Exam 2 - Food Science

Introduction to Nutraceuticals and Functional Food Components

SHIME

  • Definition: (Simulator of Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem) is a system that allows researchers to study the function of digestive organs outside the body (in vitro).

  • Digestion is a complex process.

Large Intestine

  • Large warehouse for bacteria

  • Bacteria feed on indigestible carbohydrates (complex polysaccharides) and they produce flatus, or intestinal gas.

Probiotics:

Probiotic BC 30 - Reduces abdominal pain, bloating, and post-prandial gas.

Probiotic BC 30 is also: Highly stable, viable through processing, shelf life, and stomach acid.

Probiotics can be considered functional foods because they provide health benefits beyond traditional nutritional functions.

Most probiotic products currently available contain lactic-acid-producing bacteria: Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium

Food

  • Role of foods have shifted from relieving hunger and providing nutrients to substances that can potentially promote and wellness and also reduce the risk of diseases.

Functional Foods

  • Foods and food components that provide a health benefit beyond basic nutrition (for the intended population)

  • Functional foods category is NOT recognized legally in the US

  • Consumers seem to prefer the term functional foods over terms such as nutraceutical or designer foods.

  • May provide benefits in health terms, but should not be seen as an alternative to a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

  • They don’t provide a miracle solution to health problems, but may be useful to some people as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.

  • Categories of Functional Foods:

    • Basic/whole/unaltered products

      • Carrots with the antioxidant, beta- carotene

    • Fortified Products

      • Fruit Juices with Vitamin C

    • Enriched or supplemented products

    • Muffins with beta-glucan

    • Drinks with herb blends

    • Enriched margarine

    • Only whole grain products contain all the original nutrients of the original grain

    • Altered Products

    • Fiber in meat or ice cream products

    • Enhanced Products

    • Tomatoes with higher levels of lycopene

    • Eggs with omega 3 achived by altered chicken feed

    • Processed foods

    • Oat bran cereal (containing the natural level of beta glucan)

  • Adding Nutrients to Our Processed Foods: Fortification & Enrichment

    • supply micronutrients in amounts → they are not a substitute for a good quality diet

    • A specific fortified foodstuff might not be consumed by all members of a target population.

    • Currently, americans are only getting about half the fiber they need in their diets.

    • The presence of large amounts of calcium can inhibit the absorption of iron from a fortified food; the prescence of vitamin C has the opposite effect and increases iron absorption.

  • Natural Functional Foods: fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, meat, fish, some dairy foods.

NOT a functional food:

  • Medicines - Claims about the ability to prevent, treat, or cure diseases or illness (medicinal claims) arent allowed on foods, but are allowed on medicines.

  • Superfoods - There’s no specific definition of a superfood and no way of testing whether a food is ‘super’ or not.

Three Routes Food Companies Can Give Information:

  • Nutrient/disease claims

    • “fat free”; “low sodium”

  • health claims

    • Relationship of a food or food component to a disease

  • structure/function claims

    • “calcium in yogurt builds strong bones”

In theory, the FTC could allow advertising that included disease prevention or treatment claims for a probiotic-containing food.

Qualified health claims: none have been approved for probiotics

Exploring Nutraceuticals

  • Nutraceuticals - Term derived from “nutrition” and “pharmaceutics”

    • Omega-3 fatty acid supplements, herbal extracts like ginseng or turmeric, antioxidants like Vitamin C and E

    • Products in the US under these are regulated as drugs, food ingredients, dietary supplements.

  • Nutraceutivacal is NOT a nutrient and DOES NOT have patent protection.

  • Functional Foods - milk fortified with vitamin D, cereals enriched with fiber, beverages containing added probiotics.

  • Dietary supplement - a mineral, vitamin, amino acid, medical herb, or other botanical

Pharmaceutical vs Nutraceuical:

  • FDA oversees manufacturing and distributing process of supplements: rigorous clinical trials and investigations of safety and effiancy are not reuired to market such products. Nutraceuticals are not intended, according to FDA standards to prevent, treat, or cure disease.

SCOBY - Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast

Functional Components in Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates (CHO): Cell wall material isolated from plants

  • Ingestible CHO is fermented by colon bacteria

Polysaccharides ~ Fiber

  • 3 Important functions:

    • Dilute caloric content in foods

    • Enhance viscrosity & increase fecal weight

    • Growth of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) enhanced

1) Fiber and Bowel Health

  • LAB growth increases, increases colon acidity, this is toxic to pathogens.

  • Sorbitol & Fiber in prunes for constipation relief.

2) Fiber & Weight Management

  • Soluble fiber suppress appetite

  • Bacteria ferment fiber in colon; short-chain fatty acids produced. These short chain fatty acids (SCFA) have an appetite- suppressing effect on the brain

  • SCFAs enhance the anti-inflammatory capacity of the body

3) Fiber & Heart Health

  • Fiber helps to trap and remove bile acids, cholestorol from intestinal tract

Taurine is an amino acid; used in energy drinks.

The best food sources are meat and fish.

Four Categories of Fiber

  • Water insoluble: celluloses, hemi-cellulose. lingin

  • Water soluble: gums, psyllium, pectin, B-glucan

  • Prebiotic oligosaccharides: inulin, oligofructose

  • Resistant starch

Cellulose: plants, veggies, fruits, sugar beets, bran

Hemicellulose: cereal grains

Lingin: woody plants; polymer, non-CHO substances in cell walls

Pectin: fruits, veggies, legumes, sugar beets, potato

Gums: lenguminous seed plants (guar gum locust bean), seaweed extracts, microbial gums (xanthan, gellan)

Mucilages: Plant extracts (gum acadia)

Soluble Fibers: very little excreted in feces

Soluble Fiber: Pectin

  • Grapefruits, lemons, oranges, carrots, squash, apricots, apples, guavas, pears

  • Ability to form a gel

Psyllium

  • Used primarily as a gentle bulk forming laxative

  • Can help relieve both constipation and diarrhea

  • Several large population based studies also suggest that increase fiber intake may reduce risk of colon cancer, but other studies have been conflicting

Soluble Fiber: Guar Gum

  • indirectly enhances libers ability to remove cholestoral from circulation

  • Xanthan Gum: an additive

    • Fermentation of sugars

Processing levels of Oats and Oat products

  • Minimally processed, rolled, old fashioned, steel cut oats

  • Processed: Cherrios

  • Highly Processed: Fruit loops, apple jacks cereal

Insoluble Fiber: cellulose & hemicellulose

  • Fermented to form SCFAs

Where do you find cellulose?

  • All plant foods, fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts and seeds.

  • Whole foods, with the skin and seeds.

Resistant Starches: starch that escapes digestion in the small intestine that may be fermented in the large intestine

  • Sources:

    • Coarsely - ground whole kernel grains

    • Maize starch

    • Raw potato starch

    • Banana starch

    • beans, lentils

  • Glycemic response is substantially lower after ingesting semolina pasta compared with white bread

  • Resistant starches: health benefits: slow release of glucose

Prebiotic CHO:

  • Inulin, oligofructose, lactulose

    • Inulin and ogliofructose are extracted on a commercial bases from the chicory root.

“You are not going to get the same health effects from eating highly processed foods with a sprinkling of added fiber.”

Lactulose:

  • Synthetic disaccharide - galactose & fructose

  • added to infant formula

Best sources for healthy CHO:

  • Raw and lightly steamed vegetables

  • Legumes, beans, nuts and seeds

  • High fiber 100% whole grains

  • Raw, whole, fresh fruits

  • Most low fat dairy products

Sugar Substitutes:

  • Low calorie sweetner (LCS)

  • High intensity sweetner (HIS)

  • non-caloric sweetner (NCS)

  • non-nutritive sweetner (NNS)

  • NOT ALL ARE METABOLIZED THE SAME WAY

    • Splenda → Contains 99% glucose and maltodextrin, about 3.9 calories per sachet

  • Artificial sweetners hurt gut bacteria

  • Erythritol linked to heart attack (study still evolving)

Functional Compounds in Proteins Bioactive Peptides

  • Amino acids in proteins are joined together by peptide bonds.

  • Proteins give 4kcal/gm

  • Essential amino acids

    • cannot be synthesized and are acquired via the diet

  • Creating Complete proteins from plant foods:

    • Complete protein - contains all essential amino acids required by the human body

    • Common plant based combinations that form complete proteins:

      • Legumes + Grains

        • Red beans and rice, peas and pasta, lentils and bround rice, hummus and whole wheat pita

      • Legumes and nutsSeeds

        • Beans and almonds, lentils and peanuts

      • Nuts and Grains

        • Peanut butter & whole wheat bread

    • Combining plant foods from different protein groups (legumes, grains, nuts/seeds) provide all essential amino acids.

    • Animal Sources of Proteins: Provide all 9 essential amino acids

    • Plant sources of proteins: Lack one or more essential amino acid

      • Soy is an exception, being a complete protein

  • Quinoa is classified as a gluten free whole grain and is a good source of plant protein and fiber

  • Food Proteins & Peptides exhibit specific biological activities

  • Protein is more satiating than carbohydrate or fat

    • Protein hydrolysates or protein fraction have greater effect on triggering satiety hormones than whole proteins

  • Where do bioactive peptides come from

    • Protein hydrolysates: Fish proteins or soy hydrolysatse

      • Fermented dairy products

    • Released during protein digestion

  • Fish proteins

    • gelling agents in desserts and meat products

  • Bioactive peptides: speciic protein fragments that have a positive impact on body functions or conditions and may ultimately influence health.

  • Casein and whey proteins make up the protein system of milk

  • Each of the sub fractions found in casein or whey has its own unique biological properties

  • Milk proteins can be degraded into numerous peptide fragments by enzymatic proteolysis and serve as a source of bioactive peptides.

  • For low-birth weight and preterm infants: whey dominant formulas

  • Animal- muscle based bioactive components: L carnitine, CoQ10, Creatine, Chondrotin, Glucosamine: all found in meat, poultry and fish

    • Carnitine: added to infant formula, especially soy based formula

    • Coenzyme Q10: found in every cell of our bodies; helps enzymes work to digest food

      • CoQ10 is lost during frying veggies or egs, but not when boiled.

    • Creatine: helps make ATP which provides energy for muscle contractions

      • Research also shows that not everyones muscles respond to creatine: some people who use it see no benefit

    • Chondrotin:

      • cartilage and bone; pig or cattle trachea, or fish like sharks

    • Glucosamine: shells of shellfish (shrimp, lobster, crab) or vegetable sources

      • unclear whether this helps with osteoarthrisis knee pain or other joints but evidence for beneficial effects of chondrotin seems less than glucosamine

  • Rice bran proteins

    • hypoallergenic, low fat products- nutraceutical compounds

    • GABA (gamma amino butyric acid):

      • Nonprotein amino acid

      • GABA is a neurotransmitter

    • Phytic acid is neutralized

    • The drying does not affect superor nutritional value accumulated from germination.

  • Eggs: all essential amino accids in amounts that closely match human requirements

    • Lysozyme: antimicrobial protein in egg whtie

      • Natural preservative in wine, cheese, beer

      • Used in production of wine and beer to control lactic acid

      • Control bacteria in meat products: sauasge, salami, pork, beef, turkey

      • Toothpast, mouth wash, chewing gum: against anticavity bacteria

  • Wheat

    • 4 groups of proteins:

      • 40% of egg proteins

    • Inability to digest gluten - celliac disease: villi of small intestine is affected

      • Most people do not need to avoid gluten unless diagnosed medical condition

        • Ex: celliac disease, wheat allergy, non-celiac gluten sensitivity

      • Gluten free does not automatically mean healthier, many of these foods may contain:

        • more added sugars, less fiber, more cost.

Fats: Is the butter back? Fundamental Components in Fats & Oils

  • Consuming butter is not linked to a higher risk for heart disease and might be slightly protective against type 2 diabetes.

  • The new study doesn’t say butter is a health food, rather that it “doesn’t seem to be hugely harmful or beneficial”

  • Vegetable oils and fruits and nuts are healthier than butter, but on the other hand, low-fat turkey meat or bagel or cornflakes or soda is worse for you than butter.

  • Many americans say they are actively avoiding fat compared to people avoiding carbohydrates

  • Just making decisions about a food based on one thing like saturated fat is not useful.

  • Not all fats are created equal

  • Medium chain fatty acids are absorbed and transported directly tot he liver where tehy are burned for energy

    • Coconut oil

  • Short Chain Fatty Acids/Triglycerides

    • Produced during fermentation soluble dietary fiber by beneficial large intestinal bacteria

  • Butter, certian cheeses, cows milk contain considerable amounts of butryic acid/butyrate; these foods are also rich in saturated fats

  • Butyrate supliments like other fatty acids are absorbed in the small intestine, so they cannot promote the growth of beneficial colonic bacteria or clean the large intestine.

  • Saturated Fats / Long chain saturated fatty acids - mainly from animal sources

  • Unsaturated Fats/Long chain unsaturated omega-6 fatty acids - from vegetable oils (corn, soybean, safflower)

  • Olive oil - contains monusaturated fats

    • fats that have 1 double bond in their fatty acid chain

      • Oils rich in monounsaturated fats also contribute vitamin E to the iet and an antioxidant vitamin most americans need more of.

    • half a tablespoon of olive oil a day is linked to significant reduction in the risk for cardiovascular disease

      • consuming olive oil instead of harmful fats

  • Polyunsaturated fats

    • have more than one double bond in their fatty acid chain

    • can help reduce bad cholestoral levels

    • Foods high in this: soybean oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, tofu, other forms of soybeans, canola, walnut, flaxseed

  • Fat Free Diets to Lab Rats

    • rats did not grow properly

    • developed scaly dermatitis

    • infesrtility

    • depress inflammatory responses

    • water losses thru skin

    • inclusion of fat allowed for successful long-term feeding of patients via TPN (total paternal nutrition)

  • Essential fatty acids

    • Omega-3 fatty acid: Alpha-linolenic acid (EPA & DHA)

    • Omega-6 fatty acid: Linoleic acid

    • All humans must consume both of these in their diet.

      • High intake(s) not of much use

  • All dietary fats contain a mixture of SFAs, USFAs, MUFAs, PUFAs; proportions vary greatly

    • Fish oil / fish liver oils → rich in o-3 PUFAs

      • Fish liver oil:

        • Rich in vitamins A and D but toxic in excess

      • Fish body oil:

        • No such safety concerns

    • Fish oil reduces cognitive decline in elderly or lowers the risk of Altzheimers (no evidence as yet)

    • Little evidence of impact of chronic consumption of fish oil against joint pain, stifness in osteoarthritis

    • American Heart Association recommends all adults eat fish, particularly oily fish at least twice weekly

    • algal extracts → rich in DHA, suitable for vegetarians

    • Purslane Weed - plant rich in omega 3 fatty acid

    • Flax consumption cannot meet the body’s need for vital fatty acids.

      • high in phytate content, flax should be eaten in modernation to prevent mineral depletion, the result of eatin ga high phytate diet

      • the soluble fiber in flax can help reduce inflammation to some extent

    • Conjugated linolenic acid (CLA): Omega-6 group of polyunsaturated fatty acids

Insect Proteins

  • Insect protein is a high quality protein

    • Crickets are 69% wheras beef 29%

      • Crickets contain 9 essential amino acids

      • Cricket flour contains more calcium than milk and more iron than spinach

    • Insects generally have more unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) compared to saturated fatty acids (SFA)

    • half of fish around the world are now farmed → insect protein make great fishmeal since they are a natural food source

  • Algae

    • Microalgae → often referred to as algae

    • Macroalgae → seaweed

    • autotrophic

    • omega 3 acids in fish come from the microalgae consumed at the bottom of the food pyramid and gradually passed up to fish on the top

    • Seaweeds → sources of gelling or thickeking agents

      • high content in essential amino acids and unsaturated fatty acids

      • constitute a source of dietary fiber that differ chemically and psyciochemically from those land plants and thus may induce different psyslological effects

      • According to WHO/FAO data says its comparable to that of proteins from egg, soy, wheat

    • Algae based products could become a sustainable alternative to meat, milk, eggs

      • fresh algae should not be considered a direct replacement for other protein sources

      • vitamin is B12: often missing from plant baswed dietse because its mostly found inmeast, fish, dairy, eggs

      • Algae could be a vital source of b12

    • Cultivated microalgae: spiriulina and chlorella are sold as nutriitional supplements

    • Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids are primarily incorporated into infant formulas, but have also been added to dairy products, table spreads, mayonaise

    • carrageenans in red algae

Red Wine, Coffee, Chocolate

Reservatrol

  • Polyphenolic compound

  • well absorbed by humans, but its bioavailability is relatively low because its rapidly metabolized and eliminated

  • found in grapes, wine, grape juice, peanuts, cocoa, blueberries, bilberries, cranberries

    • resveratrol content in wine is usually low, highly variable and unpredictable

    • its only a minor compound in the complete set of grape and wine polyphenols

  • Moderate alcohol consumption has been consistently associated with reductions inconoary heart disease risk

  • not yet clear whether or not red wine polyphenols confer any additional risk to reduction

  • mediterranean diet includes daily consumption of wine in moderation

  • grape skins are removed early during the production process of white and rose wines, these wines generally contain less resveratrol than red wine

  • Mediterranean diet vs Lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet

    • Low calorie lacto-vegetarian and Mediterranean diets appeared equally effective in reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors

    • vegetarian diet was more effective at reducing LDL (the bad) cholestoral

    • A healthy dietaary pattern rich in fruits and vegetables, legumes [beans], whole grains, and nuts; focusing on diet varierty, nutrient density and an appropriate amount of food; and limiting energy intake form saturated fats

    • habitual moderate coffee drinking was associated with alower risk of CHD in women

  • Coffee, tea, cocoa

    • tea and chocolate consumption may reduce the risk of stroke

    • addition of milk did not alter the antioxidant activity

    • chocolate

      • referred to as an antidepresseant, accused of causing acne (no connection), weight gain, tooth decay

      • smaller number of antioxidants compared to cocoa

    • in cocoa - cocoa butter is little to non-existent. chocolate however, contains cocoa butter

  • fatty acids in cocoa butter

    • monounsaturated fatty acid

    • saturated fat: steraric acid: no effect on blood cholestoral; dark chocolate- rich in flavenoids

Soy, Nuts, Seeds, Mushroom

Soybean

  • Bioactive compounds: isoflavones

  • Dietary intake of 25g per day of soybean as part of low saturated fat diet → modest reductions in total and LDL-C

  • soybean release bioactive peptides

  • Soy fatty acids

  • soy fiber

  • Both fiber and PUFA confer health benefits

  • Nearly all soybeans are processed for their oil

    • Margarine is a product made from soybean oil. Salad dressings/mayo are also made with soybean oil

  • Edamame:

    • Snack or a main vegetable

  • Meat alternatives and textured soy protein contain soy protein or tofu

    • generally cholesterol-free and lower in fat than meat

  • soy nuts → high in isoflavones

  • Tofu → curdling hot soymilk

  • Tempeh → fermented

  • Epidemiological studies- lower levels of breast cancer in china and Japan with higher soybean consumption when compared to Western countries

    • Reduced cancer risk may be due to exposure to phytoestrogens early in life

      • phytoestrogens - mimic estrogen activity

  • soy food consumers should make sure that their intake of iodine is adequate

  • Isoflavones - phytoestrogens found in soy products

  • Lignan - phytoestrogens from grains (flax seed)

  • Phytochemical - a chemical found in plants

  • phytoestrogens - plant compounds that have hormone like effects in the body

Mushrooms

  • only compounds from microscopic fungi are on the market as antibiotics till now

  • fresh button mushrooms are deliberately exposed to midday sunlight for 15-120mins, they generate significant amounts of vitamin D

  • UV light exposure for 15-20seconds causes much higher levels of vitamin D in portabella mushrooms than those not exposed

  • approx 50% cultivated edible mushrooms contain functional “nutraceutical” or medicinal properties

  • data for this functional food class are not as strong as those for other functional foods such as cruciferous vegetables

  • antioxidant activity

  • anti-infective activity

  • anti-cancer activity

  • modulation of immune system

Higher fat diets can be beneficial if healthy fats are consumed. High-carbohydrate diets contributing to negative health outcomes

Polyphenols: present mostly in the outer layers of seeds and many are heat-labile

Nuts

  • Tree nuts, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios

  • Peanuts: botanically legumes

  • Almonds:

    • Vitamin E, magnesium, potassium → cardiovascular health

  • Brazil nuts: rich in antioxidants, selenium

  • Walnuts - cardioprotective

  • Seeds - low saturated fatty acid content

  • Flaxseed contains fiber, which generally helps constipation; however theres little research on the effectiveness of flaxseed for constipation

  • Flaxseed lowered cholesterol only in people with relatively high initial cholesterol levels

Naringenin chalcone: in cherry tomato skins

  • Grapefruit, cherry tomatoes are rich source of this polypohenol

Phytates are in whole grains → not toxic

acknee fruit is a potential hazard to health

  • fleshy part around seeds looks like scrambled eggs