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Topic Review
Cocoa Beans
Cocoa beans are the basic material occurring in the most consumed product in the world, namely chocolate. Their composition includes polyphenols, methylxanthines, lipids and other compounds that may vary qualitatively and quantitatively according to criteria such as variety or culture area. Polyphenols and methylxanthines are known as being responsible for many health benefits, particularly by preventing cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies emphasized their positive role in dietary metabolic disorders, such as diabetes and weight gain.
  • 994
  • 12 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Circulating Lycopene in Inflammation
In recent years, it has become clear that low-grade chronic inflammation is involved in the onset and progression of many non-communicable diseases. Many studies have investigated the association between inflammation and lycopene, however, results have been inconsistent. This review reveals that there is strong evidence indicating that lower circulating lycopene concentrations are related with higher inflammation biomarkers in patients with various diseases. Even though supplementation with lycopene or an increased intake of tomatoes does result in an increase in circulating lycopene, there is little evidence that the lycopene increase also results in relieving this inflammation. This phenomenon, also known as the "antioxidant paradox" limits the added value of lycopene supplementation in both patients and healthy individuals.
  • 993
  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Biomedical Effects of Turmeric
Turmeric, also known as Curcuma longa, is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant that belongs to the Zingiberaceae family (ginger family). This plant is highly branched with long aromatic leaves arranged in two rows and with flowers from white, green, yellowish, and purple-red colors.
  • 993
  • 27 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Phytochemicals on Chronic Diseases
Redox balance is essential to maintain the body's normal metabolism. Once disrupted, it may lead to various chronic diseases, such as diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory diseases, cancer, aging, etc. Oxidative stress can cause or aggravate a series of pathological processes. Inhibition of oxidative stress and related pathological processes can help to ameliorate these chronic diseases, which have been found to be associated with Nrf2 activation. Nrf2 activation can not only regulate the expression of a series of antioxidant genes that reduce oxidative stress and its damage, but also directly regulate genes related to the above-mentioned pathological processes to counter the corresponding changes. 
  • 993
  • 13 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Lupin (Lupinus albus L.) Seeds
Lupinus albus L. (lupine) is a legume whose grain/seed has gained increasing interest. Its recognized nutritional properties, namely a high content of protein, dietary fiber and its low fat content, make lupine a suitable alternative not only for animal protein, but also as a substitute for more processed and less balanced flours from a nutritional point of view, used in the preparation of bread, cakes and cookies, among others. In addition, its nutritional and bioactive compounds have potential benefits for human health in the prevention and treatment of some diseases. However, the existence of some anti-nutritional compounds and contaminants reveal some concern, requiring effective methods for their detection and eventual removal. 
  • 992
  • 20 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Bioactive Compounds Found in Araticum Fruit Parts
Araticum (Annona crassiflora Mart.) is a native and endemic species to Brazilian Cerrado whose fruits have high sensorial, nutritional, bioactive, and economic potential. Its use in local folk medicine, associated with recent scientific findings, has attracted growing interest from different industrial sectors. Therefore, understanding the scientific advances achieved so far and identifying gaps to be filled is essential to direct future studies and transform accumulated knowledge into innovative technologies and products. This entry summarizes the phytochemical composition of araticum fruit that has been reported in the scientific literature over the past 10 years. The compiled data showed that araticum fruit parts contain many bioactive compounds, particularly phenolic compounds, alkaloids, annonaceous acetogenins, carotenoids, phytosterols, and tocols. These phytochemicals contribute to different biological activities verified in araticum fruit extracts/fractions, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-Alzheimer, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-obesity, antidyslipidemic, antinociceptive, hepatoprotective, healing of the cutaneous wound, antibacterial, and insecticide effects. Therefore, bioactive compounds found in the araticum fruit can be a new potential tool in treating and preventing different diseases, promoting health and well-being to consumers.
  • 990
  • 20 Apr 2023
Topic Review
β-Carotene within Loaded Delivery Systems in Food
Nanotechnology has opened new opportunities for delivering bioactive agents. Their physiochemical characteristics, i.e., small size, high surface area, unique composition, biocompatibility and biodegradability, make these nanomaterials an attractive tool for β-carotene delivery. Delivering β-carotene through nanoparticles does not only improve its bioavailability/bioaccumulation in target tissues, but also lessens its sensitivity against environmental factors during processing. Regardless of these benefits, nanocarriers have some limitations, such as variations in sensory quality, modification of the food matrix, increasing costs, as well as limited consumer acceptance and regulatory challenges.
  • 989
  • 11 May 2022
Topic Review
Malnutrition/Sarcopenia in Elderly Hemodialysis Patients
In the current aging society of Japan, malnutrition and resultant sarcopenia have been widely identified as important symptomatic indicators of ill health and can cause impairments of longevity and quality of life in older individuals. Elderly individuals are recommended to have sufficient calorie and protein intake so as to enjoy a satisfactory quality of life, including maintaining activities of daily living in order to avoid emaciation and sarcopenia. The prevalence of emaciation and sarcopenia in elderly hemodialysis (HD) patients in Japan is higher than in non-HD elderly subjects due to the presence of malnutrition and sarcopenia associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Furthermore, comorbidities, such as diabetes and osteoporosis, induce malnutrition and sarcopenia in HD patients. 
  • 987
  • 26 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Consumption Behavior of Single-Member Households in Vietnam
Food-consumption value (FCV) is a main determinant of food-consumption behavior. Value is a key factor in understanding social phenomena and, even when people are not conscious of the value, our behavior is influenced by individual values. 
  • 983
  • 02 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Solid-Lipid Microparticles for Food Ingredients
Health food has become a prominent force in the market place, influencing many food industries to focus on numerous bioactive compounds to reap benefits from its properties. Use of these natural compounds in food matrices has several limitations. Most of the food bio-additives are sensitive compounds that may quickly decompose in both food and within the gastrointestinal tract. Since most of these bioactives are highly or partially lipophilic molecules, they possess very low water solubility and insufficient dispersibility, leading to poor bioavailability. Thus, various methods of microencapsulation of large number of food bioactives have been studied. For encapsulation of hydrophobic compounds several lipid carriers and lipid platforms have been studied, including emulsions, microemulsions, micelles, liposomes, and lipid nano- and microparticles. Solid lipid particles (SLP) are a promising delivery system, can both deliver bioactive compounds, reduce their degradation, and permit slow and sustained release. Solid lipid particles have important advantages compared to other polymer carriers in light of their simple production technology, including scale up ability, higher loading capacity, extremely high biocompatibility, and usually low cost. This delivery system provides improved stability, solubility in various matrixes, bioavailability, and targeting properties.
  • 981
  • 01 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Fruit Juice and Wine Adulterant Detection and Authentication
Fruit juice and wine are important beverages that are consumed all over the world. Due to their constantly increasing demand and high value, fruit juice and wine are one of the most frequent targets of adulteration. Since adulterated foods are proven to have harmful effects on health, several approaches have been utilized for the detection of fruit juice and wine adulteration.
  • 979
  • 31 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Bioactive Films Incorporated with Essential Oils in Food
Essential oils, consisting of volatile compounds, are derived from various plant parts and possess antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Certain essential oils are utilized for medicinal purposes and can serve as natural preservatives in food products, replacing synthetic ones. 
  • 979
  • 30 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Atmospheric Cold Plasma in the Food Industry
The cost-effectiveness and high efficiency of atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) incentivise researchers to explore its potentials within the food industry. The destructive nature of this nonthermal technology can be utilised to inactivate foodborne pathogens, enzymatic ripening, food allergens, and pesticides.
  • 975
  • 04 Jul 2023
Topic Review
DCMC as Wine Fining Agent
Dicarboxymethyl cellulose (DCMC) is a cellulose derivative prepared via heterogeneous catalysed etherification. The polymer is negatively charged at wine pH due to the presence of malonic groups, which makes it suitable for removing positively charged compounds such as dyes. DCMC has similar structure and properties to carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), a compound commonly used for wine tartrate stabilization. CMC, having an acidic group with a pKa near 4.5, becomes mostly uncharged at a pH below 3.5, which is common in white wines, failing to promote ionic exchange and remove positively charged proteins. Nevertheless, the malonic carboxylate groups are more acidic than the one present in CMC and, consequently, more prone to be deprotonated at wine pH due to its first pKa (approx. 3). One of the most prevalent causes of white wine haze occurs from the aggregation and denaturation of grape pathogenesis-related proteins, namely thaumatin-like (TLP) and chitinase proteins. The conditions associated with protein haze are the exposure of wines to high temperatures and long-term storage. To avoid this phenomenon, proteins are frequently removed through the negatively charged clay bentonite. Dicarboxymethyl cellulose (DCMC) can be a substitute for this non-renewable material.
  • 973
  • 03 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Sicana odorifera Naudim Vell. Seeds By-Products
The “Kurugua” (Sicana odorifera) is a native fruit that demonstrates attractive nutritional, coloring, flavoring, and antioxidant properties. The main by-products from the processing and consumption of kurugua fruit are epicarp and seeds.
  • 973
  • 29 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Pernicious Attitude of Microbial Biofilms in Agri-Farm Industries
Biofilm is a complex matrix made up of extracellular polysaccharides, DNA, and proteins that protect bacteria against physical, chemical, and biological stresses and allow them to survive in harsh environments. Safe and healthy foods are mandatory for saving lives. However, foods can be contaminated by pathogenic microorganisms at any stage from farm to fork. The contaminated foods allow pathogenic microorganisms to form biofilms and convert the foods into stigmatized poison for consumers. Biofilm formation by pathogenic microorganisms in agri-farm industries is still poorly understood and intricate to control. In biofilms, pathogenic bacteria are dwelling in a complex manner and share their genetic and physicochemical properties making them resistant to common antimicrobial agents. Therefore, finding the appropriate antibiofilm approaches is necessary to inhibit and eradicate the mature biofilms from foods and food processing surfaces. Advanced studies have already established several emerging antibiofilm approaches including plant- and microbe-derived biological agents, and they proved their efficacy against a broad-spectrum of foodborne pathogens. 
  • 973
  • 08 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Wine Microorganisms' Role in Formation of Ethyl Carbamate
Ethyl carbamate, the ethyl ester of carbamic acid, has been identified in fermented foods and alcoholic beverages. Since ethyl carbamate is a probable human carcinogen, reduction of its content is important for food safety and human health. In alcoholic beverages, ethyl carbamate is mostly formed from the reaction of ethanol with urea, citrulline and carbamyl phosphate during fermentation and storage. These precursors are generated from arginine metabolism by wine yeasts and lactic acid bacteria. 
  • 973
  • 03 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Cephalopods as Promising Blue Foods
Cephalopods encompass a group within the phylum mollusc and include squid, octopus, and cuttlefish. Cephalopods are found in all salty waters around the globe, and there are about 800 existing species, of which about 30 different species are used as human food. Cephalopods constitute about 5% of the global marine catch, and the volume is increasing. Almost all cephalopods on the world market are from wild stocks, and aquaculture is only very slowly progressing due to difficulties in artificially breeding cephalopods. Foods are complex systems due to their biological origin. Biological materials are soft matter hierarchically structured on all scales from molecules to tissues. The structure reflects the biological constraints of the organism and the function of the tissue. The structural properties influence the texture and hence the mouthfeel of foods prepared from the tissue, and the presence of flavour compounds is similarly determined by biological function. Cephalopods, such as squid, cuttlefish, and octopuses, are notoriously known for having challenging texture due to their muscles being muscular hydrostats with highly cross-linked collagen. Similar with other marine animals such as fish and crustaceans, cephalopods are rich in certain compounds such as free amino acids and free 5′-ribonucleotides that together elicit umami taste.
  • 973
  • 14 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Metabolic Fate of Orally Ingested Proanthocyanidins
Proanthocyanidins (PACs), which are oligomers or polymers of flavan-3ols with potent antioxidative activity, are well known to exert a variety of beneficial health effects.
  • 970
  • 28 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Pharmacological Actions of Cordyceps militaris
The medicinal mushroom C. militaris has been widely consumed in China for medication purpose since ancient times (3000 years). It is used for therapeutic treatment of lung and kidney malfunction, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia, respiratory disorders, fatigue, treatment of night sweating, fertility issues, cardiac arrhythmias, and other heart diseases. On a broader scale, C. militaris has an array of pharmacological properties, including as inflammation inhibition, and antioxidant, antitumor, antimetastatic, immunomodulatory, hypoglycemic, and steroidogenic activities.
  • 966
  • 23 Mar 2022
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