Cereals are the basis of much of the world’s daily diet. Recently, there has been considerable interest in the beneficial properties of wholegrains due to their content of phytochemicals, ...particularly polyphenols. Despite this, the existing data on polyphenolic composition of cereal-based foods reported in the most comprehensive databases are still not updated. Many cereal-based foods and phenolic compounds are missing, including pigmented ones. Observational epidemiological studies reporting the intake of polyphenols from cereals are limited and inconsistent, although experimental studies suggest a protective role for dietary polyphenols against cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. Estimating polyphenol intake is complex because of the large number of compounds present in foods and the many factors that affect their levels, such as plant variety, harvest season, food processing and cooking, making it difficult matching consumption data with data on food composition. Further, it should be taken into account that food composition tables and consumed foods are categorized in different ways. The present work provides an overview of the available data on polyphenols content reported in several existing databases, in terms of presence, missing and no data, and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of methods for assessing cereal polyphenol consumption. Furthermore, this review suggests a greater need for the inclusion of most up-to-date cereal food composition data and for the harmonization of standardized procedures in collecting cereal-based food data and adequate assessment tools for dietary intake.
Wheaties Annesley, Thomas M
Clinical chemistry,
11/2021, Volume:
67, Issue:
11
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
I believe that the manufacturer of Wheaties has a great opportunity to do something for science and society. It is difficult to get young people interested in science as a career. Kids, even some ...adults, should know that STEM disciplines are an option. Not every kid has access to a cell phone or a computer, but they can’t miss the bright-orange Wheaties box at the supermarket. All General Mills needs to do is broaden their definition of “champions” in their “Breakfast of Champions.”
Amid the functional surge of new innovative techniques and the prevalence of undesirable bottlenecks in the food quality by the traditional thermal treatment, the likelihood of application of ...non-thermal techniques has increased significantly. The plasma-based technologies such as cold plasma and plasma activated water (PAW) are eco-friendly technologies that have minimal detrimental effects on the nutritional and sensory qualities of food products. This review discourses about the positive accompaniments that plasma interactions can entail on the properties of variety of food products. Due to the high oxidation potential and antimicrobial properties, plasma-based technologies are gaining more interest among industry and researchers. It can be a substitute for preservation diminishing the adverse effects on the sensory, physico-chemical, and nutrient profile of food. The textural properties of the finished processed foods are one of the major factors that influence the consumer behavior. Plasma interactions are largely holding a positive upshot on the texture properties of food. The alterations and variations happening in food texture because of plasma interactions need to be studied and recorded. With most of the studies focused on fruits and vegetables, the possibility of the technique in other food groups is still required to be investigated. With the existing research conclusions, it is unquestionable that the method has a constructive influence in every food subgroup.
The consumption of whole-grain cereals (WG) has been revealed to be associated with the reduced risk of developing chronic diseases. Cereal dietary fibre (DF), as an abundant source of plant cell ...wall bound hydroxycinnamic acids, can be considered as an important contributor to the health benefit of WG consumption. In the present study, major phenolic acids in WG and DF alkaline extracts were analysed by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with photodiode array detection (PDA) and quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF MS). Eight monomeric phenolic acids (protocatechuic, vanillic, caffeic, syringic, p-coumaric, ferulic, sinapic, and iso-ferulic acid) and four dimeric ferulic acids (diFA) (8-5′, 5-5′, 8-O-4′, and 8-5′-benzofuran diFA) were identified and quantified in cereal samples. Ferulic acid was detected as the predominant monomeric phenolic acid and 8-O-4′ diFA was the major dimeric ferulic acid. The results of total phenolic content (TPC) measured by Folin–Ciocalteau assay and antioxidant activity (AOA) evaluated by DPPH radical scavenging assay indicated that insoluble dietary fibre (IDF) alkaline extracts had significantly (p<0.05) higher levels of TPC and AOA than WG and soluble dietary fibre (SDF) extracts for the same sample. Corn IDF with its higher levels of TPC, ferulic acid content, and AOA can be regarded as a potential antioxidant value-added functional food ingredient.
► Cereal insoluble dietary fibre (IDF) and soluble dietary fibre (SDF) were compared. ► IDF extracts showed better antioxidant capacities than whole grain and SDF. ► Yellow corn IDF extracts had highest antioxidant activity among cereals. ► Ferulic acid (FA) was the dominant acid in both the IDF and SDF of cereals. ► Iso-FA was identified as one of the major phenolics in a wide species of cereals.
Cereal grains and products provide calories globally. The health benefits of cereals attributed to their diverse phenolic constituents have not been systematically explored. Post-harvest processing, ...such as drying, storing, and milling cereals, can alter the phenolic concentration and influence the antioxidant activity. Furthermore, cooking has been shown to degrade thermo-labile compounds. This review covers several methods for retaining and enhancing the phenolic content of cereals to develop functional foods. These include using bioprocesses such as germination, enzymatic, and fermentation treatments designed to enhance the phenolics in cereals. In addition, physical processes like extrusion, nixtamalization, and parboiling are discussed to improve the bioavailability of phenolics. Recent technologies utilizing ultrasound, micro- or nano-capsule polymers, and infrared utilizing processes are also evaluated for their effectiveness in improving the phenolics content and bio-accessibility. We also present contemporary products made from pigmented cereals that contain phenolics.
Cereals are recognized for their rich nutritional profile, comprised of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fiber, and essential vitamins. Foremost, cereals play a crucial role as an abundant source of ...proteins, highlighting their nutritional significance. In the context of global food security concerns, cereal-based proteins stand out as a resource efficient solution with advantageous agronomic traits and environmental sustainability. In response to expanding global needs, the strategic utilization of cereal-based proteins is crucial. The preparation of cereals involves diverse processing methods, encompassing mechanical, biological, thermal, and non-thermal techniques. Furthermore, a variety of protein modification techniques have been widely used to enhance the nutritional quality of cereals. Responding to changing consumer preferences for health and sustainability, the cereal industry is undergoing significant transformations, with a growing demand for nutritious and convenient options, including gluten-free and plant-based alternatives. Future strategies for improving the quality and acceptance of cereal-based food products revolve around sustainable processing, by-product valorization, flavor and color modifications, shelf-life extension, nutrition enhancement, and cost reduction. This dynamic landscape reflects a shift in consumer choices and the commitment of industry to meeting evolving demands.
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•Cereal-based proteins can be considered sustainable given their agronomical characteristics and nutritional quality.•Cereal proteins can be used in various applications, by using optimized extraction, modification and processing methods.•Cereal proteins have the potential to address numerous consumer needs, thereby excel in the current global food industry.
While not considered a protein food, cereal grains represent the primary source of plant-derived protein within dietary patterns across regions. The objective of this review was to discuss the value ...of cereal grains as a contributor of dietary protein to diets. High amounts of global production, as well as their ubiquitousness within the food supply, has positioned cereals as an important contributor to protein and indispensable amino acids (IDAA) intakes for human diets. As global pressures promote enhanced use of plant protein in dietary patterns for health and environmental sustainability, cereal grains can provide complementary IDAA to other plant proteins (legumes, nuts, and seeds) and thereby improve the overall biological value of protein in diets. Furthermore, regional diets, food security, and context around use of whole grains also require consideration when cereals are contributing to significant levels dietary protein and IDAA. It is likely that cereal grains will remain as a prominent and important nutrient dense dietary staple for the provision of complementary IDAA.
•High levels of production as well as their ubiquitousness within the food supply has positioned cereal grains as an important contributor to protein and IDAA intakes for human diets, especially in diets with higher levels of plant protein.•In diets with higher levels plant protein, cereal grains should be combined with designated plant protein foods, to ensure IDAA requirements are met.•Regional diets, food security, and other factors also require considerations as context for promotion of plant proteins, including those from cereal grains.•Whole grain cereals will remain as a prominent and important nutrient dense dietary staple for the provision of complementary IDAA.
Starch is the most important digestible polysaccharide present in foods and feeds. The starch concentration in cereals cannot be determined directly, because the starch is contained within a ...structurally and chemically complex matrix. Fine grinding and boiling in dilute HCl are preparative steps necessary for complete release of the starch granules from the protein matrix. Starch can be determined using simple and inexpensive physical methods, such as density, refractive index or optical rotation assessment. The polarimetric method allows the determination even of small starch contents due to its extremely high specific rotation. For more accurate results, the contribution of free sugars is eliminated by dissolution in 40% (V/V) ethanol. The influence of other optically active substances, which might interfere, is removed by filtration/clarification prior to the optical rotation measurement.
Reformulation of food products is one of the measures needed for reducing salt consumption. Accordingly, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently proposed global sodium benchmarks for different ...food categories to be used for setting national policies. Therefore, the sodium content of cereal-based products currently sold in Italy was compared with the WHO benchmarks, highlighting those categories primarily needing a reformulation. To this aim, the sodium content and several declarations (i.e., nutrition and health claims, organic or gluten free declaration) were retrieved from 2917 cereal-based products sold on the Italian market. All “minimally processed breakfast cereals” had a sodium content below the benchmark, while “flatbreads” and “leavened bread” had the highest percentage of items above the respective sodium benchmarks. Flatbreads and “crackers/savory biscuits” showed the highest median delta values from the respective benchmarks of 360 and 278 mg/100 g, respectively. Large variability in terms of percentage of products with sodium content above the benchmark was observed within the same categories, as well as among products with different declarations. A large number of food products currently sold on the Italian market have a sodium content above the benchmark. This result suggests the need to reformulate many food products currently on the market to achieve the WHO/United Nations (UN) objective of 30% global reduction in sodium intake by 2025.
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