been characterized from all except for A. fistulosum. Organosulfur constituents, saponins and flavonoid glycosides have demonstrated anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity. Extensive work has been conducted mainly on the anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity of A. sativum and A. cepa. The presence of anti-inflammatory and anticancer constituents in these two species suggests that similar bioactive constituents could be found in other species. This provides future avenues for identifying new Allium-derived anti-inflammatory and anticancer agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black soybean (BS) is a nutritious legume that is high in proteins, essential amino acids, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, anthocyanins, phenolic acids, isoflavones, and flavones. Traditional approaches for extracting BS bioactive compounds are commonly employed because they are simple and inexpensive, but they use toxic solvents and have lower yields. As a result, new extraction techniques have been developed, such as microwave, ultrasound, and enzyme-assisted extraction. Modern approaches are less harmful to the environment, are faster, and produce higher yields. The major anthocyanin in the BS seed coat was discovered as cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, accounting for nearly 75% of the total anthocyanins. BS and its seed coat also contains phenolic acids (p-hydroxybenzoic, gallic, vanillin, syringic acid), isoflavones (daidzein, glycitein and genistein), flavones, flavonols, flavanones, and flavanols. Bioactive compounds present in BS exhibit antioxidant, anti-cancerous, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, cardio and neuroprotective activities. The characterization and biological activity investigation of these bioactive compounds has provided researchers and food manufacturers with valuable information for developing functional food products and nutraceutical ingredients. In this review, the nutritional makeup of BS is reviewed, and the paper seeks to provide an insight of bioactive compound extraction methods as well as bioactive compounds identified by various researchers. The biological activities of BS extracts and their potential applications in food products (noodles), biodegradable films (pH sensitive film), and therapeutic applications (wound healing and anti-inflammation) are also discussed in the study. Therefore, BS have enormous potential for use in developing functional foods and nutraceutical components. This is the first review of its sort to describe and explain various extraction methodologies and characterization of bioactives, as well as their biological activity recorded in diverse works of literature, making it possible for food manufacturers and scientists to get a quick overview. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins are widespread in the plant kingdom and are involved in important bioactivities, such as antioxidation. These flavonoids can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes; consequently, they are widely studied for disease prevention and treatment. In this review, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of the chemical structures, food sources, and bioactivities of these compounds. We also discuss recent developments and trends related to anthocyanin- and proanthocyanidin-derived products. This review provides insights to inform related research and inspire future studies to help realize the potential of these plant pigments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potential roles for anthocyanins in preventing various chronic diseases have been reported. These compounds are highly sensitive to external conditions and are susceptible to degradation, which increases the complexity of their metabolism in vivo. This review discusses anthocyanin metabolism in the digestive tract, phase I and II metabolism, and enterohepatic circulation (EHC), as well as their distribution of anthocyanins in blood, urine, and several organs. In the oral cavity, anthocyanins are partly hydrolyzed by microbiota into aglycones which are then conjugated by glucuronidase. In stomach, anthocyanins are absorbed without deglycosylation via specific transporters, such as sodium-dependent glucose co-transporter 1 and facilitative glucose transporters 1, while in small intestine, they are mainly absorbed as aglycones. High polymeric anthocyanins are easily degraded into low-polymeric forms or smaller phenolic acids by colonic microbiota, which improves their absorption. Anthocyanins and their derivatives are modified by phase I and II metabolic enzymes in cells and are released into the blood via the gastrovascular cavity into EHC. Notably, interconversion can be occurred under the action of enzymes such as catechol-O-methyltransferase. Taking together, differences in anthocyanin absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion largely depend on their glycoside and aglycone structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) has been used in traditional medicine and as a supplement in many beverages and meals. Elderberry is a good source of bioactive flavonoids like quercetin, kaempferol, and rutin, as well as other phenolic compounds. Extraction techniques significantly influence the efficiency of extraction of bioactive compounds. Green chemistry elements such as safety, environmental friendliness, run-down or at least minimal contaminants, efficiency, and economic criteria should all be addressed by an effective bioactive extraction process. Furthermore, micro/nanoencapsulation technologies are particularly effective for increasing bioavailability and bioactive component stability. This review article comprehensively describes new developments in elderberry extraction and encapsulation. Elderberry is largely employed in the food and pharmaceutical industries due to its health-promoting and sensory characteristics. Elderberry has traditionally been used as a diaphoretic, antipyretic, diuretic, antidepressant, and antitumor agent in folk medicine. Conventional extraction methods (e.g. maceration and Soxhelt extraction) as well as advanced green techniques (e.g. supercritical fluids, pulsed electric field, emulsion liquid extraction, microwave, and ultrasonic extraction) have been used to extract bioactives from elderberry. Over the other protective measures, encapsulation techniques are particularly recommended to protect the bioactive components found in elderberry. Microencapsulation (spray drying, freeze drying, extrusion, emulsion systems) and nanoencapsulation (nanoemulsions, solid lipid nanoparticles and nanodispersions, nanohydrogels, electrospinning, nano spray drying) approaches for elderberry bioactives have been examined in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanins are important pigments that contribute to fruit quality. The regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis by several transcription factors via sophisticated regulatory networks has been studied in various plants. Brassinosteroids (BRs), a new class of plant hormone, are involved in regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis in fruits. Furthermore, light directly affects the synthesis and distribution of anthocyanins. Here, we summarize the recent progress toward understanding the impact of BR and light on anthocyanin biosynthesis in climacteric and non-climacteric fruits. We review the BR and light signaling pathways and highlight the important transcription factors that are associated with the synthesis of anthocyanins, such as BZR1 (brassinazole-resistant 1, BR signaling pathway), HY5 (elongated hypocotyl 5) and COP1 (constitutively photomorphogenic 1, light signal transduction pathway), which bind with the target genes involved in anthocyanin synthesis. In addition, we review the mechanism by which light signals interact with hormonal signals to regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanins (ACN) belong to a class of natural pigments and active components. ACN are unstable compound, so the application of ACN as food colorant and functional substance is an important challenge. The interaction of ACN-dietary proteins is an effective strategy to stabilize ACN. Interestingly, the interaction between ACN and dietary proteins not only improves the stability and bioavailability of ACN, but also affects the structure, function, and nutritional properties of dietary proteins. Therefore, it is of great significance to utilize the interaction of ACN-dietary proteins in the development and production of the food industries. This review summarizes process and characterization methods, influence factors, results, current applications in the food industry and prospects for future research of the ACN-dietary proteins interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pigmented rice has attracted considerable attention due to its nutritional value, which is in large conferred by its abundant content of phenolic compounds, considerable micronutrient concentrations, as well as its higher resistant starch and thereby slower digestibility properties. A wide range of phenolic compounds identified in pigmented rice exhibit biological activities such as antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antidiabetic properties. Post-harvest processes significantly reduce the levels of these phytochemicals, but recent developments in processing methods have allowed greater retention of their contents. Pigmented rice has also been converted to different products for food preservation and to derive functional foods. Profiling a large set of pigmented rice cultivars will thus not only provide new insights into the phytochemical diversity of rice and the genes underlying the vast array of secondary metabolites present in this species but also provide information concerning their nutritional benefits, which will be instrumental in breeding healthier rice. The present review mainly focuses on the nutritional composition of pigmented rice and how it can impact human health alongside the effects of post-harvest processes and product development methods to retain the ambient level of phytochemicals in the final processed form in which it is consumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanins (ACNs) are notable hydrophilic compounds that belong to the flavonoid family, which are available in plants. They have excellent antioxidants, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer activity, and so on. Furthermore, ACNs can be used as a natural dye in the food industry (food colorant). On the other hand, the stability of ACNs can be affected by processing and storage conditions, for example, pH, temperature, light, oxygen, enzymes, and so on. These factors further reduce the bioavailability (BA) and biological efficacy of ACNs, as well as limit ACNs application in both food and pharmaceutics field. The stability and BA of ACNs can be improved via loading them in encapsulation systems including nanoemulsions, liposomes, niosomes, biopolymer-based nanoparticles, nanogel, complex coacervates, and tocosomes. Among all systems, biopolymer-based nanoparticles, nanohydrogels, and complex coacervates are comparatively suitable for improving the stability and BA of ACNs. These three systems have excellent functional properties such as high encapsulation efficiency and well-stable against unfavorable conditions. Furthermore, these carrier systems can be used for coating of other encapsulation systems (such as liposome). Additionally, tocosomes are a new system that can be used for encapsulating ACNs. ACNs-loaded encapsulation systems can improve the stability and BA of ACNs. However, further studies regarding stability, BA, and in vivo work of ACNs-loaded micro/nano-encapsulation systems could shed a light to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy including physicochemical stability, target mechanisms, cellular internalization, and release kinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consumption of small fruits has increased in recent years. Besides their appealing flavor, the commercial success of small fruits has been partially attributed to their high contents of phenolic compounds with multiple health benefits. The phenolic profiles and contents in small fruits vary based on the genetic background, climate, growing conditions, and post-harvest handling techniques. in this review, we critically compare the profiles and contents of phenolics such as anthocyanins, flavonols, flavan-3-ols, and phenolic acids that have been reported in bilberries, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, black and red currants, raspberries, and strawberries during fruit development and post-harvest storage. This review offers researchers and breeders a general guideline for the improvement of phenolic composition in small fruits while considering the critical factors that affect berry phenolics from cultivation to harvest and to final consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Anthocyanins have attracted a lot of attention in the fields of natural pigments, food packaging, and functional foods due to their color, antioxidant, and nutraceutical properties. However, the poor chemical stability and low bioavailability of anthocyanins currently limit their application in the food industry. Various methods can be used to modify the structure of anthocyanins and thus improve their stability and bioavailability characteristics under food processing, storage, and gastrointestinal conditions. This paper aims to review in vitro modification methods for altering the molecular structure of anthocyanins, as well as their resulting improved properties such as color, stability, solubility, and antioxidant properties, and functional applications as pigments, sensors and functional foods. In industrial production, by mixing co-pigments with anthocyanins in food systems, the color and stability of anthocyanins can be improved by using non-covalent co-pigmentation. By acylation of fatty acids and aromatic acids with anthocyanins before incorporation into food systems, the surface activity of anthocyanins can be activated and their antioxidant and bioactivity can be improved. Various other chemical modification methods, such as methylation, glycosylation, and the formation of pyranoanthocyanins, can also be utilized to tailor the molecular properties of anthocyanins expanding their range of applications in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foliar nutrient application could be used to improve plant nutrition status and be the fastest way to compensate for nutrient and soil fertility deficiency. Productivity and quality of red cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata L. f. rubra) are affected by contents of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) which regulate enzymatic activity and enzymes mobilize carbon transformation into glucose. Use of red cabbage genotypes able to utilize nutrients efficiently is important in management of plant nutritional status. Five genotypes of red cabbage were chosen. The foliar spray rates, 0, 1, or 2 ml·L−1, of FoliartalⓇ were applied. The cv. Rio Grande treated with 2 ml∙L−1 FoliartalⓇ presented the most chlorophyll content (SPAD index = 68.73), highest leaf dry matter (17.82%), highest total soluble solids (9.55%), longest, widest and heaviest heads (35.83, 38.73 cm and 1.71 kg) respectively, most yield (71.45 t·ha−1) and highest head content of anthocyanin (611.52 mg/100 g). The cv. Mini plants given a 2 ml·L−1 FoliartalⓇ had the highest nitrate content in the head (57.12 mg·kg−1). The cv. Bordeaux treated with 2 mL∙L−1 FoliartalⓇ had the highest nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content in heads (1.72, 0.59 and 4.56%), respectively. Foliar application of FoliartalⓇ, regardless of cultivar, improved vegetative growth, productivity and quality traits of red cabbage under field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanins are important water-soluble pigments that are widely found in plants and determine the color of plant organs, which possess significant health and economic value. The anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway is well established and some key regulators controlling this pathway have been identified in a variety of species. In recent years, microRNAs, transcription factors, and external factors, including light, temperature and hormones have emerged as central regulators of a variety of secondary metabolic responses, including anthocyanin metabolism, as both plant self-regulatory factors and environmental signals that stimulate plant development. Many discoveries have begun to suggest gene/signal-gene modules to reveal the signaling pathways involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis during fruit ripening and the links between specific genes. This paper reviews the internal and external factors and associated network mechanisms that regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis and accumulation in eudicots plants. miRNAs have different effects on the biosynthesis of anthocyanins in different species by binding to their target genes to form regulatory modules. The review also focuses on the conclusion that light signals (light quality, photoperiod, and light intensity) further regulate anthocyanin accumulation by binding to their corresponding photoreceptors (UVR8, CRYs, and PHYs) and affecting the binding and stabilization of the central regulators of the light pathway, such as COP1 and the transcription factor HY5. This article aims to provide a reference for future research on the regulation of anthocyanin by effective pathways, and to contribute to the selection of new varieties and the improvement of cultivation facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports an evaluation of Annaba city climate impact on phytochemical composition and antiradical power of Tropaeolum majus leaf, flower and fruit extracts. Significant phenolic, flavonoid, tannin and carotenoid levels were registered in leaf extract, whereas flower extract showed higher yield, vitamin C and anthocyanin contents. The 2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging power was significantly higher in leaf extract. Conversely, hydroxyl antiradical power was significantly higher in fruit fixed oil. These results show that the Mediterranean climate of Annaba City improved Tropaeolum majus leaves and the nutritional qualities of flowers and fruits, enhancing their phytochemical composition as well as antiradical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calobota sericea is a native legume of South Africa, confined to the water-limited rangelands, and it has recently been prioritised for additional characterisation regarding its pasture potential. In this study, we examined the growth characteristics of C. sericea under glasshouse conditions where water limitation was implemented at different plant ages, and for different durations. Results indicate that preferential resource allocation to the roots, as well as reduced stomatal conductance and transpiration, were early responses to water limitation, irrespective of the age at which water limitation was imposed, or the duration of water limitation. Under water-limited conditions, increased production of protective pigments, such as carotenoids and anthocyanins, was also observed, which helped in recovery after rewatering. It was concluded that after rewatering, all negative impacts of water limitation on morphology and physiology of C. sericea plants were generally returned to well-watered levels. This suggests that C. sericea plants employ a wide range of phenotypic adjustments in response to water limitation, which makes the plants well adapted to areas with high rainfall variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]