► Decreased availability of phenolics following gastro-intestinal digestion. ► Degradation of apple anthocyanins during simulated digestion. ► Dialysability as a means to study soluble, potential ...bioavailable phytochemicals. ► Reduced antioxidant activity of apple antioxidants following in vitro digestion. ► Overestimation of phytochemical concentration and activity by chemical extraction.
In the present study, an in vitro model simulating gastrointestinal (GI) digestion, including dialysability, was adapted to assess free soluble polyphenols from apples (four varieties). Results indicated that polyphenol release was mainly achieved during the gastric phase (ca. 65% of phenolics and flavonoids), with a slight further release (<10%) during intestinal digestion. Anthocyanins present after the gastric phase (1.04–1.14mg/100g) were not detectable following intestinal digestion. Dialysis experiments employing a semipermeable cellulose membrane, presenting a simplified model of the epithelial barrier, showed that free soluble dialysable polyphenols and flavonoids were 55% and 44% of native concentrations, respectively, being approximately 20% and 30% lower than that of the GI digesta. Similar results were found for the antioxidant capacity of dialysable antioxidants, being 57% and 46% lower compared to total antioxidants in fresh apples (FRAP and ABTS test, respectively). It is suggested that some polyphenols are bound to macromolecular compounds that are non-dialysable, that the presented method allowed the study of free soluble polyphenols available for further uptake, and that both chemical extraction and concentrations in final digesta would overestimate polyphenol availability.
1. Trait-based approaches applied to community ecology have led to a considerable advance in understanding the effect of environmental filters on species assembly. Although plant traits are known to ...vary both between and within species, little is known about the role of intraspecific trait variability in the non-random assembly mechanisms controlling the coexistence of species, including habitat filtering and niche differentiation. 2. We investigate the role of intraspecific variability in three key functional traits - specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and height - in structuring grassland communities distributed along a flooding gradient. We quantified the contribution of intraspecific variability relative to interspecific differences in the trait-gradient relationship, and we used a null model approach to detect patterns of habitat filtering and niche differentiation, with and without intraspecific variability. 3. Community mean SLA and height varied significantly along the flooding gradient and intraspecific variability accounted for 44% and 32%, respectively, of these trait-gradient relationships. LDMC did not vary along the gradient, with and without accounting for intraspecific variability. Our null model approach revealed significant patterns of habitat filtering and niche differentiation for SLA and height, but not for LDMC. More strikingly, considering intraspecific trait variability greatly increased the detection of habitat filtering and was necessary to detect niche differentiation processes. 4. Synthesis. Our study provides evidence for a strong role of intraspecific trait variability in community assembly. Our findings suggest that intraspecific trait variability promotes species coexistence, by enabling species to pass through both abiotic and biotic filters. We argue that community ecology would benefit from more attention to intraspecific variability.
•Divalent minerals reduced solubility of carotenoids following simulated digestion.•Bioaccessibility reduction was stronger for calcium than zinc or magnesium.•Sodium slightly enhanced the ...bioaccessibility of carotenoids during digestion.•Bioaccessibility correlated with digesta viscosity, inversely with surface tension.•Observed effects were generally more pronounced for xanthophylls than for carotenes.
During digestion, high concentrations of divalent minerals (DMs) can lead to insoluble lipid–soap complex formation, hampering carotenoid bioaccessibility. The effect of varying concentrations (0–1000mg/L) of calcium, magnesium, zinc and sodium (control) on the bioaccessibility of lutein, neoxanthin, lycopene and β-carotene, following in vitro gastro-intestinal digestion (GI), was investigated systematically and coupled with physical measurements of the digesta. Addition of DMs significantly decreased (p<0.001) carotenoid bioaccessibility, up to 100% in the case of calcium. Mean half maximal inhibitory concentrations (EC50) for calcium, magnesium and zinc were 270±18, 253±75 and 420±322mg/L respectively. Increased DM concentrations correlated with decreased viscosity (r>0.9) and decreased carotenoid bioaccessibility. Surface tension of digesta correlated inversely (p<0.05) with the bioaccessibility of carotenoids. This correlation was mineral and carotenoid dependent. Although based on in vitro findings, it is plausible that similar interactions occur in vivo, with DMs affecting the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of carotenoids and other lipophilic micronutrients and phytochemicals.
•Negative effect of magnesium on spinach-borne carotenoid bioaccessibility.•Low bile levels reduce micellization, lipolysis, micelle size and zeta potential.•Stronger effects of magnesium at low bile ...concentration.•Bioaccessibility correlated with lipolysis, particle size, and zeta potential.
Magnesium may reduce carotenoid bioavailability by forming insoluble complexes with bile salts/fatty acids, inhibiting micelle formation. Here, we investigated whether altering bile/pancreatin concentration influenced potential negative effects of magnesium on carotenoid bioaccessibility. Spinach (4g) was digested in vitro with added magnesium (0, 200, 400mg/L) and canola oil/coffee creamer, at varying bile extract (1 or 8mM) and pancreatin (100 or 990mg/L) concentrations. Bioaccessibility was determined for β-carotene, lutein, and total carotenoids via HPLC. Additionally, lipolysis, particle size, and zeta potential of the micellar fractions were investigated. Increasing magnesium concentrations negatively affected carotenoid bioaccessibility (p<0.001), lipolysis, particle size and zeta potential. The impact of magnesium on carotenoid bioaccessibility was modulated mainly by bile concentration, with samples digested with 1mM of bile being more susceptible to inhibitory effects of magnesium than those digested with 8mM (p<0.001). Thus, magnesium was found to potentially interfere with carotenoid bioaccessibility at various physiologically plausible conditions.
Conventional sampling techniques are often too expensive and time consuming to meet the amount of data required in soil monitoring or modelling studies. The emergence of portable and flexible ...spectrometers could provide the large amount of spatial data needed. In particular, the ability of airborne imaging spectroscopy to cover large surfaces in a single campaign and to study the spatial distribution of soil properties with a high spatial resolution represents an opportunity for improving the monitoring of soil characteristics and soil threats such as the decline of soil organic matter in the topsoil. However, airborne imaging spectroscopy has been generally applied over small areas with homogeneous soil types and surface conditions. Here, five hyperspectral images acquired with the AHS-160 sensor (430
nm–2540
nm) were analysed with the objective to map soil organic carbon (SOC) at a regional scale. The study area, covering a surface of ∼
420
km
2 and located in Luxembourg, is characterized by different soil types and a high variation in SOC contents. Reflectance data were related to surface SOC contents of bare croplands by means of 3 different multivariate calibration techniques: partial least square regression (PLSR), penalized-spline signal regression (PSR) and support vector machine regression (SVMR). The performance of these statistical tools was tested under different combinations of calibration/validation sets (global and local calibrations stratified according to agro-geological zones, soil type and image number). Under global calibration, the Root Mean Square Error in the Predictions reached 5.3–6.2
g C kg
−
1
. Under local calibrations, this error was reduced by a factor up to 1.9. SOC maps of bare agricultural fields were produced using the best calibration model. Two map excerpts were shown, which display intra- and inter-field variability of SOC contents possibly related to topography and land management.
•Ionically (Na+, Ca2+, K+) structured κ-carrageenan o/w emulsions were produced.•Cation type and amount impacted β-carotene chemical stability and bioaccessibility.•Ca2+ presence and high ionic ...strength reduced chemical stability of β-carotene.•Na+ and K+ o/g emulsions had higher β-carotene in vitro bioaccessibility.•Ca2+ presence influenced both colloidal and physical aspects of digesta.
In the present paper, ionotropically structured κ-carrageenan based oil-in-gel (o/g) emulsions were tested as potential carrier systems for the delivery of β-carotene. In situ ionic gelation was induced by Na+, K+ or Ca2+ added at the level of 0.2–0.6% (w/w). All o/g emulsions exerted a true gel like behaviour with storage modulus (G′) being reduced according to the order: K+>Ca2+>Na+. Ionic gelation induced a moderate increase in the microscopically assessed lipid droplets radii. O/g emulsions containing monovalent ions exerted the highest β-carotene retention throughout isothermal storage particularly at high (37 and 55°C) temperatures. Notwithstanding, increasing ionic strength resulted in acceleration of β-carotene degradation rates for all cation species. β-Carotene bioaccessibility was significantly lower in Ca2+o/g emulsions due to the formation of complexes between the biopolymer matrix containing β-carotene and bile salts. A good correlation between β-carotene bioaccessibility, physical and colloidal aspects of the micellar digesta fractions was observed.
A simple multi-residue method was developed for detecting and quantifying 33 analytes from 13 classes of antibiotics (tetracyclines (3), quinolones (7), penicillins (3), ionophore coccidiostats (7), ...macrolides (3), sulfonamides (1), quinoxalines (2), phenicols (2), lincosamides (1), diaminopyrimidines (1), polypeptides (1), streptogramins (1) and pleuromutilins (1)) in animal feeds. Extraction and clean-up procedures were optimized with spiked piglet feed. Samples were extracted by ultrasonic-assisted extraction with a mixture of methanol/acetonitrile/McIlvaine buffer at pH 4.6 (37.5/37.5/25, v/v/v) containing 0.3% of EDTA-Na
2, followed by a clean up using a dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) with PSA (primary secondary amine). Detection of antibiotics was achieved by liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC–ESI-MS/MS) within 28
min using both positive and negative ESI mode. Average recoveries ranged from 51% (oxytetracycline) to 116% (tilmicosin) with associated relative standard deviations of 7.3% and 9.0% and an overall mean of 87%. Limits of quantification ranged from 3.8
ng
g
−1 (lincomycin) to 65.0
ng
g
−1 (bacitracin). Following optimization, the method was further verified for bovine and lamb feedingstuffs; negative matrix effects were evaluated and overcome by a standard addition method.
Carotenoids are C-40 tetraterpenoid compounds with potential health beneficial effects. Major dietary sources include a variety of fruits and vegetables. Rapid screening methods are therefore ...desired, but their accuracy varies depending on the carotenoid profile and the matrix of the plant food. In the present study, 3 different methods were compared, all based on a rapid extraction protocol and spectrophotometric measurements to determine the total amount carotenoids present in fruits and vegetables (n = 28), either with or without chlorophyll. Published methods (a) Lichtenthaler and (b) Hornero-Méndez and Mínguez-Mosquera were compared with a newly developed method (method c) based on the average molar absorption coefficient (135310 Lcm⁻¹mol⁻¹) and wavelength (450 nm in acetone), for the 5 predominant carotenoid species (beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, lycopene, lutein, beta-cryptoxanthin) in the investigated foods. All results were compared to HPLC (method d). To avoid overestimating carotenoid concentrations due to chlorophyll A and B presence, the effect of saponification was studied for all methods. Overall, saponification led to significant carotenoid losses (12.6 ± 0.9%). Methods a, b, c, and d yielded 5.1 ± 0.4 mg/100 g, 4.6 ± 0.5 mg/100 g, 4.3 ± 0.5 mg/100 g, and 4.2 ± 0.5 mg/100 g total carotenoids, respectively, with method a leading to significant higher mean concentrations compared to all other methods (P < 0.001, Bonferroni) with methods b and c being not significantly different and highly correlated compared to HPLC (> r = 0.95). Similar results were found when stratifying for chlorophyll content and fruits compared with vegetables, however, accuracy varied for individual fruits, highlighting the limitation to use the same method for all plant foods. Practical Application: This study presents a comparison of various rapid spectrophotometric measurements to determine total carotenoid content in various fruits and vegetables and could aid in the selection of the appropriate method for individual plant foods with different carotenoid profile and matrices.
Cadmium (Cd) pollution is a worldwide major concern having, among others, deleterious effects on plants. In the present work, the effects of a 20 μM Cd exposure in hydroponics culture during 14 days ...were evaluated in young poplar leaves. Proteins were analysed by 2-D DIGE, followed by MALDI-TOF-TOF identification. Additionally, growth and other physiological parameters were monitored during the experiment. Treated plants exhibited an inhibition of growth and visual symptoms appeared after 7 days. A significant accumulation of Cd in all organs was recorded by ICP-MS analysis. A number of changes in the expression of proteins with various functions were identified; in particular a decreased abundance of oxidative stress regulating proteins, whereas pathogenesis-related proteins showed a drastic increase in abundance. Furthermore, a large number of proteins involved in carbon metabolism showed a decrease in abundance, while proteins involved in remobilizing carbon from other energy sources were upregulated. In conclusion, the negative effect of Cd could be explained by a deleterious effect on protein expression from the primary carbon metabolism and from the oxidative stress response mechanism. Accumulation of Cd in stems of poplar, coupled with a low impact of Cd on physiological parameters, promotes the use of poplar trees for phytoremediation purposes.
Manual horizontal cluster division may constitute an efficient tool to optimize wine composition. To test this hypothesis and to determine the optimal timing of this viticultural practice, the impact ...of cluster division on cluster morphology, bunch rot disease severity, and harvest parameters such as yield and total soluble solids was examined on the white Vitis vinifera L. cultivars Pinot gris and Riesling in the Luxembourgish winegrowing region in 2010 and 2011. Treatments were applied at five different times between prebloom (BBCH 57) and veraison (BBCH 81). In both varieties, all postbloom cluster division treatments were able to loosen the cluster structure and reduce the bunch rot disease severity. The later cluster division took place, the more pronounced were the effects on cluster structure. The density index was a suitable measure of the cluster structure and the predisposition to bunch rot infestation. Cluster division resulted in yield reductions (up to 30%), which increased with time after flowering. Postbloom cluster division may help to optimize wine quality by improving grape maturity due to crop load reduction, reducing fungal contamination, and improving grape composition through the possibility of elongating the ripening period. Postbloom horizontal cluster division can be recommended as an efficient crop cultural tool for premium wine production under cool-climate conditions.
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