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The aim was to compare functional properties of modern and old bread wheats and Anatolian landraces to determine whether there have been substantial changes in these properties over the course of around one century (since 1930s). Six modern bread wheat varieties, nine old bread wheats registered prior to 1970 and three landraces grown in Anatolia were used in the study. Another aim was to compare gluten content in wheat landraces and one modern bread wheat variety. Modern wheat varieties had the highest average total dietary fibre content and bile acid binding capacity. Landraces had the highest soluble dietary fibre, total phenolic contents and phytic acid contents among all genotypes. Gluten levels of two landraces (Siyez and Karakilcik) were lower than the hexaploid wheats (cv. Tosunbey and landrace Sunter). Comparison of the genotypes indicated no data to point out that modern breeding technics had adverse effects on some of the functional properties considered in this study. The results showed that while modern varieties had superior results in some of the functional parameters investigated, old varieties or landraces had better results in others. WOS:000722564000001 Q2

Synthetic selenium polysaccharides with potential bioactivity have drawn great interest due to the SeO bonds existing in the structure. Herein, N, O-selenized N-(2-carboxyethyl) chitosan (sNCCS) was synthesized through carboxyethylation and selenylation. Various characterizations were performed to identify the structure of sNCCS, indicating that SeO bonds were formed both at the C-6 hydroxyl groups and the introduced C-2 carboxyethyl groups. The highest yield and selenium content of all sNCCS reached 84.5% and 1.553 mg/g, respectively. In vitro evaluation exhibited that sNCCS has excellent bile acid binding capacity, which was 1.63, 2.00, and 2.55-fold higher than that of N-(2-carboxyethyl) chitosan (NCCS). Moreover, it was found that higher selenium content could significantly enhance the antioxidant properties of sNCCS. Importantly, no obvious cytotoxic effect had been observed on Caco-2 cells. Taken together, sNCCS with desirable biological activity and non-cytotoxicity might be considered as an effective ingredient in the fields of food or medicine.

Background and aim Metabolic disease encompasses most contemporary non-communicable diseases, especially cardiovascular and fatty liver disease. Mulberry fruits of Morus alba L. are a favoured food and a traditional medicine. While they are anti-atherosclerotic and reduce hyperlipidemic risk factors, studies need wider scope that include ameliorating cardiovascular and liver pathologies if they are to become clinically effective treatments. Therefore, the present study sought to show that freshly dried mulberry fruits (dMF) might counteract the metabolic/cardiovascular pathologies in mice made hyperlipidemic by high-fat diet (HF). Experimental procedure C57BL/6J mice were fed for 3 months with either: i) control diet, ii) HF, iii) HF+100 mg/kg dMF, or iv) HF+300 mg/kg dMF. Body weight gain, food intake, visceral fat accumulation, fasting blood glucose, plasma lipids, and aortic, heart, and liver histopathologies were evaluated. Adipocyte lipid accumulation, autophagy, and bile acid binding were also investigated. Results and conclusion HF increased food intake, body weight, visceral fat, plasma total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), TC/HDL ratio, blood glucose, aortic collagen, arterial and cardiac wall thickness, and liver lipid. Both dMF doses prevented hyperphagia, body weight gain, and visceral fat accumulation, lowered blood glucose, plasma TG and unfavourable TC/HDL and elevated plasma HDL beyond baseline. Arterial and cardiac wall hypertrophy, aortic collagen fibre accumulation and liver lipid deposition ameliorated in dMF-fed mice. Clinical trials on dMF are worthwhile but outcomes should be holistic commensurate with the constellation of disease risks. Here, dMF should supplement the switch to nutrient-rich from current energy-dense diets that are progressively crippling national health systems., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • Uses modest amounts of whole unextracted mulberries as in traditional medicine. • Studies important pathologies found in metabolic syndrome, the number one challenge to modern medicine. • dMF reduces risk factors associated with dyslipidemia. • dMF prevents weight gain, visceral fat and hepatic fat accumulation with fatty diets. • dMF ameliorates vascular fibrosis and cardiac hypertrophy, thereby preventing myocardial infarction risk.

Ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) is a famous Traditional Chinese Medicine, which is widely used to treat cardiovascular disease. Monascus ruber (M. ruber) is a fungus used in food and medicine f...

Bioactive peptides (BPs) are protein fragments that exhibit a wide variety of physicochemical properties, such as basic, acidic, hydrophobic, and hydrophilic properties; thus, they have the potential to interact with a variety of biomolecules, whereas neither carbohydrates nor fatty acids have such diverse properties. Therefore, BP is considered to be a new generation of biologically active regulators. Recently, some BPs that have shown positive benefits in humans have been screened from edible proteins. In the present study, a new BP screening method was developed using BIOPEP-UWM and machine learning. Training data were initially obtained using high-throughput techniques, and positive and negative datasets were generated. The predictive model was generated by calculating the explanatory variables of the peptides. To understand both site-specific and global characteristics, amino acid features (for site-specific characteristics) and peptide global features (for global characteristics) were generated. The constructed models were applied to the peptide database generated using BIOPEP-UWM, and bioactivity was predicted to explore candidate bile acid-binding peptides. Using this strategy, seven novel bile acid-binding peptides (VFWM, QRIFW, RVWVQ, LIRYTK, NGDEPL, PTFTRKL, and KISQRYQ) were identified. Our novel screening method can be easily applied to industrial applications using whole edible proteins. The proposed approach would be useful for identifying bile acid-binding peptides, as well as other BPs, as long as a large amount of training data can be obtained.

Bignay [Antidesma bunius (L). Spreng] fruit contains an array of polyphenols and information on how these bioactive compounds vary with cultivar type, maturity stage, and process treatment are unclear. Also, the effects of these variations on the lipid-lowering potential of this Philippine indigenous berry have not been reported. This study aimed to evaluate the lipid-lowering properties of the fruits of two bignay cultivars as affected by maturity stage and thermal processing. In vitro lipid-lowering assays revealed that both bignay cultivars had appreciable pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity, bile acid binding capacity, and cholesterol micellar solubility inhibition, which were comparable to those of the known lipid-lowering agents used as positive controls in this study. Freeze-dried samples of the freshly harvested fruits of both bignay cultivars [i.e., Common Cultivar (CC) and Kalabaw cultivar (KC)] had the highest bile acid binding activity (41.9–45.5% for CC and 43.4–54.0% for KC) for all the three maturity stages implying the beneficial effects of fresh bignay fruits related to lipid metabolism. Steam-blanched fruits had the highest pancreatic lipase inhibition activity (17.8–37.4% for CC and 29.2–39.0% for KC), regardless of maturity stage, while water-blanched samples exhibited the highest cholesterol micellar solubility inhibition (39.6–42.2% for CC and 40.2–47.6% for KC). Thermal processing tended to lower the lipid-lowering properties of the bignay fruits relative to their freeze-dried fresh fruits. Results of this study showed the potential of Philippine bignay fruit as a functional food that may be helpful in the management of dyslipidemia.

The impetus for this study is the limited amount of information on performance characteristics of food science-encompassing online bibliographic databases. Database usage is an important element in modern research because a comprehensive understanding of current knowledge is essential for effective, unbiased hypothesis formulation and testing. Six databases commonly recommended by academic libraries for information retrieval in the food sciences (Academic Search Premier [ASP], Agricultural Online Access [AGRICOLA], CAB Direct, Food Science and Technology Abstracts [FSTA], PubMed, and Web of Science [WoS]) were compared in a case study based on the research topic "in vitro bile acid binding properties of dietary lignin." A complex string of search terms was used for citation retrieval, and predetermined inclusion/exclusion criteria were used to determine the relevancy of retrieved articles. Searching WoS and CAB Direct returned the greatest number of relevant articles, followed closely by FSTA, PubMed, and AGRICOLA. FSTA and AGRICOLA returned the highest ratios of relevant-to-irrelevant articles, followed closely by CAB Direct. None of the databases, when used alone, recovered all of the relevant articles identified in the study; WoS indexed the highest percentage of relevant articles identified (WoS = 10; total = 19). WoS also had the highest number of relevant articles that were unique to any one database. The thoroughness of searching the complete group of databases was tested by comparison of retrieved citations with those found in relevant review articles, revealing the need for testing overall inclusivity. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Comprehensive online information retrieval is the most efficient means of accessing current knowledge. Awareness of current knowledge is essential for effective, unbiased decision making in private sector and academic/government-based research endeavors. Thus, online database usage is an essential element of modern food science research. This paper provides tangible examples of the performance characteristics of online bibliographic databases commonly recommended for information retrieval in the food sciences. The paper is written so as to aid the reader in making decisions with respect to database usage for the recovery of topic-relevant peer-reviewed articles germane to their area of research.

Dried persimmon is thought to be a rich source of non-extractable polyphenols (NEPPs). Here, we analyzed the NEPP content of dried persimmon and its bile acid-binding activity in vitro. To determine total NEPP content and epicatechin equivalent (ECE) of intact NEPPs, acid hydrolysis and non-destructive methods with 70% (v/v) acetone-insoluble solids (AIS), respectively, were conducted using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. The ECE of intact NEPPs exceeded 1000 mg/100 g in the non-destructive method, but total NEPP content was approximately 3900 mg/100 g with the acid hydrolysis method. Thiolysis showed that the non-extractable proanthocyanidins in dried persimmon mainly comprised epigallocatechin-gallate, epigallocatechin, epicatechin, and epicatechin-gallate. AIS from dried persimmon showed stronger bile acid-binding activity than AIS from apple, quince, and fresh astringent persimmon. These results suggest that the high content of NEPPs in dried persimmon may contribute to a strong bile acid-binding activity.

Background Cyanidin-3-rutinoside (C3R), a naturally occurring anthocyanin, possesses anti-oxidant, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-glycation and cardioprotective properties. However, its mechanisms responsible for anti-hyperlipidemic activity have not been fully identified. The aim of the study was to investigate the lipid-lowering mechanisms of C3R through inhibition of lipid digestion and absorption in vitro. Methods The inhibitory activity of C3R against pancreatic lipase and cholesterol esterase was evaluated using enzymatic fluorometric and enzymatic colorimetric assays, respectively. An enzyme kinetic study using Michaelis-Menten and the derived Lineweaver-Burk plot was performed to understand the possible types of inhibition. The formation of cholesterol micelles was determined using the cholesterol assay kit. The bile acid binding was measured using the colorimetric assay. The NBD cholesterol uptake in Caco-2 cells was determined using fluorometric assay. The mRNA expression of cholesterol transporter (Niemann-Pick C1-like 1) was determined by RT-PCR. Results The results showed that C3R was a mixed-type competitive inhibitor of pancreatic lipase with the IC50 value of 59.4 ± 1.41 μM. Furthermore, C3R (0.125–1 mM) inhibited pancreatic cholesterol esterase about 5–18%. In addition, C3R inhibited the formation of cholesterol micelles and bound to primary and secondary bile acid. In Caco-2 cells, C3R (12.5–100 μM) exhibited a significant reduction in cholesterol uptake in both free cholesterol (17–41%) and mixed micelles (20–30%). Finally, C3R (100 μM) was able to suppress mRNA expression of NPC1L1 in Caco-2 cells after 24 h incubation. Conclusions The present findings suggest that C3R acts as a lipid-lowering agent through inhibition of lipid digestion and absorption.

Vinegar-egg, a product derived from vinegar and eggs, is a healthy beverage that has been popular in China for a long time. It contains abundant essential and hydrophobic amino acids, and minerals especially Ca and Mg via chemical analyses. The results showed changes of degree of hydrolysis (DH) by different soaking time. In vitro, vinegar-egg showed higher bile acid binding capacity and exhibited inhibition percentages of cholesterol micellar solubility. The DPPH radical-scavenging activity and lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity of vinegar-egg were evaluated, respectively. Additionally, after a 11-week experiment in vivo, high-fat diet (HFD) fed mice had higher weight gains, adipose tissue (EAT and SAT) and serum/liver lipids than the standard chow diet (SCD) fed ones, but vinegar-egg supplementation decreased (p < 0.05) them which may resulted in hyperlipidemia. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) value and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) value in HFD-fed mice were reduced (p < 0.05) by supplementing vinegar-egg due to decreased (p < 0.05) malonaldehyde (MDA) levels, increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPH-Px) activities. Compared with those fed the SCD, HFD induced extensive intrahepatic lipid droplets and hepatic necrosis. However, supplementing the HFD with vinegar-egg attenuated these anomalies in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, the component profiles of vinegar-egg contributed the lipid lowering and antioxidant effects on HFD-fed mice. Hence, vinegar-egg is expected to be a useful ingredient in physiologically functional foods for the treatment of hyperlipidemia.

In order to explore polysaccharides from loquat leaves (LLPs) as functional food ingredients for prevention and treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes, the physicochemical characteristics, in vitro binding properties, and inhibitory effects on α-amylase and α-glucosidase of polysaccharides from the leaves of different loquat cultivars, including ‘Baiyu’, ‘Chuannong8’, ‘Yuanbao’, and ‘Dawuxing’, were investigated and compared. Results showed that the contents of total uronic acids and degree of esterification in LLPs ranged from (27.04 ± 1.76)% to (41.46 ± 1.91)%, and from (20.54 ± 0.11)% to (26.90 ± 0.10)%, respectively. The weight-average molecular weights of LLPs ranged from 4.307 × 106 Da to 5.101 × 106 Da, and the major constituent monosaccharides of LLPs were rhamnose, galacturonic acid, arabinose, and galactose. Furthermore, LLPs exerted strong in vitro fat binding, cholesterol binding, and bile acid binding capacities, as well as remarkable inhibitory effects on α-amylase and α-glucosidase, which might be attributed to their molecular weights, molecular weight distributions, and degree of esterification. Results are helpful for better understanding of chemical structures and bioactivities of polysaccharides from loquat leaves, and LLPs had good potential to be explored as functional food ingredients for prevention and treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

The capsicum seed core and cabbage outer leaves are common wastes generated in the vegetable processing industry. We explored the in vitro health-promoting activity of these waste products for valorization. Freeze-dried and pulverized cabbage wastes had a high bile acid binding capacity and the capsicum wastes inhibited glucose dialysis more effectively. Methanolic extracts prepared with conventional solvent extraction and ultrasound-assisted extraction were analyzed to determine their 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity, in vitro α-amylase inhibitory, in vitro lipase inhibitory, and prebiotic activity. Crude extracts of cabbage and capsicum wastes were screened using GC–MS analysis. The cabbage waste extracts showed high antioxidant activities but did not inhibit α-amylase. The capsicum waste extracts inhibited both lipase and α-amylase activities and supported the growth of the probiotic bacterium, Lactobacilli brevis. Volatile compounds of the vegetables consisted mainly of phenols and fatty acid esters. In all assays except the α-amylase inhibition assay, the extracts prepared with ultrasound-assisted solvent extraction showed higher activity than those prepared using the conventional method. The capsicum seed core and cabbage outer leaves are potential sources of phytochemicals and antioxidant fibers. Capsicum waste extract supported probiotic bacterial growth without a lag phase. These waste products may be processed into high-value functional ingredients.

This study aimed to investigate structural features and antihyperlipidemic effects of the stigma maydis polysaccharide, termed SMP‐1. This polysaccharide was composed of D‐mannose, L‐rhamnose, D‐glucose, D‐galactose, L‐arabinose, D‐xylose, and D‐galacturonic acid, with a molar ratio of 1.00:0.21:1.41:1.44:0.70:0.44:0.56. The SMP‐1 was mainly bonded by (1 → 6) and (1 → 3) linkages, with various monosaccharides being evenly distributed in the main and side chains. Moreover, SMP‐1 had neither triple‐helical structure nor molecular aggregation. Importantly, the SMP‐1 could effectively bind the bile acids in vitro and significantly lower the total cholesterol, triglyceride, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and moderately increase the high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol level in poloxamer 407‐induced hyperlipidemic mice. Moreover, pretreatment with SMP‐1 (≥300 mg/kg) could remarkably reduce fat accumulation and restore hepatocyte morphology in the liver of hyperlipidemic mice. Altogether, these findings indicated that SMP‐1 could be developed as a safe and effective food supplement for preventing and treating hyperlipidemic disorders.

Bioassay guided isolation was done on the Myrmecodia platytyrae (MyP) extracts in order to find the best extract that can bind with bile acid. The function of bile acid binder is to reduce the reabsorption of bile acid in the intestine so that it will cause the decrease of cholesterol in the blood circulation. The extraction process was started by using different organic solvent such as hexane, toluene, ethyl acetate, ethanol and water. All extracts were tested its bile acid binding properties and the extract gave out highest activity was selected to be fractionated. The result showed that water extract has highest bile acid binding property (75%). Then, fractionation process was performed in order to find the best fraction from water extract that have bile acid binding property. The sub-fractionation processes were continued and the process only focussed to the fraction that has highest bile acid binding property until a white powder with 97.02 % carbohydrate was obtained. The powder was subjected to FTIR and was found to have glycosidic bond as shown by bands at 1141 until 1018 cm-1 which is a character of polysaccharide. The polysaccharide rich fraction was hydrolysed and subjected to HPLC to identify its monosaccharide groups. The result showed the presence of glucose and fructose were found to be among the major monosaccharides. This result suggested that the polysaccharide from MyP water extract with high bile acid binding property was gluco-fructan.

The starch-palmitic acid complex was prepared by the reaction of different concentrations (0.1%–5.0%) of palmitic acid and yam starch. In order to find out the effects of concentration of palmitic acid on the properties of the complex, the physicochemical properties, morphological properties, freeze-thaw stability, antioxidant activity and bile acid binding capacity of complexes were studied. It was found that with the increase of palmitic acid concentration, the complex index of starch-fatty acid increased first and then decreased. When the concentration of palmitic acid was 2%, the complex index was the highest (26.39%). The crystal type has gradually changed from Ca type into mixtures of V-type pattern and B-type pattern when introduced palmitic acid. The water binding capacity, solubility, swelling power and paste clarity were decreased, while the content of resistant starch and freeze-thaw stability were obviously increased. Compared with the native starch, the antioxidant activity and bile acid binding capacity of the complex were significantly increased. All the result showed that the concentration of palmitic acid has a great influence on the physicochemical properties of modified starch and the starch-palmitic acid complexes have higher ability of controlling cholesterol and improving the anti-oxidant activity than native yam.

Interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) is an effective method to improve functional properties of hydrogels by forming cross-linking networks. In this study, the gelatin-alginate gels formed by the combination of enzymatic and ionic cross-linking were called IPN gels. Meanwhile, the gels with the treatment of only transglutaminase (TG) or Ca2+ were named as G-semi-IPN and A-semi-IPN, respectively. The formation of semi-IPN and IPN was confirmed by studies on rheology, thermodynamics and micro-morphology. The results showed that the IPN gels had improved gelling properties and structural stability. The functional properties of different gelatin-alginate gels were also investigated. It was firstly found that the IPN gels could enhance mechanical properties, decrease swelling capacity and had better bile acid binding capacity. These results of gelatin-alginate gels provide references and novel prospects of IPN for the application in the field of food industry.

Bile acids (BAs) are hydroxylated steroids derived from cholesterol that act at the intestinal level to facilitate the absorption of several nutrients and also play a role as signaling molecules. In the liver of various vertebrates, the trafficking of BAs is mediated by bile acid-binding proteins (L-BABPs). The ability to host hydrophobic or amphipathic molecules makes BABPs suitable for the distribution of a variety of physiological and exogenous substances. Thus, BABPs have been proposed as drug carriers, and more recently, they have also been employed to develop innovative nanotechnology and biotechnology systems. Here, we report an efficient protocol for the production, purification, and crystallization of chicken liver BABP (cL-BABP). By means of target expression as His6-tag cL-BABP, we obtained a large amount of pure and homogeneous proteins through a simple purification procedure relying on affinity chromatography. The recombinant cL-BABP showed a raised propensity to crystallize, allowing us to obtain its structure at high resolution and, in turn, assess the structural conservation of the recombinant cL-BABP with respect to the liver-extracted protein. The results support the use of recombinant cL-BABP for the development of drug carriers, nanotechnologies, and innovative synthetic photoswitch systems.

This study investigated the valorization of oat bran and the use of its proteins to generate polypeptides with antioxidant and bile acid-binding properties. Ten protein hydrolysates were prepared by treating cellulase (CPI) or Viscozyme (VPI) protein isolates with five proteases. VPI-pepsin was the best peroxyl radical scavenger (497 ± 6-μM Trolox equivalents [TE]/g) while VPI-Flavourzyme quenched hydroxyl radicals (28 ± 0.6) and VPI-pepsin superoxide anion radicals (45.3 ± 6.6%). Hydrolysates, except those produced with pepsin, dose-dependently chelated iron whereas VPI-Protamex had the best copper-chelating capacity (59.83 ± 1.40%). These antioxidative capacities were important in preventing by 50% in vitro copper-induced oxidation of human low-density lipoprotein. Furthermore, due to their aromatic amino acid contents and hydrophobicity, the hydrolysates bound up to 46.3% the bile acids taurodeoxycholate and taurocholate. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The presence of oxidants in foods can damage food molecules and decrease their quality. They are also known to increase the risk of developing chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease. Finding new antioxidant molecules are therefore useful in the management of chronic diseases. Data from this work showed that hydrolyzed oat bran proteins can be useful in stabilizing commercial oil as they reduced the oxidation of peanut oil. Additionally, the protein hydrolysates not only prevented the oxidation of linoleic, a common component of both vegetable oils and biological cell membranes, they also inhibited the oxidation of human LDL cholesterol and chelated bile acids. These hydrolysates can then be further explored as multifunctional ingredients for the development of stable functional food products with potential beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system.

Mung bean is a well-known good source of protein. To increase its bioactivity, economic value, and nutritional content as a functional food and food additive, lactostatin (IIAEK), a cholesterol-lowering bioactive peptide, was engineered into mung bean 8S&alpha, globulin, a major storage protein. The results showed that the mutated 8S&alpha, globulin has a significant bile acid binding capacity (cholesterol-lowering activity) up to 47.25%. Moreover, superimposed mutant (Mut2) and wild-type (Wt) 3D protein structures showed a 93&ndash, 97% identity, indicating that the mutant proteins are stable. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography(UPLC)-based assay showed similar retention time for wild-type and mutant protein samples. Both IIAEK peptide standard and Mut2 digest had comparable baseline peaks corresponding to the same molecular size based on the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) data. A 573.36-Da mass spectrum was seen in Mut2, which indicates that Mut2 8S&alpha, globulin has been successfully mutated and digested to release the bioactive peptide, IIAEK. In vitro bile acid binding capacity showed that the 6-h Wt and 12-h engineered protein (Mut2) digests had the highest activity. Lastly, potential allergenicity was checked in the Allergen Database for Food Safety (ADFS) and the AllerBase database, and the IIAEK peptide matched the Bos d 5 epitopes. This study provides a strong foundation and basis for mung bean nutrition improvement, development of cholesterol-lowering food supplements, and protein engineering of other food proteins.

The increased use of a new rice cultivar is the result of increasing consumer demands for healthier choices. In this study, physicochemical, thermal, pasting, and functional properties of flour from RD43 rice, a new rice variety, and its food application were investigated. RD43 rice flour demonstrated an irregular and polyhedral shape with a volume mean diameter of 103 &plusmn, 0.15 &micro, m. In addition, the amylose content of RD43 rice and Hom Mali rice flour was 19.04% and 16.38%, respectively. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transforms Infrared (FTIR) confirmed the presence of a V-type crystalline structure and less crystallinity in RD43 rice flour, which resulted in a significant reduction of the water absorption index (WAI), swelling power (SP), water solubility index (WSI), gelatinization temperature, and pasting properties. Comparing with Hom Mali rice flour, RD43 rice flour had greater ability to disrupt cholesterol micellization and bind bile acid. Furthermore, it had lower starch digestibility, with a lower percentage of rapidly digestible starch (RDS) and higher percentage of undigestible starch than Hom Mali rice flour. Moreover, steamed muffins based on RD43 rice flour had lower starch digestibility than Hom Mali steamed muffins. The sensory analysis showed no significant differences between Hom Mali and RD43 steamed muffins. The findings suggest that RD43 rice flour could be an alternative ingredient for lowering the glycemic index of food products.

The raw tea polysaccharides (RLTPS) and the aged tea polysaccharides (ALTPS) from raw and aged Liupao tea were extracted and purified to afford five refined fractions. Component analysis revealed that the crude polysaccharide content from raw Liupao tea increased from 1.83 ± 0.09 g / 100 g to 3.44 ± 0.28 g / 100 g and the molecular weight decreased after fermentation. Structural analysis indicated that the molar ratio of rhamnose, galactose, and galacturonic acid increased in refined ALTPS. All the refined polysaccharides were glycoprotein complexes contained pyranose ring structure. The thermal stability and asymmetry of refined ALTPS were stronger than refined RLTPS. For activities in vitro, ALTPS had better anticoagulant activity and bile acid binding capacity than RLTPS. Although the activities of the refined ALTPS fractions were lower than ALTPS, they were still higher than the refined RLTPS. Fermentation plays an important role in improving the quality and biological activity of dark tea.

Plant compounds are described to interact with bile acids during small intestinal digestion. This review will summarise mechanisms of interaction between bile acids and plant compounds, challenges in in vivo and in vitro analyses, and possible consequences on health. The main mechanisms of interaction assume that increased viscosity during digestion results in reduced micellar mobility of bile acids, or that bile acids and plant compounds are associated or complexed at the molecular level. Increasing viscosity during digestion due to specific dietary fibres is considered a central reason for bile acid retention. Furthermore, hydrophobic interactions are proposed to contribute to bile acid retention in the small intestine. Although frequently hypothesised, no mechanism of permanent binding of bile acids by dietary fibres or indigestible protein fractions has yet been demonstrated. Otherwise, various polyphenolic structures were recently associated with reduced micellar solubility and modification of steroid and bile acid excretion but underlying molecular mechanisms of interaction are not yet fully understood. Therefore, future research activities need to consider the complex composition and cell-wall structures as influenced by processing when investigating bile acid interactions. Furthermore, influences of bile acid interactions on gut microbiota need to be addressed to clarify their role in bile acid metabolism.

Background Bile acid-binding agents, such as cholestyramine and colesevelam, improve both cholesterol and glucose metabolism. Kaki-tannin, a polymerized condensed tannin derived from persimmon (Diospyros kaki), has been shown to have bile acid-binding capacity and a hypocholesterolemic effect. However, its effects on glucose metabolism have not been well studied, and the binding selectivity of kaki-tannin to bile acid molecules has not been reported. Results In vivo experiments using mice with high-fat diet-induced obesity showed that kaki-tannin intake (20 g kg-1 of the diet) increased fecal bile acid excretion by 2.3-fold and prevented a rise in plasma cholesterol levels and fasting plasma glucose levels. Kaki-tannin also suppressed the development of impaired glucose tolerance. To characterize the bile acid-binding capacity of kaki-tannin, we investigated its capacity to bind to eight types of bile acid and cholesterol in vitro. Kaki-tannin showed strong capacity to bind to lithocholic acid (85.5%), which has one hydroxy group. It also showed moderate capacity to bind to bile acids with two hydroxy groups (53.3%), followed by those with three hydroxy groups (39.0%), but kaki-tannin did not show binding capacity to cholesterol. These results suggest that the binding capacity of kaki-tannin to bile acids tends to decrease as the number of hydroxy groups increases. Interestingly, the binding capacity of kaki-tannin correlated with that of cholestyramine (correlation coefficient: r = 0.900). Conclusion Our findings indicate that kaki-tannin binds preferentially to bile acids with fewer hydroxy groups and has beneficial effects on glucose metabolism as well as cholesterol metabolism. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Tomato is an important source of health-promoting constituents, and researchers have focused on enhancing the content. In the present study, the influence of net-house (NH) and open-field (OF) growing conditions on physicochemical traits of tomatoes from eight different cultivars were evaluated. The tomato fruit qualities, such as color, total soluble solids (TSS), total acidity (TA), and pH were measured. Furthermore, ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization high-resolution quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/ESI-HR-QTOFMS) was used for identification and quantification of health-promoting compounds such as ascorbic acid, s-carotene, lycopene, and its isomers. In addition, in vitro bile acid binding capacity of all tomato samples was analyzed along with soluble and insoluble dietary fiber analysis as biofunctional properties. The results suggest that production systems influenced tomato fruit quality and biofunctional characteristics in a variety-specific manner. Notably, TA and all-trans-s-carotene values were considerably influenced by production systems, and their levels were higher in the NH- and OF-grown tomatoes, respectively. Our findings underline the importance of the rational choice of genotype and production system to obtain high-quality tomatoes with enhanced desired traits for breeders and consumers. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Tomato is one of the nutritional high-valued horticultural crops. The present study aimed to assess the impact of production systems, such as net-house and open-field conditions, on physicochemical traits and biofunctional properties, in vitro bile acid binding capacity of eight tomato varieties. This study supplies a good reference for the rational selection of genotype and production system to obtain high-quality tomatoes with improved desired traits for breeders and consumers.

G protein-coupled bile acid receptor (GPBAR) is a membrane receptor that senses bile acids to regulate diverse functions through Gs activation. Here, we report the cryo-EM structures of GPBAR–Gs complexes stabilized by either high-affinity P395 or the semisynthesized bile acid derivative INT-777 at 3-Å resolution. These structures revealed a large oval-shaped ligand pocket with several sporadic polar groups to accommodate the amphipathic cholic core of bile acids. A fingerprint of key residues recognizing diverse bile acids in the orthosteric site, a putative second bile acid binding site with allosteric properties and structural features contributing to bias property were identified through structural analysis and mutagenesis studies. Moreover, structural comparison of GPBAR with other GPCRs uncovered an atypical mode of receptor activation and G-protein– coupling, featuring a different set of key residues connecting the ligand binding pocket to the Gs coupling site, and a specific interaction motif localized in intracellular loop 3. Overall, our study not only provides unique structural features of GPBAR in bile acid recognition, allosteric effects and biased signaling, but also suggests that distinct allosteric connecting mechanisms between the ligand binding pocket and the G protein binding site exist in the GPCR superfamily.