Guelph Research and Development Centre

This review article effectively analyses the effect of multiple plasticizers, compatibilizers, and essential oils on plasticized starch in the preparation of thermoplastic starch-based biodegradable blends and composites.

The increase in diet-related chronic diseases has prompted the search for health-promoting compounds and methods to ensure their quality. Blueberry pomace is a rich yet underutilized source of bioactive polyphenols. For these high-value bioactive molecules, ultrasound-assisted extraction (USAE) is an attractive and green alternative to conventional extraction techniques for improving purity and yields. This study aimed to assess the impact of USAE parameters (sonication time, solvent composition, solid/liquid ratio, pH and temperature) on the recovery of phenolic compounds from blueberry pomace and antioxidant activity of the extracts. Total phenolic, flavonoid and anthocyanin contents (TPC, TFC and TAC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity were analysed. USAE in 50% ethanol/water was the most efficient, yielding the highest TPC (22.33 mg/g dry matter (DM)), TFC (19.41 mg/g DM), TAC (31.32 mg/g DM) and DPPH radical scavenging activity (41.79 mg Trolox/g DM). USAE in water showed the lowest values even at low (1/40) solid/liquid ratio (7.85 mg/g DM, 3.49 mg/g DM, and 18.96 mg/g DM for TPC, TFC and TAC, respectively). Decreasing the solid/liquid ratio in water or 50% ethanol significantly increased TPC, TFC, TAC and DPPH radical scavenging. With ethanol, increasing the temperature in the range 20⁻40 °C decreased TPC but increased TFC and DPPH radical scavenging activity. Anthocyanin profiles of water and ethanolic extracts were qualitatively similar, consisting of malvidin, delphinidin, petunidin and cyanidin. These findings indicate that USAE is a method of choice for extracting high-value bioactive phenolics from blueberry pomace. Selective enrichment of different phenolic fractions is possible under select extraction conditions.

Glucomannans (GMs) from diverse natural plants have great potentiality in enhancing the host immune system. The protective effects of three GMs on the intestinal mucosal immunity in colitis mice were investigated and compared in this study. The three GMs (KGM, AGP, and DOP) were obtained from Amorphophallus rivieri, Aloe vera, and Dendrobium officinale, respectively, having different weight-averaged molecular weights (Mw), acetyl group content, and molar ratios of mannose to glucose (M/G). The three fractions were administered with or without dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) containing drinking water. Macroscopic observations (health state, crypt depth, and bowel thickness of colon tissue) were conducted. Furthermore, related cytokines and mRNA expressions of TLRs were measured by ELISA and RT-qPCR, respectively. Results showed that the administration of the three GMs improved the health state of colitis mice, such as the recovery of body weight, and the increase of the immune organ index, crypt depth, bowel wall thickness, and total number of immune cells. The integrity of intestinal mucosa was maintained by the increased number of goblet cells and mucin protein production. Further studies showed that GMs kept the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and also regulated the expressions of TLR-2, TLR-4, TLR-6, and TLR-9. The above results suggested that GMs could attenuate the intestinal epithelial injury and regulate the intestinal mucosal immunity. Structural features including the M/G ratio, Mw, and the content of acetyl groups jointly influence the protective effects of GMs on the colitis mice.

The interest in discovering and developing natural antimicrobials has significantly increased due to consumer preferences for foods that are free of chemical preservatives while still microbiologically safe. One of the best sources of natural antimicrobials is certain mushrooms (fungi) as many of them not only have nutraceutical functions but also possess antimicrobial properties. This article reviews the available information on mushroom antimicrobials for food safety control. It includes available resources, extraction procedures, antimicrobial activities, and the status of their applications to food safety. The review indicates that there are great potential benefits to be gained from mushroom antimicrobials in food production, processing, and preservation as a biosolution to meet the increasing demands for food quality and safety.

Blueberry pomace is a rich source of high-value bioactive polyphenols with presumed health benefits. Their incorporation into functional foods and health-related products benefits from coencapsulation and protection of polyphenol-rich extracts in suitable carriers. This study aimed to create a water-in-oil-in-water (W₁/O/W₂) double emulsion system suitable for the coencapsulation of total phenolics (TP) and anthocyanins (TA) from a polyphenol-rich extract of blueberry pomace (W₁). The effect of critical physical parameters for preparing stable double emulsions, namely homogenization pressure, stirring speed and time, was investigated by measuring the hydrodynamic diameter, size dispersity and zeta potential of the oil droplets, and the encapsulation efficiency of TP and TA. The oil droplets were negatively charged (negative zeta potential values), which was related to the pH and composition of W₂ (whey protein isolate solution) and suggests stabilization by the charged whey proteins. Increasing W₁/O/W₂ microfluidization pressure from 50 to 200 MPa or homogenization speed from 6000 to 12,000 rpm significantly increased droplet diameter and zeta potential and decreased TA and TP encapsulation efficiency. Increasing W₁/O/W₂ homogenization time from 15 to 20 min also increased droplet diameter and zeta potential and lowered TA encapsulation efficiency, while TP encapsulation did not vary significantly. In contrast, increasing W₁/O homogenization time from 5 to 10 min at 10,000 rpm markedly increased TA encapsulation efficiency and reduced droplet diameter and zeta potential. High coencapsulation rates of blueberry polyphenols and anthocyanins around 80% or greater were achieved when the oil droplets were relatively small (mean diameter < 400 nm), with low dispersity (<0.25) and a high negative surface charge (-40 mV or less). These characteristics were obtained by homogenizing for 10 min at 10,000 rpm (W₁/O), then 6000 rpm for 15 min, followed by microfluidization at 50 MPa.

) equivalent to the European Food Safety Authority (2011) glycemia control health claim for cereal β-glucan, measured under simulated small intestinal conditions. The presence of each SDF delayed in vitro amylolysis to a similar extent, but had no effect on maltose transport. Generally, all SDF-containing treatments attenuated blood glucose and plasma insulin peak concentrations and plasma paracetamol 1 h incremental area under the curve values to a similar extent, relative to the controls, despite differences in the amounts at which each SDF was used (from 5.9 to 15.5 g). The postprandial attenuations were related to the ability of each SDF to modify digesta viscosity, perhaps through the delay of gastric emptying, as a delay of amylolysis and sugar transport under simulated upper intestinal conditions did not seem to have a substantial effect.

As a processing by-product, green pea hull (GPH) was found to be rich in phenolic components in our previous studies. In this study, UHPLC-LTQ-OrbiTrap-MS (Ultra performance liquid chromatography-linear ion trap orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry) technique was used to quantify polyphenols, and DSS (sodium dextran sulfate)-induced colitis mouse model was established to explore the effect of GPH extracts on colitis. The results showed that quercetin and its derivatives, kaempferol trihexanside and catechin and its derivatives were the main phenolic substances in the extract, reaching 2836.57, 1482.00 and 1339.91 µg quercetin/g GPH extract, respectively; GPH extracts can improved inflammatory status, repaired colonic function, regulated inflammatory factors, and restored oxidative balance in mice. Further, GPH extracts can activate Keap1-Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway, regulate downstream antioxidant protease and gut microbiota by increasing F/B value and promoting the growth of Lactobacillaceae and Lachnospiraceae, and improve the level of SCFAs (short-chain fatty acids) to relieve DSS-induced colitis in mice. Therefore, GPH may be a promising dietary resource for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

Increased processing of pulses generates large volumes of hulls, which are known as an excellent source of phenolic antioxidants. However, the bioavailability and in vivo activity of these phenolics are rarely reported. This research was therefore carried out to study the absorption, metabolism, and in vivo antioxidant activities of green pea hull (GPH) phenolics using ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography with a linear ion trap-high-resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry and an oxidative stress rat model. A total of 31 phenolics, including 4 phenolic acids, 24 flavonoids, and 3 other phenolics, were tentatively identified. Ten of these phenolics and 49 metabolites were found in the plasma and urine of rats, which helped to explain the favorable changes by GPH phenolics in key antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione) and indicators (total antioxidant capacity, malondialdehyde) in the plasma and different tissues of rats. This is the first comprehensive report on dry pea hull phenolics and their bioavailability, metabolic profiles, and mechanisms of in vivo antioxidant activities.

AG10 bacteriophages were preserved in pullulan-trehalose mixture as dried films and as coatings on food packaging. The phages encapsulated in pullulan-trehalose films were able to retain infectivity for up to 3 months at ambient storage conditions. Various buffers, disaccharides and disaccharide concentrations were investigated to optimize the long-term stability of the phages in the films. It was found that pullulan and trehalose need to be simultaneously present in the film to provide the stabilizing effect and that the presence of buffers that lead to the formation of crystals in the films must be avoided for phage activity to be maintained. Overall, this study describes a method of preserving bacteriophage activity in a dried format that has great potential for use as coatings, which can be used to create antimicrobial surfaces for food preparation and for food preservation.

Pickering emulsions are a valuable platform to efficiently encapsulate and deliver bioactive compounds in functional food systems. Research in the past decade highlights many technical and environmental advantages of emulsification using nanoparticle emulsifiers over conventional surfactants. In particular, nanoparticles are versatile and serve as a convenient platform onto which many modifications can be made to improve storage stability as well as controlled, targeted, and sustained release of bioactive compounds. However, these systems pose technical challenges alongside their benefits which can be overcome using various strategies. In this review, we discuss the recent and potential applications of Pickering emulsion systems in functional foods together with their encapsulation and delivery mechanisms.

Seed coat mucilages are mainly polysaccharides covering the outer layer of the seeds to facilitate seed hydration and germination, thereby improving seedling emergence and reducing seedling mortality. Four types of polysaccharides are found in mucilages including xylan, pectin, glucomannan, and cellulose. Recently, mucilages from flaxseed, yellow mustard seed, chia seed, and so on, have been used extensively in the areas of food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics contributing to stability, texture, and appearance. This review, for the first time, addresses the similarities and differences in physicochemical properties, molecular structure, and functional/bioactive properties of mucilages among different sources; highlights their structure and function relationships; and systematically summarizes the related genetic information, aiming with the intent to explore the potential functions thereby extending their future industrial applications.

Lotus seed epicarp (LSE) and lotus seed pot (LSP) were characterized, and a total of 5 and 7 proanthocyanidins (PAs) were identified in purified LSE and LSP extract, respectively. Purified LSE and LSP PAs significantly suppressed the body weight and weight gain of white adipose tissue (WAT) and decreased the WAT cell size in high-fat diet-induced obese mice regardless of the daily food intake. LSE or LSP administration significantly lowered the serum leptin level and improved the serum and liver lipid profiles (including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels), increased activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione transferase (GST)) and reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration, and suppressed lipid peroxidation in hepatic tissue. LSP PAs were generally more effective than LSE PAs. Both extracts ameliorated obesity, insulin resistance, and oxidative damage in obese mice, suggesting they are good candidates for value-added functional food and nutraceutical ingredients.

Abstract Essential oils are potential antimicrobial alternatives and their applications in animal feeds are limited due to their fast absorption in the upper gastrointestinal tract. This study investigated the effects of encapsulated cinnamaldehyde (CIN) at 50 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg on the growth performance, organ weights, meat quality, intestinal morphology, jejunal gene expression, nutrient digestibility, and ileal and cecal microbiota. A total of 320 male day-old broiler Cobb-500 chicks were randomly allocated to four treatments with eight pens per treatment (10 birds per pen): 1) basal diet (negative control, NC); 2) basal diet supplemented with 30 mg/kg avilamycin premix (positive control, PC); 3) basal diet with 50 mg/kg encapsulated CIN (EOL); 4) basal diet with 100 mg/kg encapsulated CIN (EOH). Despite birds fed EOH tended to increase (P = 0.05) meat pH at 24 h, all pH values were normal. Similar to PC group, meats from birds fed EOL and EOH showed a reduced (P &amp;lt; 0.05) Warner–Bratzler force shear (WBFS) compared to the NC group. The highest villus to crypt ratios (VH/CD; P &amp;lt; 0.05) were observed in broilers fed either EOL or EOH, with an average of 14.67% and 15.13% in the duodenum and 15.13% and 13.58% in the jejunum, respectively. For jejunal gene expressions, only six out of the 11 studied genes showed statistically significant differences among the dietary treatments. Gene expressions of cationic amino acid transporter 1 (CAT-1) and neutral amino acid transporter 1 (B0AT-1) were upregulated in EOH-fed birds compared to PC and NC-fed birds (P &amp;lt; 0.05), respectively; while the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was downregulated in EOL-fed birds when compared to NC birds (P &amp;lt; 0.05). Nonetheless, the expressions of cadherin 1 (CDH-1), zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1), and maltase-glucoamylase (MG) were all upregulated (P &amp;lt; 0.05) in EOH-fed birds compared to PC-fed birds. The apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of dry matter, crude protein, crude fat and of all 18 tested amino acids increased in EOL-fed birds (P &amp;lt; 0.01). Additionally, relative abundances (%) of ileal Proteobacteria decreased, while ileal and cecal Lactobacillus increased in EOH-fed birds (P &amp;lt; 0.05). In conclusion, dietary encapsulated CIN improved meat quality and gut health by reducing meat WBFS, increasing VH/CD in intestines, jejunal gene expressions, AID of nutrients and beneficial ileal and cecal microbiota composition.

Non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs) have been reported to exert therapeutic potential on managing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Various mechanisms have been proposed; however, several studies have not considered the correlations between the anti-T2DM activity of NSPs and their molecular structure. Moreover, the current understanding of the role of NSPs in T2DM treatment is mainly based on in vitro and in vivo data, and more human clinical trials are required to verify the actual efficacy in treating T2DM. The related anti-T2DM mechanisms of NSPs, including regulating insulin action, promoting glucose metabolism and regulating postprandial blood glucose level, anti-inflammatory and regulating gut microbiota (GM), are reviewed. The structure-function relationships are summarized, and the relationships between NSPs structure and anti-T2DM activity from clinical trials are highlighted. The development of anti-T2DM medication or dietary supplements of NSPs could be promoted with an in-depth understanding of the multiple regulatory effects in the treatment/intervention of T2DM.

The polyphenol-rich lentil hulls are the by-product of lentils hulling process. In this manuscript, in vitro digestion, Caco-2 cell monolayer and Caco-2/RAW264.7 cell co-culture model were established to explore their anti-inflammatory mechanism, absorption of digestive products (RLD), and impact on the intestinal barrier. Results shown that high dose RLE and GLE could significantly inhibit the secretion of NO (30.23% and 31.08%, respectively), IL-6 (81.48% and 56.82%, respectively) and IL-1β (88.05% and 91.67%, respectively), and down-regulate the protein and mRNA expression of iNOS (56.46% and 45.69%, respectively) and COX-2 (76.53% and 46.65%, respectively), and inhibit the activation of MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways. Polyphenols can be released from lentil hulls and protocatechuic acid glycoside derivative has the highest content (2205.09 ± 7.02 μg/g DW). Digestive products can be absorbed by intestine to maintain intestinal barrier and play anti-inflammatory effect. Above all, lentil hulls may be a potentially valuable functional dietary resource.

Food bioactive components, particularly phytochemicals with antioxidant capacity, have been extensively studied over the past two decades. However, as new analytical and molecular biological tools advance, antioxidants related research has undergone significant paradigm shifts. This review is a high-level overview of the evolution of phytochemical antioxidants research. Early research used chemical models to assess the antioxidant capacity of different phytochemicals, which provided important information about the health potential, but the results were overused and misinterpreted despite the lack of biological relevance (Antioxidants v1.0). This led to findings in the anti-inflammatory properties and modulatory effects of cell signaling of phytochemicals (Antioxidants v2.0). Recent advances in the role of diet in modulating gut microbiota have suggested a new phase of food bioactives research along the phytochemicals-gut microbiota-intestinal metabolites-low-grade inflammation-metabolic syndrome axis (Antioxidants v3.0). Polyphenols and carotenoids were discussed in-depth, and future research directions were also provided.

digestion, human colonic adenocarcinoma cell line (Caco-2) monolayer, and the Caco-2/macrophage cell lines of the murine origin (Raw264.7) coculture model were established to investigate the release of polyphenols, absorption, and transport of digestive products and their effects on inflammation and intestinal barrier. During the digestive process, polyphenols were constantly released from the pea hulls, reaching the maximum amount in the small intestine (total phenolic content (TPC): 5.41 ± 0.04 mg gallic acid (GAE)/g dry weight (DW)), and the digestive products (800 μg/mL) could reduce the secretion of NO (50.9%), IL-6 (50.6%), and TNF-α (24.6%) and inhibit the mRNA expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) (37.2%) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) (91.1%) compared with the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group. A total of 12 phenolic components were quantified by ultraperformance liquid chromatography-linear ion trap orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-LTQ-OrbiTrap-MS) technology. Kaempferol trihexoside in digestive products could be absorbed and transported (1.25 ± 0.13 ng quercetin/mL). The digestive products could promote the expression of claudin-1 (210.8%), occludin (64.9%), and zonulin occludin-1 (ZO-1) (52.0%) compared with the LPS group and exert anti-inflammatory effects after being absorbed. The results indicated that pea hull polyphenols could be continuously released and absorbed to play a positive role in protecting the intestinal barrier and anti-inflammatory activity.

Abstract Background and objectives Hairless (glabrous) canary seed is a novel food and promising source of starch, protein, and oil that recently received food approval from Health Canada and GRAS status from US FDA. This study is designed to investigate effects of sodium chloride, sucrose, and xanthan gum on pasting properties of starch from two hairless canary seed varieties and their gel stability during refrigerated storage and freeze–thaw treatment in comparison with wheat starch. Findings The DSC data showed differences in gelatinization transition temperatures and enthalpies indicating differences in starch structure between canary seed and wheat. The addition of sodium chloride lowered breakdown and setback viscosities of canary seed and wheat starch pastes but in a different way as indicated by opposite effects on peak viscosity. Sucrose increased peak, trough, and final viscosities of canary seed and wheat starches especially at 1.0%. Xanthan gum improved stability of starch paste against heat and shear force. The current study demonstrates better stability for hairless canary seed starch gels over wheat starch gels during refrigerated storage and freeze–thaw treatment. Conclusions The results demonstrate the ability of sodium chloride, sucrose, or xanthan gum at small concentrations to modulate pasting properties and gel stability of canary seed starch. Significance and novelty Use of sodium chloride, sucrose, or xanthan gum to modify canary seed starch pastes and improve gel stability could promote its utilization in food and nonfood industries.

BACKGROUND: Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) F4 commonly colonizes the small intestine and releases enterotoxins that impair the intestinal barrier function and trigger inflammatory responses. Although Bacillus licheniformis (B. licheniformis) has been reported to enhance intestinal health, it remains to be seen whether there is a functional role of B. licheniformis in intestinal inflammatory response in intestinal porcine epithelial cell line (IPEC-J2) when stimulated with ETEC F4. METHODS: In the present study, the effects of B. licheniformis PF9 on the release of pro-inflammation cytokines, cell integrity and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation were evaluated in ETEC F4-induced IPEC-J2 cells. RESULTS: B. licheniformis PF9 treatment was capable of remarkably attenuating the expression levels of inflammation cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-8, and IL-6 during ETEC F4 infection. Furthermore, the gene expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-mediated upstream related genes of NF-κB signaling pathway has been significantly inhibited. These changes were accompanied by significantly decreased phosphorylation of p65 NF-κB during ETEC F4 infection with B. licheniformis PF9 treatment. The immunofluorescence and western blotting analysis revealed that B. licheniformis PF9 increased the expression levels of zona occludens 1 (ZO-1) and occludin (OCLN) in ETEC F4-infected IPEC-J2 cells. Meanwhile, the B. licheniformis PF9 could alleviate the injury of epithelial barrier function assessed by the trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and cell permeability assay. Interestingly, B. licheniformis PF9 protect IPEC-J2 cells against ETEC F4 infection by decreasing the gene expressions of virulence-related factors (including luxS, estA, estB, and elt) in ETEC F4. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our results suggest that B. licheniformis PF9 might reduce inflammation-related cytokines through blocking the NF-κB signaling pathways. Besides, B. licheniformis PF9 displayed a significant role in the enhancement of IPEC-J2 cell integrity.

Consumption of pulses is associated with many health benefits by mechanisms that are not fully understood. This study sought to identify the starch component(s) in cooked lentils responsible for lowering postprandial glycemic response (PPGR). Rapidly digestible (RDS), slowly digestible (SDS) and resistant starch (RS) content of 20 varieties of cooked lentil were determined by in vitro methods and 8 varieties, representing a linear range of SDS, were chosen for a human trial with 10 participants to determine PPGR and glycemic index (GI). Among the 20 lentil varieties, RS accounted for 35% of the variation of in vitro area under the starch hydrolysis curve (SHAUC) (r = -0.587; p < 0.01), but RDS (r = 0.401; p = 0.080) and SDS (r = -0.022; p = 0.927) were not significantly related to SHAUC. Multiple linear regression of in vitro data resulted in an equation [SHAUCest = 30.9RDS - 63.6RS + 9680] that accounted for 70% of the variance in SHAUC, with SDS excluded due to collinearity. In the human trial all 8 lentils had low GI values (10 to 23). Neither GI nor area under the glucose response curve (AUC) was significantly related to RDS, SDS or RS (minimum p = 0.24). However, SHAUC and SHAUCest, respectively, were related to both GI (r = 0.704, p = 0.051; r = 0.773, p = 0.024) and AUC (r = 0.765, p = 0.027; r = 0.822, p = 0.012). These results confirm that lentils have low GI values, which is not reliably predicted by their RDS, SDS and RS contents when considered individually. However, in vitro SHAUC and a combination of RDS and RS may be predictive of the PPGR of lentils.