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This research examines the total polyphenol and flavonoid content and antioxidant activity of natural ingredients such as balloon flower root extract (BFE), Japanese apricot extract (JAE) and grape extract (GE). In addition, their effect on beef jerky quality characteristics was investigated when the extracts were used as alternatives to potassium sorbate (PS) and vitamin E (VE). BFE had higher (p < 0.05) total flavonoid content (TFC) (6.85 mg CAT eq/g), total polyphenol content (TPC) (10.52 mg RUT eq/g), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical (62.96%), and 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity (87.60%) compared to other extracts. Although all extracts showed lower activity than BHT in all antioxidant activity tests, the BFE and JAE showed higher (p < 0.05) activity than the GE in the DPPH and FRAP assays. In contrast, in the ABTS assay, both BFE and GE showed increased activity (p < 0.05) compared to JAE. The jerky was prepared by adding 0.05% (v/v) each of BFE, JAE and GE. Furthermore, a control sample of jerky was also prepared by adding 0.10% (w/v) PS and 0.05% VE, respectively. On day 30, the redness (a*) values of the BFE and PS samples were also found to be significantly higher than those of the other samples (p < 0.05). Additionally, the yellowness (b*) values of the BFE sample were also found to be significantly higher than those of the other samples (p < 0.05). The thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARSs) on day 30 were lower in the jerky treated with PS, VE, and GE compared to those treated with BFE and JAE (p < 0.05). In the sensory analysis, beef jerky with BFE had significantly higher overall acceptability scores on days 1 and 30 (p < 0.05). The addition of BFE to beef jerky influenced the increase in a* and b* values on day 30. The addition of GE effectively suppressed lipid oxidation to a level comparable to that of the PS and VE at day 30. Furthermore, the addition of BFE enhanced the overall acceptability of sensory characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Flax lignan has attracted much attention because of its potential bioactivities. However, the bioavailability of secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG), the main lignan in flaxseed, depends on the bioconversion by the colon bacteria. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with β‐glucosidase activity has found wide application in preparing bioactive aglycone. RESULTS: LAB strains with good β‐glucosidase activity were isolated from fermented tofu. Their bioconversion of flax lignan extract was investigated by resting cell catalysis and microbial fermentation, and the metabolism of SDG by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum C5 following fermentation was characterized by widely targeted metabolomics. Five L. plantarum strains producing β‐glucosidase with broad substrate specificity were isolated and identified, and they all can transform SDG into secoisolariciresinol (SECO). L. plantarum C5 resting cell reached a maximum SDG conversion of 49.19 ± 3.75%, and SECO generation of 21.49 ± 1.32% (0.215 ± 0.013 mm) at an SDG substrate concentration of 1 mM and 0.477 ± 0.003 mm SECO was produced at 4 mm within 24 h. Although sixteen flax lignan metabolites were identified following the fermentation of SDG extract by L. plantarum C5, among them, four were produced following the fermentation: SECO, demethyl‐SECO, demethyl‐dehydroxy‐SECO and isolariciresinol. Moreover, seven lignans increased significantly. CONCLUSION: Fermentation significantly increased the profile and level of flax lignan metabolites, and the resting cell catalysis benefits from higher bioconversion efficiency and more straightforward product separation. Resting cell catalysis and microbial fermentation of flax lignan extract by the isolated β‐glucosidase production L. plantarum could be potentially applied in preparing flax lignan ingredients and fermented flaxseed. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignan is a class of diphenolic compounds that arise from the condensation of two phenylpropanoid moieties. Oilseed and cereal crops (e.g., flaxseed, sesame seed, wheat, barley, oats, rye, etc.) are major sources of plant lignan. Methods for commercial isolation of the lignan secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) are not well reported, as most publications describing the detection, extraction, and enrichment of SDG use methods that have not been optimized for commercial scale lignan recovery. Simply scaling up laboratory methods would require expensive infrastructure to achieve a marketable yield and reproducible product quality. Therefore, establishing standard protocols to produce SDG and its derivatives on an industrial scale is critical to decrease lignan cost and increase market opportunities. This review summarizes the human health benefits of flaxseed lignan consumption, lignan physicochemical properties, and mammalian lignan metabolism, and describes methods for detecting, extracting, and enriching flaxseed lignan. Refining and optimization of these methods could lead to the development of inexpensive lignan sources for application as an ingredient in medicines, dietary supplements, and other healthy ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Filamentous fungal mycoproteins have gained increasing attention as sustainable alternatives to animal and plant-based proteins. This comprehensive review summarizes the nutritional characteristics, toxicological aspects, and healthpromoting effects of mycoproteins, focusing on those derived from filamentous fungi, notably Fusarium venenatum. Mycoproteins are characterized by their high protein content, and they have a superior essential amino acid profile compared to soybeans indicating excellent protein quality and benefits for human nutrition. Additionally, mycoproteins offer enhanced digestibility, further highlighting their suitability as a protein source. Furthermore, mycoproteins are rich in dietary fibers, which have been associated with health benefits, including protection against metabolic diseases. Moreover, their fatty acids profile, with significant proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acids and absence of cholesterol, distinguishes them from animal-derived proteins. In conclusion, the future of mycoproteins as a health-promoting protein alternative and the development of functional foods relies on several key aspects. These include improving the acceptance of mycoproteins, conducting further research into theirmechanisms of action, addressing consumer preferences and perceptions, and ensuring safety and regulatory compliance. To fully unlock the potential of mycoproteins and meet the evolving needs of a health-conscious society, continuous interdisciplinary research, collaboration among stakeholders, and proactive engagement with consumers will be vital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccenic acid (VA), the predominant ruminant-derivedtransfat in the food chain, ameliorates hyperlipidemia, yet mechanisms remain elusive. We investigated whether VA could influence tissue endocannabinoids (ECs) by altering the availability of their biosynthetic precursor, arachidonic acid (AA), in membrane phospholipids (PLs). JCR:LA-cprats were assigned to a control diet with or without VA (1% w/w),cis-9,trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) (1% w/w) or VA+CLA (1% + 0.5% w/w) for 8 weeks. VA reduced the EC, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), in the liver and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) relative to control diet (P< 0.001), but did not change AA in tissue PLs. There was no additive effect of combining VA+CLA on 2-AG relative to VA alone (P> 0.05). Interestingly, VA increased jejunal concentrations of anandamide and those of the noncannabinoid signaling molecules, oleoylethanolamide and palmitoylethanolamide, relative to control diet (P< 0.05). This was consistent with a lower jejunal protein abundance (but not activity) of their degrading enzyme, fatty acid amide hydrolase, as well as the mRNA expression of TNFα and interleukin 1β (P< 0.05). The ability of VA to reduce 2-AG in the liver and VAT provides a potential mechanistic explanation to alleviate ectopic lipid accumulation. The opposing regulation of ECs and other noncannabinoid lipid signaling molecules by VA suggests an activation of benefit via the EC system in the intestine.

Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) has been associated with numerous health benefits. The flax plant synthesizes an array of biologically active compounds including peptides or linusorbs (LOs, a.k.a., cyclolinopeptides), lignans, soluble dietary fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. The LOs arise from post-translational modification of four or more ribosome-derived precursors. These compounds exhibit an array of biological activities, including suppression of T-cell proliferation, excessive inflammation, and osteoclast replication as well as induction of apoptosis in some cancer cell lines. The mechanisms of LO action are only now being elucidated but these compounds might interact with other active compounds in flaxseed and contribute to biological activity attributed to other flax compounds. This review focuses on both the biological interaction of LOs with proteins and other molecules and comprehensive knowledge of LO pharmacological and biological properties. The physicochemical and nutraceutical properties of LOs, as well as the biological effects of certain LOs, and their underlying mechanisms of action, are reviewed. Finally, strategies for producing LOs by either peptide synthesis or recombinant organisms are presented. This review will be the first to describe LOs as a versatile scaffold for the action of compounds to deliver physiochemically/biologically active molecules for developing novel nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperlipidemia, high levels of blood lipids including cholesterol and triglycerides, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Traditional treatments of hyperlipidemia often include lifestyle changes and pharmacotherapy. Recently, flaxseed has been approved as a nutrient that lowers blood lipids. Several metabolites of flaxseed lignan secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG), have been identified that reduce blood lipids. SDG is present in flaxseed hull as an ester-linked copolymer with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaric acid (HMGA). However, purification processes involved in hydrolysis of the copolymer and enriching SDG are often expensive. The natural copolymer of SDG with HMGA (SDG polymer) is a source of bioactive compounds useful in prophylaxis of hypercholesterolemia. After consumption of the lignan copolymer, SDG and HMGA are released in the stomach and small intestines. SDG is metabolized to secoisolariciresinol, enterolactone and enterodiol, the bioactive forms of mammalian lignans. These metabolites are then distributed throughout the body where they accumulate in the liver, kidney, skin, other tissues, and organs. Successively, these metabolites reduce blood lipids including cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and lipid peroxidation products. In this review, the metabolism and efficacies of flaxseed-derived enriched SDG and SDG polymer will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID‐19 pandemic led to major changes in public policies to address supply chain disruption and escalated the price of consumer disinfectant products. To address market demands on alcohol‐based hand rubs and disinfectants, Health Canada implemented major changes to the regulations regarding composition, handling, transportation, and packaging to insure product availability. Furthermore, accelerated licensing of ingredients and packaging did not meet standard medical quality guidelines yet were authorized for manufacturing and packaging of alcohol‐based hand rubs and disinfectants. The accountability associated with these policy changes were reactive, including industry self‐reporting, consumer reporting, and Health Canada advisories and recalls that were responsive to products after they were available in the market. Nonetheless, Canadian public health policy increased hand sanitizers availability. However, some of the interim policies have raised major public health concerns associated with ethanol quality, packaging, and labeling, and enforcement of regulations. In this paper, we review the changes in the Canadian regulations amid the current pandemic and we evaluate the unintended health risks that might arise from these changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]