Honey, propolis, and royal jelly, products originating in the beehive, are attractive ingredients for healthy foods. Honey has been used since ancient times as part of traditional medicine. Several ...aspects of this use indicate that it also has functions such as antibacterial, antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflamatory, antibrowning, and antiviral. Propolis is a resinous substance produced by honeybees. This substance has been used in folk medicine since ancient times, due to its many biological properties to possess, such as antitumor, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects, among others. Royal jelly has been demonstrated to possess numerous functional properties such as antibacterial activity, anti-inflammatory activity, vasodilative and hypotensive activities, disinfectant action, antioxidant activity, antihypercholesterolemic activity, and antitumor activity. Biological activities of honey, propolis, and royal jelly are mainly attributed to the phenolic compounds such as flavonoids. Flavonoids have been reported to exhibit a wide range of biological activities, including antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, and vasodilatory actions. In addition, flavonoids inhibit lipid peroxidation, platelet aggregation, capillary permeability and fragility, and the activity of enzyme systems including cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase.
Dietary starches are important sources of energy for many human societies and it is clear that they can also make quite specific contributions to health. Resistant starch has received much attention ...for both its potential health benefits (similar to soluble fibre) and functional properties. Resistant starch positively influences the functioning of the digestive tract, microbial flora, the blood cholesterol level, the glycemic index and assists in the control of diabetes. Apart from the potential health benefits of resistant starch, another positive advantage is its lower impact on the sensory properties of food compared with traditional sources of fibre, as whole grains, fruits or bran. Among its desirable physicochemical properties are its swelling capacity, viscosity, gel formation and water-binding capacity, which make it useful in a variety of foods. In this review, we discuss different types of resistant starch, food sources, and potential health benefits and food applications of resistant starch.
Background
Malnutrition is a frequent medical problem of cancer patients that negatively impacts their quality of life.
Methods
A multidisciplinary group of experts in Medical Oncology, Pharmacy, and ...Nutrition convened to discuss the management of the nutritional support in cancer patients.
Results
Of the 18 questions addressed, 9 focused on nutritional support, 5 were related to parenteral nutrition (PN) and 4 about home PN (HPN). The panel of experts recommends using nutritional screening routinely, at diagnosis and throughout the disease course, for detecting the risk of malnutrition and, if it is positive, to perform a complete nutritional assessment, to diagnose malnutrition. Currently, there are different screening tools and methods that allow us to detect nutritional risk. Based on the evidence and experience, the panel stated that PN is indicated mainly when it is not possible to use the digestive tract and/or oral feeding and/or enteral nutrition is not sufficient or possible. The nutritional needs of the cancer patients, except in those cases where individualized measures are required, should be considered similar to healthy individuals (25–30 kcal/kg/day). The panel considers that the nutritional monitoring of the cancer patient should be multidisciplinary and adapted to the characteristics of each center. Additionally, the objective of the HPN is to improve or maintain the nutritional status of a patient at home.
Conclusions
This document seeks to lay down a set of recommendations and to identify key issues that may be useful for the nutritional management of cancer patients.
During recent decades, the food industry, consumers, and regulatory authorities have developed a significant interest in functional foods because of their potential benefits for human health over and ...above their basic nutritional value. Tomato is the second most important vegetable crop in the world. The amount of the related wastes is estimated at up to 50,000 tons per year, representing a serious disposal problem with a consequent negative impact on the environment. Tomato byproducts contain a great variety of biologically active substances, principally lycopene, which have been demonstrated by in vitro and in vivo studies to possess antioxidant, hypolipidemic, and anticarcinogenic activities. The aim of this review is to present an overview of the functional and physiological properties of the principal bioactive compound present in tomato and tomato byproducts, lycopene, its addition to meat, and meat products.
► We grow Scenedesmus obliquus in urban wastewater in batch and continuous operation. ► Biomass in continuous operation can be predicted based on batch growth kinetics. ► Optimum operation residence ...times are based on specific growth rate from batch. ► Optimum hydraulic retention time depends on the objective of the culture.
A laboratory-scale flat panel photobioreactor was operated for the continuous growth of Scenedesmus obliquus and consequent removal of nutrients in wastewater. This study develops a simple model by which biomass values in continuous operation can be predicted from kinetic growth parameters obtained from a shorter batch experiment. Based on this study, biomass concentrations and productivities in continuous operation can be successfully predicted as a function of the specific hydraulic retention time (HRT) assumed. Considerable biomass production and nutrient uptake from wastewater were achieved in the experiment. Optimum operating conditions for the reactor depend on the particular objective: the maximization of biomass production and carbon dioxide biofixation involves a HRT of 2μ−1 (specific growth rate), whereas efficient nutrient removal involves a HRT as close as possible to μ−1 (as long as discharges comply fully with the parameters set); alternatively biomass intended for biodiesel or biogas production would involve a HRT>2μ−1.
: Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is an ancient fruit that is widely consumed as fresh fruit and juice. The use of pomegranate fruit dates from ancient times and reports of its therapeutic ...qualities have echoed throughout the ages. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated how this fruit acts as antioxidant, antidiabetic, and hypolipidemic and shows antibacterial, antiinflammatory, antiviral, and anticarcinogenic activities. The fruit also improves cardiovascular and oral health. These beneficial physiological effects may also have preventive applications in a variety of pathologies. The health benefits of pomegranate have been attributed to its wide range of phytochemicals, which are predominantly polyphenols, including primarily hydrolyzable ellagitannins, anthocyanins, and other polyphenols. The aim of this review was to present an overview of the functional, medical, and physiological properties of this fruit.
Sodium or potassium nitrite is widely used as a curing agent in cured meat products because it inhibits outgrowth and neurotoxin formation by Clostridium botulinum, delays the development of ...oxidative rancidity, develops the characteristic flavor of cured meats, and reacts with myoglobin and stabilizes the red meat color. As soon as nitrite is added in the meat formulation, it starts to disappear and the nitrite that has not reacted with myoglobin and it is available corresponds to residual nitrite level. Health concerns relating to the use of nitrates and nitrites in cured meats (cooked and dry cured) trend toward decreased usage to alleviate the potential risk to the consumers from formation of carcinogenic compounds. Recently, some new ingredients principally agro-industrial co-products in general and those from the citrus industry in particular (albedo with different treatments, dietetic fiber obtained from the whole co-product, and washing water used in the process to obtain the dietetic fiber) are seen as good sources of bio-compounds that may help to reduce the residual nitrite level in meat products. From these co-products, citrus fiber shows the highest potential to reduce the residual nitrite level, followed by the albedo and finally the washing water. The aim of this article is to describe the latest advances concerning the use of citrus co-products in meat products as a potential ingredient to reduce the nitrite level.
The objective of this work was to study the effect of adding orange dietary fibre (1%), rosemary essential oil (0.02%) or thyme essential oil (0.02%) and the storage conditions on the quality ...characteristics and the shelf-life of
mortadella, a bologna-type sausage. The moisture, fat, ash content and colour coordinates lightness (
L∗) and yellowness (
b∗) were affected by the fibre content. The treatments analysed lowered the levels of residual nitrite (57.56% and 57.61%) and the extent of lipid oxidation, while analysis of the samples revealed the presence of the flavonoids, hesperidin and narirutin. No
enterobacteria or psychotropic bacteria were found in any of the treatments. The treated samples stored in vacuum packaging showed the lowest aerobic and lactic acid bacteria counts. Sensorially, the most appreciated sample was the one containing orange dietary fibre and rosemary essential oil, stored in vacuum packaging. Orange dietary fibre and spice essential oils could find a use in the food industry to improve the shelf-life of meat products.
Spices as Functional Foods Viuda-Martos, M.; Ruiz-Navajas, Y.; Fernández-López, J. ...
Critical reviews in food science and nutrition,
01/2011, Volume:
51, Issue:
1
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Spices and aromatic herbs have been used since antiquity as preservatives, colorants, and flavor enhancers. Spices, which have long been the basis of traditional medicine in many countries, have also ...been the subject of study, particularly by the chemical, pharmaceutical, and food industries, because of their potential use for improving health. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated how these substances act as antioxidants, digestive stimulants, and hypolipidemics and show antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anticancerigenic activities. These beneficial physiological effects may also have possible preventative applications in a variety of pathologies. The aim of this review is to present an overview of the potential of spices and aromatic herbs as functional foods.
Overweight and obesity have a major impact on global health; their prevalence has rapidly increased in all industrialized countries in the past few decades and diabetes and hypertension are their ...direct consequences. Pharmacotherapy provides reinforcement for obesity treatment, but should be an adjunctive support to diet, exercise, and lifestyle modification. At present, only orlistat and sibutramine have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for long-term use, but sibutramine was withdrawn for sale by the European Medicines Agency. The development of functional foods for the prevention and/or treatment of obesity suppose an opportunity for the food market and involve the knowledge of the mechanisms of appetite and energy expenditure as well as the metabolic sensation of satiety. Strategies for weight control management affect gut hormones as potential targets for the appetite metabolic regulation, stimulation of energy expenditure (thermogenesis), and modifications in the metabolic activity of the gut microbiota. Functional foods for obesity may also include bioactive fatty acids, phenolic compounds, soybean, plant sterols, dietary calcium, and dietary fiber. This review intends to offer an overview of the present situation of the anti-obesity agents currently used in dietary therapy as well as some functional food ingredients with potentially anti-obesity effects.
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