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Introduction: Cashew nut contains bioactive compounds that modulate satiety and food intake, but its effects on body fat during energy restriction remains unknown. This study aimed to assess the effects of cashew nut and cashew nut oil on body fat (primary outcome) as well as adiposity, cardiometabolic and liver function markers (secondary outcomes)., Materials and Methods: An eight-week (8-wk) randomized controlled-feeding study involved 68 adults with overweight/obesity (40 women, BMI: 33 ± 4 kg/m 2 ). Participants were randomly assigned to one of the energy-restricted (-500 kcal/d) groups: control (CT, free-nuts), cashew nut (CN, 30 g/d), or cashew nut oil (OL, 30 mL/d). Body weight, body composition, and blood collection were assessed at the baseline and endpoint of the study., Results: After 8-wk, all groups reduced significantly body fat (CT: -3.1 ± 2.8 kg; CN: -3.3 ± 2.7 kg; OL: -1.8 ± 2.6 kg), body weight (CT: -4.2 ± 3.8 kg; CN: -3.9 ± 3.1 kg; OL: -3.4 ± 2.4 kg), waist (CT: -5.1 ± 4.6 cm; CN: -3.9 ± 3.9 cm; OL: -3.7 ± 5.3 cm) and hip circumferences (CT: -2.9 ± 3.0 cm; CN: -2.7 ± 3.1 cm; OL: -2.9 ± 2.3 cm). CN-group reduced liver enzymes (AST: -3.1 ± 5.3 U/L; ALT: -6.0 ± 9.9 U/L), while the OL-group reduced LDL-c (-11.5 ± 21.8 mg/dL) and atherogenic index (-0.2 ± 0.5). Both intervention groups decreased neck circumference (CN: -1.0 ± 1.2 cm; OL: -0.5 ± 1.2 cm) and apo B (CN: -6.6 ± 10.7 mg/dL; OL: -7.0 ± 15.3 mg/dL)., Conclusion: After an 8-wk energy-restricted intervention, all groups reduced body fat (kg), weight, and some others adiposity indicators, with no different effect of cashew nut or cashew nut oil. However, participants in the intervention groups experienced additional reductions in atherogenic marker, liver function biomarkers, and cardiovascular risk factors (neck circumference and apo B levels), with these effects observed across the OL group, CN group, and both intervention groups, respectively. Clinical trial registration: https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-8xzkyp2, identifier 8xzkyp2., Competing Interests: AD was employed by Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) Agroindústria Tropical—CNPAT. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Meneguelli, Kravchychyn, Wendling, Dionísio, Bressan, Martino, Tako and Hermsdorff.)

The search for knowledge related to the Pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus [F.A.C. Weber] Britton & Rose, family Cactaceae) is commonly due to its beneficial health properties e aesthetic values. But process to obtain pitaya pulp is a first and important step in providing information for the subsequent use of this fruit as colorant, for example. Therefore, the effects of the pulping process on the metabolomic and chemometric profile of non-volatile compounds of pitaya were assessed for the first time. The differences in metabolic fingerprints using UPLC-QTOF-MS E and multivariate modeling (PCA and OPLS-DA) was performed in the following treatments: treatment A, which consists of pelled pitaya and no ascorbic acid addition during pulping; treatment B, use of unpelled pitaya added of ascorbic acid during pulping; and control, unpelled pitaya and no ascorbic acid addition during pulping. For the metabolomic analysis, UPLC-QTOF-MS E shows an efficient method for the simultaneous determination of 35 non-volatile pitaya metabolites, including isorhamnetin glucosyl rhamnosyl isomers, phyllocactin isomers, 2'-O-apiosyl-phylocactin and 4'-O-malonyl-betanin. In addition, the chemometric analysis efficiently distinguished the metabolic compounds of each treatment applied and shows that the use of unpelled pitaya added of ascorbic acid during pulping has an interesting chemical profile due to the preservation or formation of compounds, such as those derived from betalain, and higher yields, which is desirable for the food industry., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) include Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Several studies relate eating habits to different aspects of IBD, such as progression and worsening of the clinical condition. Therefore, many natural products (NPs) such as polyphenols and carotenoids have been identified as promising agents in supporting IBD. An interesting source for obtaining bioactive NPs is the by-products of the food industry. The present study evaluated the potential beneficial effect of a standardized extract (CAE) obtained from cashew apple bagasse in the dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis model in mice. This was the first time that CAE had been evaluated in this experimental model. Chemical evaluation of CAE identified carotenoids (96.28 ± 0.15 mg/100 g), phenolic compounds (37.49 ± 0.64 mg/100 g), and a mixture of anacardic acids (C15:3 = 94.2 ± 0.6 mg/100 g; C15:2 = 108.4 ± 0.1 mg/100 g; C15:1 = 214.8 ± 0.2 mg/100 g). Administration of CAE (500 mg/kg, 4 days, p.o.) after DSS challenge was more effective in delaying disease progression compared with prior treatment (500 mg/kg, 30 days, p.o.), according to the disease activity index. However, no treatment strategy with CAE was able to prevent or inhibit disease progression, since all parameters evaluated (macroscopic, biochemical, and histopathological) in CAE-treated animals were similar to those observed in DSS-challenged animals. Despite the high dose (500 mg/kg), the standardized extract (CAE) did not result in an effective concentration of carotenoids. Furthermore, as some anacardic acids have been reported as histone acetyltransferases inhibitors, there could be a possible antagonistic relationship between carotenoids and anacardic acids. Complementary research will be necessary to test the hypothesis of antagonism. Thus, an optimized extract, with an even higher concentration of carotenoids, obtained from cashew apple bagasse, can be developed as a possible adjuvant food supplement for inflammatory bowel diseases.

Cashew nuts are rich in dietary fibers, monounsaturated fatty acids, carotenoids, tocopherols, flavonoids, catechins, amino acids, and minerals that offer benefits for health. However, the knowledge of its effect on gut health is lacking. In this way, cashew nut soluble extract (CNSE) was assessed in vivo via intra-amniotic administration in intestinal brush border membrane (BBM) morphology, functionality, and gut microbiota. Four groups were evaluated: (1) no injection (control); (2) H 2 O injection (control); (3) 10 mg/mL CNSE (1%); and (4) 50 mg/mL CNSE (5%). Results related to CNSE on duodenal morphological parameters showed higher Paneth cell numbers, goblet cell (GC) diameter in crypt and villi, depth crypt, mixed GC per villi, and villi surface area. Further, it decreased GC number and acid and neutral GC. In the gut microbiota, treatment with CNSE showed a lower abundance of Bifidobacterium , Lactobacillus , and E. coli . Further, in intestinal functionality, CNSE upregulated aminopeptidase (AP) gene expression at 5% compared to 1% CNSE. In conclusion, CNSE had beneficial effects on gut health by improving duodenal BBM functionality, as it upregulated AP gene expression, and by modifying morphological parameters ameliorating digestive and absorptive capacity. For intestinal microbiota, higher concentrations of CNSE or long-term intervention may be necessary.

Objectives: The use of prebiotics has an effect on postprandial glucose and insulin concentrations; however, the interaction between the previous profile of the intestinal microbiota and the effect of supplementation with prebiotics is not clear. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of previous intestinal microbiota profile on the postprandial insulin response to yacon syrup, used as a source of fructooligosaccharides (FOSs), in young women. The product presents high levels of FOS., Methods: In this double-blind, crossover, randomized clinical trial, 40 adult women were allocated to receive a breakfast containing 40 g of yacon syrup (14 g FOS, intervention A) or a breakfast containing 40 g of placebo (intervention B). On each intervention day, after 12 h of fasting, an aliquot of blood was collected for insulin analysis at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min. The fecal sample was collected before the beginning of the interventions, and the DNA was extracted and quantified, with subsequent amplification of the 16S region, next-generation sequencing, and analysis of sequencing data., Results: The glucose and insulin concentrations were reduced after ingestion of yacon syrup compared with placebo, specifically at the 30 min to insulin. After the receiver operating characteristic analysis, six volunteers who did not respond to the yacon consumption intervention were identified. The abundance of the phylum Actinobacteria (P = 0.021) and the order Bifidobacteriales (P = 0.013) were positively associated with better insulin response. Other main phyla were not associated with intervention response., Conclusions: The previous profile of the intestinal microbiota has an effect on the postprandial insulin response to FOSs, mainly in the phylum Actinobacteria and Bifidobacteriales order., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In this study, the impact of kernel grade on the physicochemical quality, fatty acids, and volatile compounds of cashew nut oil was assessed. The oil samples were obtained from different classifications of nuts and analyzed for acid and peroxide values, color, fatty acids and volatile compounds. The broken kernel oils showed similar or superior quality to the whole kernel oil (LW3), especially samples B3 (batoque) and P3 (large piece), with acid, peroxide and color values equal to the one in LW3. The oils from less intact nuts showed high proportions of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), with acid ratios higher than the ones in LW3 (64.47 to 65.28 %, while the latter displayed 63.33 %). Sample P3 showed higher proportions of volatile compounds not derived from oxidation. This study expands the possibility of valorizing lower commercial value cashew nuts by producing oil with adequate quality for consumption., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Pineapple is among the most produced and consumed fruits worldwide, and consequently, its agroindustrial production/processing generates high amounts of agricultural waste, which are routinely discarded. Thus, it is crucial to seek alternatives to reuse this agricultural waste that are in high availability. Therefore, this work aims to evaluate the chemical composition of a specific residue (leaves) of seven commercial varieties of pineapples, to attribute high added value uses, and to evaluate its potential as a source of secondary metabolites and minerals. Thereby, twenty-eight metabolites were annotated by UPLC-QTOF-MS E , including amino acids, organic acids, and phenolic compounds. The following minerals were quantitatively assessed by ICP-OES: Zn (5.30-19.77 mg kg -1 ), Cr, Cd, Mn (50.80-113.98 mg kg -1 ), Cu (1.05-4.01 mg kg -1 ), P (1030.77-6163.63 mg kg -1 ) and Fe (9.06-70.17 mg kg -1 ). In addition, Cr and Cd (toxic materials) present concentration levels below the limit of quantification of the analytical method (LOQ Cr and LOQ Cd  = 0.02 mg kg -1 ) for all samples. The multivariate analysis was conceived from the chemical profile, through the tools of PCA (principal component analysis) and HCA (hierarchical cluster analysis). The results show that pineapple leaves have similarities and differences concerning their chemical composition. In addition, the cytotoxicity assays of the extracts against tumor and non-tumor strains shows that the extracts were non-toxic. This fact can corroborate and enhance the prospection of new uses and applications of agroindustrial co-products from pineapple, enabling the evaluation and use in different types of industries, such as pharmacological, cosmetic, and food, in addition to the possibility of being a potential source of bioactive compounds., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Se is an essential element in mammals. We review how its bioavailability in soil and the ability of plants to accumulate Se in foods depends on the soil Se profile (including levels and formats), besides to describe how the various selenoproteins have important biochemical functions in the body and directly impact human health. Owing to its favorable characteristics, the scientific community has investigated selenomethionine in most nut matrices. Among nuts, Brazil nuts have been highlighted as one of the richest sources of bioavailable Se. We summarize the most commonly used analytical methods for Se species and total Se determination in nuts. We also discuss the chemical forms of Se metabolized by mammals, human biochemistry and health outcomes from daily dietary intake of Se from Brazil nuts. These findings may facilitate the understanding of the importance of adequate dietary Se intake and enable researchers to define methods to determine Se species., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Several mechanisms have been proposed for the beneficial effect of nuts on health. However, Brazil and cashew nuts remain the least studied. We aim to evaluate the effect of these nuts within an energy-restricted diet on body weight, body composition, cardiometabolic markers, and endothelial function in cardiometabolic risk women. Brazilian nuts study is a randomized controlled parallel 8-week dietary intervention trial. Forty women were randomly allocated to 1) Control group: Energy-restricted diet without nuts, n= 19 or, 2) Brazil and cashew nuts group (BN-Group): Energy-restricted diet containing daily 45 g of nuts (15 g of Brazil nuts + 30g of cashew nuts), n= 21. At the beginning and final intervention, anthropometry, body composition, and blood pressure were measured. Fasting blood sampling was obtained to evaluate lipid profile, glucose homeostasis, and endothelial function markers. After 8-week, plasma selenium concentration increased in BN-group (∆ = + 31.5 ± 7.8 μg/L; p= 0.001). Brazil and cashew nuts intake reduced total body fat (-1.3 ± 0.4 %) parallel to improvement of lean mass percentage in BN-group compared to the control. Besides, the soluble adhesion molecule VCAM-1 decreased (24.03 ± 15.7 pg/mL vs. -22.2 ± 10.3 pg/mL; p= 0.019) after Brazil and cashew nuts intake compared to the control. However, lipid and glucose profile markers, apolipoproteins, and blood pressure remained unchanged after the intervention. Thus, the addition of Brazil and cashew nuts to an energy-restricted diet can be a healthy strategy to improve body composition, selenium status, and endothelial inflammation in cardiometabolic risk women.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The incidence of gastric mucosa lesions in the adult population has increased mainly due to the continued use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) is a tropical tree, cultivated in several countries, whose barks, leaves and pseudofruit (cashew apple) are popularly used in traditional medicine for the treatment of many diseases, including gastric ulcer., Aim: Our study evaluated the potential gastroprotective effect of the carotenoid and anacardic acids-enriched aqueous extract (CAE), prepared from cashew apple pomace, in the dose-repeated acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)-induced gastric lesions model in rats., Material and Methods: After randomly distribution into five group (G1 - G5, n = 8 animals/group), male Wistar rats were daily treated with ASA solution (200 mg/kg, 5 ml/kg, G2 - G5) or potable water (Satellite group, G1) during 14 days. From 8 th to 14 th experimental day, rats in G3 - G5 groups were orally treated with CAE (50, 100 and 500 mg/kg, 5 ml/kg, respectively). Body weight was measured on 0, 7 th and 14 th day. On the 14 th experimental day, all surviving animals were euthanized for macroscopic evaluation of the inner organs and stomach removal. After weighting, each stomach was properly prepared for biochemical analysis [myeloperoxidase activity (MPO), reduced glutathione analysis (GSH), IL-1β, CXCL2/MIP-2, TNF-α and IL-10 levels]., Results: At the most efficient dose (100 mg/kg, p.o.), CAE-treated animals showed a slight improvement in the macroscopic aspect of gastric mucosa associated with significant (p < 0.05) reduced levels of IL-1β, CXCL2/MIP-2, and MPO activity besides increased levels of GSH (partially), and IL-10 in stomach tissues., Conclusions: The present study demonstrated that the carotenoid and anacardic acids-enriched extract obtained from cashew apple pomace is a promising raw material for the development of herbal medicine and/or functional food supplements for the adjuvant treatment of NSAIDs-induced gastric ulcers., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Cashew apple extract (CAE) is a product with intense yellow color obtained from residual fibers of juice processing. Although CAE is known to be rich in carotenoids and anacardic acids, the biological activities of this potential natural food colorant remain unexplored. The present study is the first to investigate the toxicity, antiproliferative and antimicrobial activities of the lyophilized CAE (L-CAE) and its encapsulated products, using maltodextrin (M-CAE) or cashew gum (CG-CAE) as carriers. In addition to their high carotenoid content, the phenolic contents in all materials was determined using UPLC-QTOF-MS E . The acute toxicity was performed using adult zebrafish ( Danio rerio ); antiproliferative activity was assessed using seven different human tumor cell lines [U-251 (glioblastoma), MCF-7 (breast, adenocarcinoma), NCI-ADR/RES (multidrug-resistant ovarian adenocarcinoma), NCI-H-460 (lung, large cell carcinoma), PC-3 (prostate, adenocarcinoma), OVCAR-3 (ovarian adenocarcinoma), and HT-29 (colon, adenocarcinoma)] and an immortalized human keratinocyte (HaCaT) while the antimicrobioal activity was evaluated on Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19115, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 51812 microorganisms. Both lyophilized and encapsulated CAE samples did not exert acute toxicity against zebrafish neither antiproliferative effect against human tumor and non-tumor cell lines. Further, L-CAE showed potential antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes, which was confirmed using electron microscopy. The current findings demonstrated that CAE is a potential source of bioactive compounds to use as an additive in the food industry., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare no conflict of interest., (© Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India) 2020.)

Yacon syrup is a rich source of fructooligosaccharides (FOS); however, its diet supplementation effect on subjective sensation and appetite biomarkers in human is still unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the acute postprandial effect of yacon syrup ingestion on appetite. The double-blind crossover clinical trial was carried out with 40 adult women: 20 eutrophic and 20 obese grade I. On each day, the first blood collection was performed after a 12-h fast. Then, the volunteers ingested either intervention A (breakfast + 40 g of placebo) or intervention B (breakfast + 40 g of yacon syrup, containing 14 g of FOS). New aliquots of blood were collected at 45, 60, 90, 120, and 180 min. Appetite was assessed by estimating ghrelin and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) levels and by assessing subjective appetite sensation. Analysis was performed using two-way ANOVA, followed by Bonferroni's multiple comparison test. No effect of yacon syrup was observed on postprandial ghrelin and GLP-1 levels at all times evaluated. Similar observations were made after stratifying the analysis by BMI (body mass index) (eutrophic and obese). The effect of yacon syrup on postprandial subjective sensations of hunger, satiety, fullness, and desire to eat was not evident in the total group of women evaluated and even after BMI stratification. We concluded that yacon syrup had no effect on postprandial ghrelin and GLP-1 levels and on the subjective appetite sensation in young adult women., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Natural and synthetic dyes are widely used in foodstuff, medicines and cosmetics industries to enhance and/or restore the color of the final products. This study aimed to evaluate the safety of oral consumption of one carotenoids and anacardic acids-enriched extract (CAE), obtained by green extraction from cashew apple residue fibers, a byproduct of the cashew juice industry. Presenting intense yellow color, CAE could be proposed as a new natural dye. Single and repeated-dose oral toxicity (30 days) were evaluated in female Swiss mice at doses ranging from 50 to 1000 mg/kg, while (anti)mutagenic effects were evaluated in CHO-K1 cells (in vitro Cytokinesis-Block Micronucleus assay - CBMN) and in erythrocytes collected from murine bone marrow (in vivo). CAE did not induce toxic or mutagenic effects in female mice even after 30 days of treatment, regardless of the dose used. Considering cyclophosphamide (CPA)-challenged animals treated with CAE, neither antimutagenic effect was observed nor CAE increased CPA-mutagenic effects although in vitro CBMN results indicated that CAE might increase methyl methanesulfonate-induced micronuclei (MN) frequency besides promoting reduction on CPA-induced MN frequency. The obtained results suggest that CAE may be a safe source of carotenoids with potential use as industrial dye., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pitaya is a Cactacea with potential for economic exploitation, due to its high commercial value and its functional components - such betalains, oligosaccharides and phenolic compounds. Although the biological activities of pitaya have been studied using in vivo and in vitro models (anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative activities, as example), its anxiolytic-like effect is still unexplored. Therefore, the aim of this work was to perform a characterization of pulp and peel of pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus (F.A.C. Weber) Britton & Rose) using UPLC-QTOF-MS E , and to assess its toxicity and anxiolytic-like effect in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio). The results showed 16 and 15 compounds (in pulp and peel, respectively), including maltotriose, quercetin-3-O-hexoside, and betalains, putatively identified by UPLC-QTOF-MS E . Thus, pitaya pulp and peel showed no toxicity in both models tested (Vero cell lines and zebrafish model, LC 50  ˃ 1 mg/mL); and a significant anxiolytic activity, since the treated fish reduced the permanence in the clear zone (Light & Dark Test) compared to that in the control, exhibiting anxiolytic-simile effect of diazepam. However, these effects were reduced by pre-treatment with the flumazenil suggesting that the pulp and peel of pitaya are anxiolytics agents mediated via the GABAergic system. These findings suggested that H. polyrizhus has the potential of developing an alternative plant-derived anxiolytic therapy. In addition, pitaya peel (which is a waste in the food industry) should be regarded as a valuable product, which has the potential as an economic value-added ingredient for anxiety disorders., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The effects of processing on the chemical, physicochemical, enzymatic, and volatile metabolic composition of pitaya pulp were assessed for the first time. To this end, the following treatments to obtain pitaya pulp were evaluated: Treatment A (TA, pulp processing without ascorbic acid), Treatment B (TB, whole fruit processing with ascorbic acid), and Control (whole fruit processing without ascorbic acid). The treatment employed in TB resulted in low polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase activity, and no significant chemical or physicochemical alterations in most parameters evaluated. In addition, TB presents high yields and fiber content compared to the TA or Control. For metabolic analysis, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) was effective for the simultaneous determination of 80 volatile metabolites in pitaya. Chemometric analyses was used to efficiently distinguish the volatile compounds of each treatment, and demonstrated that TB presents an interesting volatile profile due the conservation or agregation of compounds., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Tropical fruits rich in polyphenols, ascorbic acid, and high antioxidant capacity can enhance the functional composition, flavor as well as the overall acceptance of their juices. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of pasteurization and storage time on the physical, chemical, and sensory quality parameters of two formulations of tropical fruit juice blends with high antioxidant capacity. Two formulations with different concentrations of acai, camu-camu, acerola, cashew apple, yellow mombin, and pineapple were pasteurized at 85 °C for 30 s, hot-filled in glass bottles, and stored in refrigerated conditions (5 °C). Analyses for color, total antioxidant activity, total polyphenols, carotenoids, ascorbic acid, and sensory quality were performed before and after pasteurization as well as at 90 and 180 day of storage. Pasteurization did not negatively affect the concentration of functional components and sensory properties. However, the storage time negatively influenced the sensory quality and reduced the ascorbic acid content of both the formulations. Further, the acceptability and the nutritional quality were still high in these products after 180-days of storage, thus, not preventing their consumption., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India) 2019.)

Yacon is a root rich in fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which act as prebiotics. Numerous studies have shown promising results in the technological aspects of producing yacon syrup. However, uncertainties exist concerning whether yacon syrup can modulate postprandial glucose and lipid profiles. In order to assess the effect of yacon syrup on postprandial glucose, insulin and triglyceride (TG) responses, a randomized, crossover, double-blind clinical intervention with 40 women (20 normal weight and 20 grade I obese) was performed. Participants underwent two-arms of intervention with at least a one-week wash-out period between visits. On each intervention day, after 12 h of fasting, an aliquot of blood was collected. For intervention A, volunteers consumed breakfast +40 g of placebo, whereas for intervention B, participants consumed breakfast +40 g of yacon syrup (14 g of FOS). Blood samples were drawn at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min. Glucose and insulin concentrations were lowered after yacon syrup intake as compared to placebo at following times: 30 min for glucose and 15, 30 and 45 min for insulin. In conclusion, yacon syrup has a postprandial decreasing effect glucose and insulin concentrations in adult women. This effect was not evident for triglyceride concentration. Clinical trial registry: RBR-33wf46. Available in: http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-33wf46/., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A complete characterization of yacon syrup was performed by analytical techniques, including NMR and UPLC-QTOF-MS E . The effect of the different stages of yacon syrup production on fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and chlorogenic acid (CGA) contents were also evaluated. As a result, in addition to higher levels of FOS and CGA, some mineral elements, such as K, Ca and P, and essential amino acids, such as tryptophan, valine, and threonine, were determined in yacon syrup. Twenty-five compounds were putatively identified, and the main compounds were phenolics derived from quinic and trans-cinnamic acids. Considering the different stages of yacon syrup production, the results indicate that the contents of FOS and CGA were maintained in the pulping, enzymatic maceration and microfiltration, leading to a concentration of these components in the last stage of processing (vacuum concentration). These results will be used to fortify this innovative and promising product in the area of functional foods., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The hyperphosphorylation of microtubule-associated protein tau (tau) in the hippocampus can be caused by central and peripheral insulin resistance and these alterations are related to the development of tauopathies, such as Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we used a high-fat diet to induce obesity and insulin resistance in adult Swiss mice and checked whether supplementation with Myrciaria jaboticaba berry peel for 10 weeks could improve insulin sensitivity, learning/memory performance, and prevent tau phosphorylation in the hippocampus. Furthermore, adipocytokines, inflammatory markers, and oxidative stress were assessed. Myrciaria jaboticaba peel has phenolic compounds (e.g., cyanidin, ellagic acid), dietary fiber and carotenoids, which contribute to great antioxidant capacity. Supplementation of the high-fat diet with 4% M. jaboticaba peel prevented fat weight gain and reduced peripheral insulin resistance. The treated group also showed lower tau phosphorylation in the hippocampus corroborating better learning/memory performance in the Morris water maze test. Maintenance of neuronal viability, lower levels of hippocampal inflammatory markers, and improved brain antioxidant defenses were also related to the consumption of M. jaboticaba peel. These findings contribute to a better understanding of how a high-fat diet supplemented with jaboticaba berry peel counteracts the impairment of cognitive functions caused by high-fat diet intake and diet-induced insulin resistance., (© 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Syrup obtained from yacon roots could be well positioned as a nutritional product due to its high fructooligosaccharides (FOS) content. Considering this, we examined the potential food applications of yacon syrup, using the focal group methodology, and its sensorial acceptability when incorporated in yogurt. The beneficial effects of the consumption of yacon syrup were studied over a 2-week period in a double-blind placebo-controlled experiment (namely Test A) and other consistent of only one day of yacon syrup consumption (namely Test B) were also evaluated. The doses of yacon syrup for both experiments were 8.74g of FOS/day. Energy intake, hunger, satiety, fullness and prospective food consumption were assessed with analogue scales at the end of each test. The results indicate that the yogurt was the food most suggested by the focus group, and the average of the scores given to the attributes when the yacon syrup was incorporated into a yogurt were: 7.78 for appearance; 7.72 for aroma; 7.02 for flavor and 6.96 for overall acceptability, corresponding to "like very much" and "like moderately". Furthermore, the results indicate that yacon syrup has a positive effect on appetite and its effect was dependent on gender and period of intervention, being statistically significant (P<0.05) in women, after 2-week period. These findings suggested that increasing FOS intake could help to increase satiety, and consequently, be helpful in the management of type 2-diabetes or control of the current high prevalence of overweight or obesity., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Fruits are a rich source of a variety of biologically active compounds that can have complementary and overlapping mechanisms of action, including detoxification, enzyme modulation and antioxidant effects. Although the effects of tropical fruits have been examined individually, the interactive antioxidant capacity of the bioactive compounds in these formulations has not been sufficiently explored. For this reason, this study investigated the effect of two tropical fruit juices (FA and FB) on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in rats. Seven groups, with eight rats each, were fed a normal diet for 4 weeks, and were force-fed daily either water (control), 100, 200, or 400 mg of FA or FB per kg. The results showed that the liver superoxide dismutase and catalase activities (FA200), erythrocytes glutathione peroxidase (FB400) and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (FB100, FA400, FB200, FB400) were efficiently reduced by fruit juices when compared with control; whereas HDL-c increased (FB400)., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Endophytes are microorganisms that reside asymptomatically in the tissues of higher plants and are a promising source of novel organic natural metabolites exhibiting a variety of biological activities. The laboratory of Bioaromas (Unicamp, Brazil) develops research in biotransformation processes and functional evaluation of natural products. With the intent to provide subsidies for studies on endophytic microbes related to areas cited before, this paper focuses particularly on the role of endophytes on the production of anticancer, antimicrobial, and antioxidant compounds and includes examples that illustrate their potential for human use. It also describes biotransformation as an auspicious method to obtain novel bioactive compounds from microbes. Biotransformation allows the production of regio- and stereoselective compounds under mild conditions that can be labeled as "natural," as discussed in this paper.