Current Nutrition & Food Science - Volume 18, Issue 1, 2022

Abstract: Some plant seeds and berries have gained increased recognition due to their wide variety of bioactive compounds. Many of these foods are rich in lipids with high nutritional value, of which n-3 and n-6 essential fatty acids stand out. However, knowledge of the chemical composition and biological activity of these compounds and their value as a source of healthy lipids is far from being fully explored. The benefits of the intake of hemp seeds, flaxseed, and açaí berries, considered functional foods, have been compiled in this review. Likewise, their general chemical composition will be described to evaluate their relevance in a healthy diet, highlighting their lipid components and health lipid indices. The fibres and essential fatty acids of hemp seeds and flaxseed and the antioxidant properties of açaí berries provide them protective roles against several chronic non-communicable diseases and represent significant beneficial effects that add value to these healthy natural products. More research is needed to deepen the knowledge on their lipids’ molecular composition and bioactivity.

Abstract: The potato plant is an important food source produced all over the world and it provides a significant portion of daily energy intake in nourishment. In addition, a significant rate of vitamins, fibre, mineral matters, protein, and fat can be obtained by consuming potato. In this study, the production, consumption, and usage areas of potato, a crucial source of our diet, and the possibilities of using it as food additives with the nutritional properties of its peel have been investigated. Generally, potato is consumed after its peel is removed in the homes and industrial areas and many of these peels are disposed off as wastes. Studies show that potato peel has a high content of dietary fibre, protein, carbohydrate, mineral matters, vitamin, phenolic, and antioxidant. The use of potato peel as food additives have also been discussed in this study.

Abstract: Plants having active constituents possess pharmaceutical use and nutritional values. Herbal medicine or food supplement is gaining popularity, as well as scientific research on wheatgrass as a “functional food”. The target behind accepting wheatgrass as a study for review is to have clinical and nonclinical investigations on the wheatgrass plant at an equivalent stage. To let individuals, think about different affirmed uses and activities of the plant. Plants having so many nutritional and therapeutic values have been selected for review so that consumers or patients could be benefitted from their therapeutic uses. Recently, the interests in the use of herbal products have grown dramatically in the western as well as developing countries. The review was extracted from searches performed on Google Scholars, Google Patents, etc. Data from sources have been collected and reported here at one place in order to provide further research on wheatgrass. Wheatgrass is a high source of various vitamins and minerals; it possesses many activities like anti-oxidant, anti-inflammation, anti-bacterial and many more. Wheatgrass’ uses, benefits and properties non-clinical data and clinical studies has been thoroughly studied. Patents filed related to wheatgrass are mentioned here, so as to motivate other innovators to search for new activities or molecules. Wheatgrass can be used in pharmaceutical formulations and can be used as nutritional supplements due to its anti-oxidant nature, anti-microbial activity, anti-bacterial activity, anti-fungal activity. It is also called “Panacea on Earth” owing to its wide range of nutritive and medicinal aspects.

Abstract: Food forensics is an emerging branch that applies scientific knowledge for the verification and authentication of food supplements. The term “dietary supplement” refers to a diverse set of preparations that are deemed to be essential for the well-being of the human body. These supplements consist of various physiologically active substances that produce effects on the body. However, a major issue with these supplements is that they are neither considered as medicines nor as a food products. Due to this, such food supplements are prone to adulteration and counterfeiting. In this review, three widely used supplements, namely Curcuma longa, Withania somnifera, and Garcinia cambogia supplements, are considered. Chemistry, pharmacology, and benefits of three are being discussed along with the analytical techniques for their analysis. Chromatographic techniques are popular for the examination of dietary supplements. Several such analytical techniques are being used to detect and identify the physiologically active constituents as well as adulterants in dietary products. This review intends to demonstrate the overall issues regarding dietary supplements.

Abstract: The second outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is of great concern due to its awful mortality and morbidity rate with decreasing nutritional status and poor lifestyle as well as noteworthy food crisis and affected economy of the world. Increasing food prices, food crisis, global hunger and decreasing availability and feasibility of food are the foremost causes of decreasing nutritional status, which increases the risk of susceptibility to infection and, in turn, leads to unfavorable outcomes of the diseases. Although, in times of the Covid- 19 pandemic, nutrition is of potential attention, and there is a requirement for more exploration in the field of nutrition for the prevention of diseases arising from coronavirus infection. Elderly and individuals with co-morbidity, such as respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus and metabolic diseases, are more prone towards getting infected with the coronavirus. Good nutrition is mandatory for healthy immune responses, which can be improved by the inclusion of vitamin A, B6, B12, C, D, E, zinc, selenium, iron, copper and an antioxidant-rich diet.

Abstract: Oxidative stress, proteasomal impairment, mitochondrial dysfunction, and accumulation of abnormal protein aggregates have shovelled a major section of the senior population towards neurodegenerative disorders. Although age, genetic and environmental factors are thought to play a significant role, drug abuse is considered to be a potent trigger in Parkinsonism among the young generation. The present study is a critical examination of herbal resources for attenuation of neurodegeneration. The following electronic databases have been used to search for literature: MEDLINE, Scopus, PubMed, and EMBAS. Paying heed to the prevalence of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, the current review encompasses the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration at the cellular level and possible prospects to overcome the challenge sailing through the ocean of herbal boon. The United States’s Alzheimer’s Association states that deaths attributable to heart disease in the country fell by 11% between 2000 and 2015, while deaths from neurodegenerative diseases increased by a staggering 123% making it, the world’s sixth-leading cause of death. The irreversible pathological damage amounts to cognitive loss, dementia, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s disease (PD) Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Various herbal drugs like Brahmi, Shankhpushpi, and Amla are reported to be rich in phytoconstituents like flavonoids, glycosides, alkaloids, fatty acids, sterols, tannins, saponins, and terpenes that have remarkable antioxidant potential and could be explored for the same to prevent neuronal necrosis. It is also believed that herbal medicines are more effective and less toxic than synthetic drugs.

Abstract: Superfood is the name coined by the marketing industries to segregate the food which is claimed to have an edge over the common food, having increased nutritional efficiency, and possessing more amounts of antioxidants which lead to the prevention of many coronary heart diseases. The history and introduction of the superfood have been discussed through brief instances, and nutritional analysis of some of the most popularly available superfoods like quinoa, goji berry, acai berry, etc. has been done. Some of the indigenous superfood nutritional benefits have also been stated. The need and value with respect to the therapeutic and economic aspects of the superfood are reported in the present review in accordance with the current and relevant data.

Background and Objectives: A comprehensive study was carried out for the determination of natural radioactivity in Mediterranean sea fishes and the evaluation of radiological health risks due to their ingestion. All analyzed samples came from the Calabria region, southern Italy, and, in particular, from the district of Reggio Calabria. Method: A total of seventy representative samples, five for each investigated species (Sardina Pilchardus, Mugil Cephalus, Scomber Scombrus, Sparus Aurata, Dicentrarchus Labrax, Tonnus Thynnus, Thunnus Alalunga, Xiphaias Gladius, Pagellus Erythrinnus, Engraulis Encrasicholus, Belone Belone, Solea Solea, Merluccius Merluccius, Mullus Surmuletus) were analyzed through HPGe gamma spectrometry. The evaluation of dose levels and lifetime cancer risks for adult members of the population due to the fishes ingestion was also performed. Results: The specific activity of ⁴⁰K was investigated and its mean value was found to be: (157 ± 17) for Sardina Pilchardus, (138 ± 14) for Mugil Cephalus, (118 ± 13) for Scomber Scombrus, (128 ± 14) for Sparus Aurata, (146 ± 17) for Dicentrarchus Labrax, (93 ± 11) for Tonnus Thynnus, (137 ± 15) for Thunnus Alalunga, (98 ± 10) for Xiphaias Gladius, (105 ± 12) for Pagellus Erythrinnus, (132 ± 14) for Engraulis Encrasicholus, (113 ± 12) for Belone Belone, (34 ± 5) for Solea Solea, (76 ± 9) for Merluccius Merluccius and (96 ± 11) for Mullus Surmuletus, respectively. Conclusion: The committed effective dose and the lifetime cancer risks for adult members of the population due to the consumption of the investigated samples are lower than the average world value, the maximum acceptable level and the allowed range, respectively. It can then be concluded that the Mediterranean sea fishes consumed in the study area pose no significant health risks to the population from a radiological point of view.

Background: Palm oil and its constituents have wide applications in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. The tocotrienol-rich fractions of crude palm oil have drawn greater research interest in recent years due to their potent health benefits. Therefore, reliable and validated analytical methods are essential for the quantification of tocotrienols. Objective: This study aimed to develop a simple and economical RP-HPLC method for the quantification of gamma-tocotrienol in tocotrienol-rich fractions of crude palm oil. Methods: An Agilent HPLC system supplied with a Diode Array detector and an auto-injector system was used for the method development, and the wavelength was set 295 nm. A reversedphase C18 column maintained at 30 °C using a mobile phase composition of methanol: water (95:05) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min was used for the analysis. The developed method was validated according to ICH guidelines. Results and Discussion: A symmetrical peak of gamma-tocotrienol was observed at 8.7 minutes with minimal peak tailing (between 0.76 and 0.78), and an acceptable resolution above 2.0. Excellent linearity was evident with R² values 0.9996 and 0.9991 for intra-day and interday, respectively. The method demonstrated a high precision (%RSD values ≤ 5.8%) and accuracy (%RE<9.6%). The LOD and LOQ of gamma-tocotrienol were determined as 1.4 μg/mL and 4.2 μg/mL, respectively. The system suitability studies indicate that the chromatographic parameters are well within the acceptable limit. Conclusion: In conclusion, the developed RP-HPLC method is rapid, precise, stable and economical for the quantification of gamma-tocotrienol.

Background: Consumption of food high in saturated and trans fatty acids is a risk factor associated with non-communicable diseases such as overweight, obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Till to-date, no study has been carried out to analyze fatty acid contents in the food products available in the Maldives markets. Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the fatty acid contents in the food products available in the Maldives supermarkets that are both locally produced and imported into the country. The objective of the study was to collect local and imported food products from the three island markets of the Maldives (Hdh Kulhudhufuish, Naviyani Fuvahmulah and Male’), and analyze the collected food samples for fatty acid composition. Methods: A purposive sampling was used to collect fatty food products from the markets of three major islands of the Maldives, Male’, Kulhudhufushi and Fuvahmulah. Total 180 samples were collected and analysed in an accredited laboratory situated in Sri-Lanka, SGS Lanka Laboratory Pvt Ltd. Results: The results revealed that 92% of the analyzed products did not detect trans fat and only 7% of the product contained trans fat in the range between <1 to 1.64%. The lowest and highest saturated fatty acids found were in Gulab jamun (0.18 ± 0.03%) and GRB Ghee (62.26 ± 0.68%), respectively. The total fat, mono unsaturated fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids ranged between 0.45 ± 0.07% to 99.9 ± 0.00%, 0.075 ± 0.01% to 73.58 ± 1.08%, and 0.02 ± 0% to 57.04 ± 0.16%, respectively. Conclusion: The food products available in the Maldives supermarkets contained polyunsaturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids, which are healthy for the human body. However, the food products also contained saturated fatty acids and trans fats, which may contribute to non-communicable diseases in excess consumption. However, the finding of this study did not provide the total intake of trans fat and saturated fatty acids by individuals. Thus, it is recommended to conduct a dietary survey to assess the fatty acid intake level of the population and to develop and regulate the dietary guidelines based on the dietary survey findings. Based on the findings of this study, it is suggested to conduct awareness programs on the importance of reducing the consumption of trans fats and saturated fatty acids.