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Functional Foods: Product Development, Technological Trends, Efficacy Evaluation, and Safety

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A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2022) | Viewed by 40567

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Prof. Dr. Xichun Peng

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Department of Food Science and Engineering, Jinan University, No. 601, West Huangpu Avenue, Guangzhou 510632, China
Interests: functional foods; dietary fiber; bioactive compounds; prebiotics and probiotics; postbiotics; gut microbiota; in vitro digestion; development of new functional food products; edible fungi

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Functional foods are crucial for disease treatment and prevention as well as in monitoring and managing health systems. The development of functional foods throughout the world presents a new conceptual challenge due to the growing trade of health foods and consumers’ growing interest in the health benefits of functional foods and ingredients.

In humans, many food components (especially in Chinese herb medicine) that cannot be absorbed directly into the small intestine pass through the colon, thus interacting with colonic microbiota. Interactive products of food components and colonic microbiota impact gut health and, more generally, overall body health. Therefore, intestinal microbiota are both a target for nutritional intervention and a factor influencing the biological activity of orally ingested food compounds. The bioavailability and effects of dietary fibres, functional polysaccharides, and phytochemicals greatly depend on the transformation they undergo as a result of their interactions with microbiota, and their metabolic products may also inhibit pathogenic bacteria while stimulating the growth of beneficial bacteria, exerting prebiotic-like effects. Thus, discovering new beneficial bacteria or probiotics for application in ferment food components and the development of new functional products is essential for promoting the health of consumers.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) food functional ingredients; (ii) the characterization of functional foods based on their composition, efficacy, safety, and nutritional/healthy aspects, (iii) the development of food products with functional substances; and (iv) regulatory perspectives on functional foods. The submission of original research articles, reviews, industrial cases, and short communications are welcomed and encouraged.

Prof. Dr. Xichun Peng
Guest Editor

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Keywords

functional food
efficacy, safety, and nutritional
polysaccharide
polyphenols
probiotics
postbiotics
gut microbiota
edible fungi
edible Chinese herb medicine
bioactive compounds
molecular nutrition
healthy aspects

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Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 2217 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antioxidant and In Vivo Hypoglycemic Activities of Ethanol Extract from the Leaves of Engelhardia roxburghiana Wall, a Comparative Study of the Extract and Astilbin

by Xiaoqiang Guo, Ting Zhou, Hongxia Xing, Yucheng Zhang, Jingmei Fang, Tairan Kang, Caimei Yao, Jun Yan, Yaxuan Huang and Qian Yao

Foods 2023, 12(5), 927; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12050927 - 22 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1920

Abstract

The leaves of Engelhardia roxburghiana Wall (LERW) has been used as sweet tea in China throughout history. In this study, the ethanol extract of LERW (E-LERW) was prepared and the compositions were identified by HPLC-MS/MS. It indicates that astilbin was the predominant component in E-LERW. In addition, E-LERW was abundant in polyphenols. Compared to astilbin, E-LERW presented much more powerful antioxidant activity. The E-LERW also had stronger affinity with α-glucosidase and exerted more vigorous inhibitory effect on the enzyme. Alloxan-induced diabetic mice had significantly elevated glucose and lipid levels. Treatment with E-LERW at the medium dose (M) of 300 mg/kg could reduce the levels of glucose, TG, TC, and LDL by 16.64%, 12.87%, 32.70%, and 22.99%, respectively. In addition, E-LERW (M) decreased food intake, water intake, and excretion by 27.29%, 36.15%, and 30.93%, respectively. Moreover, E-LERW (M) therapy increased the mouse weight and insulin secretion by 25.30% and 494.52%. With respect to the astilbin control, E-LERW was more efficient in reducing the food and drink consumption and protecting pancreatic islet and body organs from alloxan-induced damage. The study demonstrates that E-LERW may be a promising functional ingredient for the adjuvant therapy of diabetes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods: Product Development, Technological Trends, Efficacy Evaluation, and Safety)

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19 pages, 5358 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA) Fermenting Astragalus Polysaccharides (APS) Improves Calcium Absorption and Osteoporosis by Altering Gut Microbiota

by Junhua Zhou, Jing Cheng, Liu Liu, Jianming Luo and Xichun Peng

Foods 2023, 12(2), 275; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12020275 - 6 Jan 2023

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3242

Abstract

Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA) and Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) have each been shown to have anti-osteoporotic activity, and the aim of this study was to further investigate whether the LA fermenting APS was more effective in improving calcium absorption and osteoporosis than the unfermented mixed solution (MS). We found that the fermentation solution (FS) intervention improved the calcium absorption, BMD, and bone microarchitecture in osteoporotic rats and resulted in better inhibition of osteoclast differentiation markers ACP-5 and pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 and promotion of osteoblast differentiation marker OCN. This better performance may be due to the improved restoration of the relative abundance of specific bacteria associated with improved calcium absorption and osteoporosis such as Lactobacillus, Allobaculum, and UCG-005. Several key metabolites, including indicaxanthin, chlorogenic acid, and 3-hydroxymelatonin, may also be the key to the better improvement. In conclusion, the LA fermenting APS can better improve calcium absorption and osteoporosis by increasing active metabolites and altering gut microbiota. This finding should become a solid foundation for the development of LA fermenting APS in functional foods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods: Product Development, Technological Trends, Efficacy Evaluation, and Safety)

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17 pages, 2889 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Different Enzymatic Processes on Antioxidant, Nutritional and Functional Properties of Soy Protein Hydrolysates Incorporated into Novel Cookies

by Zorica Knežević-Jugović, Alina Culetu, Jelena Mijalković, Denisa Duta, Andrea Stefanović, Nataša Šekuljica, Verica Đorđević and Mirjana Antov

Foods 2023, 12(1), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12010024 - 21 Dec 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2780

Abstract

Soy protein concentrate (SPC) was hydrolyzed using several commercial food-grade proteases (Alcalase, Neutrase, papain, Everlase, Umamizyme, Flavourzyme) and their combination to obtain promising ingredients in the manufacture of functional bakery products. In all cases, the hydrolysis caused nutritional, sensory, and rheological changes in SPC, as well as protein structural changes like increased surface hydrophobicity and content of exposed SH groups with the magnitude of these changes depending on enzyme specificity. The hydrolysis with the combination of Neutrase and Flavourzyme (NeuFlav) increased essential amino acid content by 9.8% and that of Lys by 32.6% compared to SPC. This hydrolysate showed also significant antioxidant activities including ABTS and superoxide anion scavenging activity and metal-chelating ability. The addition of all hydrolysates in wheat flour decreased water adsorption and increased development time to some extent due to gluten network weakening, but also decreased the rate of starch retrogradation, contributing to the increase of the shelf-life of bakery products. The NeuFlav tasted less bitter than other hydrolysates, while E-nose provided a discrimination index of 93 between control and hydrolysates. It appeared that the addition of the NeuFlav hydrolysate in a cookie formulation improved protein content and nutritional quality and directed to its higher general consumer acceptability than cookies formulated with only wheat flour. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods: Product Development, Technological Trends, Efficacy Evaluation, and Safety)

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21 pages, 3653 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Evaluation of Hydrothermally Produced Rice Starch–Phenolic Complexes: Contributions of Phenolic Type, Plasma-Activated Water, and Ultrasonication

by Paramee Chumsri, Worawan Panpipat, Ling-Zhi Cheong, Mudtorlep Nisoa and Manat Chaijan

Foods 2022, 11(23), 3826; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11233826 - 27 Nov 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2521

Abstract

A thorough investigation of the viability of rice starch conjugation with three different phenolic compounds—gallic acid, sinapic acid, and crude Mon-pu (Glochidion wallichianum Muell Arg) (MP) extract—was conducted using a variety of developed methods which modified the techno-functionality and digestibility of the end product. With and without the aid of ultrasonication (US), phenolic compounds were complexed with hydrothermally pre-gelatinized rice starch prepared using distilled water or plasma-activated water (PAW). The in vitro digestibility, structural features, rheological and thermal properties, and in vitro antioxidant activity of starch–phenolic complexes were evaluated. The US-assisted starch–MP complex in water had the highest complexing index (CI) value (77.11%) and resistant starch (RS) content (88.35%), resulting in a more compact and stable ordered structure. In all complexes, XRD revealed a new minor crystalline region of V-type, which was stabilized by hydrogen bonding as defined by FTIR and H¹-NMR. Polyphenols caused a looser gel structure of starch, as imaged by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Starch–phenolic complexes outperformed other complexes in terms of in vitro antioxidant activity. Gallic acid addition to starch molecules boosted DPPH scavenging activity, notably when synthesized in PAW regardless of US assistance, although having lower CI and RS values than the MP complex. Therefore, this research lays the groundwork for the efficient production of functional food ingredients based on rice starch and polyphenols. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods: Product Development, Technological Trends, Efficacy Evaluation, and Safety)

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19 pages, 3799 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Co-Pigmentation Mechanism and Thermal Reaction Kinetics of Mulberry Anthocyanins with Different Phenolic Acids

by Xiangyue Chen, Qunyu Gao, Sentai Liao, Yuxiao Zou, Jiangang Yan and Qian Li

Foods 2022, 11(23), 3806; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11233806 - 25 Nov 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2074

Abstract

Applying the intermolecular co-pigmentation to improve the stability of mulberry anthocyanins is an important co-pigment method. Seven co-pigments, ferulic acid (FA), caffeic acid (CA), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA), protocatechuic acid (PA), gallic acid (GA), vanillic acid (VA) and vanillin (VN) were selected to investigate mulberry anthocyanin co-pigmentation thermal reaction kinetics. The strongest co-pigment reactions were observed for FA at a molar ratio of 1:20, pH 3.5 and 20 °C, with the highest hyperchromic effects (52.94%), equilibrium constant (K) values (3.51) and negative values of Gibbs free energy (ΔG°) (−3.06 KJ/mol). Co-pigments that contained more free hydroxyl groups facilitated the co-pigmentation, and methyl contributed more to color enhancement, with respect to the hydrogen group. Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole-Time Of Flight-Mass/Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) results indicated that FA and CA formed different anthocyanin derivatives with mulberry anthocyanin. The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and molecular docking confirmed that hydrogen bonding, π–π stacking and hydrophobic interaction were formed between anthocyanins and three prevalent co-pigments (FA, CA and VA). CA and C3G could form four hydrogen bonds and two π–π stackings; this was the most stable system among three phenolic acid–C3G complexes. Due to the functional effect of phenolic acids, the addition of FA and CA not only enhanced the stability and color intensity of mulberry anthocyanins but also the functionality of the processing product. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods: Product Development, Technological Trends, Efficacy Evaluation, and Safety)

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15 pages, 1968 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Prebiotic, Antipathogenic Bacteria and Hypocholesterolemia Properties of Fermented Rice Bran Extracts Derived from Black Rice and Germinated Brown Rice

by Khaetthareeya Sutthanut, Patcharaporn Tippayawat, Sukanya Srijampa, Wisitsak Phoksawat, Pornchanan Vachirodom and Roongrawee Wandee

Foods 2022, 11(22), 3704; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11223704 - 18 Nov 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2818

Abstract

Rice bran is a rich source of health-promoting nutrition and bioactive compounds; nevertheless, the properties of rice brans depend on cultivars, ages, and preparation methods, drawing the potential of raw materials for health benefits. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the health-promoting properties of fermented rice bran extracts from cultivar black rice (H7F) and germinated brown rice (G13F), focusing on their prebiotic, antipathogenic bacteria activity and safety demonstrated in vitro and in vivo study models, respectively. Here, the screening of metabolites’ change after rice bran fermentation by ATR-FTIR spectra revealed specific peaks corresponding to the composited components of protein, carbohydrate, and lipid. Then, in the in vitro study, the prebiotic capability of H7F and G13F extracts was demonstrated by a growth-promoting effect on Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis under specific acidic conditions. Furthermore, antipathogenic bacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was presented at 25 mg/mL of MIC values and 50 mg/mL of MBC of both fermented rice bran extracts, eliminating the bacteria by interfering with the biofilm formation. For safety, an acute and chronic toxicity study using Wistar rats was conducted, in which changes in the body and organ weights, histopathology of organs, blood chemistry, and hematological parameters were observed after H7F and G13F treatment. Desirably, they showed no toxicity, with a significant reduction in blood cholesterol levels in the chronic treatment of H7F and G13F. Conclusively, the overall results evidenced the health benefits of H7F and G13F related to their prebiotic and antipathogenic bacteria properties and hypocholesterolemia potential with a high level of safety. Therefore, the fermented rice bran extracts were demonstrated as potential materials for the further development of functional ingredients and health products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods: Product Development, Technological Trends, Efficacy Evaluation, and Safety)

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13 pages, 2083 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Partial Substitution of Flour with Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) Powder on Dough and Biscuit Properties

by Xinyuan Xie, Zhihe Yuan, Kai Fu, Jianhui An and Lingli Deng

Foods 2022, 11(14), 2156; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11142156 - 20 Jul 2022

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 2899

Abstract

Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) is a type of edible insect rich in protein that has become popular as a protein-alternative ingredient in flour-based products to improve the nutritional properties of baking products. The mealworm powder substitution affected the pasting, farinograph, extensograph properties of wheat flour and the texture, nutritional, and sensory properties of the resulting soda biscuit. The pasting parameters (peak viscosity, trough viscosity, breakdown viscosity, final viscosity, and setback viscosity) and the water absorption decreased with the increased mealworm powder substitution level, which was ascribed to the dilution effect of mealworm powder. The farinograph parameters remained similar up to 15% substitution level. The extensograph results showed that mealworm powder substitution decreased the elastic properties of wheat dough as indicated by the consistently decreased extensibility, stretching energy, and stretching resistance, resulting in a significantly decreased baking expansion ratio of the soda biscuit. The protein, lipid, and dietary fiber content of the biscuits increased accordingly with the increased mealworm powder substitution level. The protein content of the soda biscuit was gradually increased from 9.13/100 g for the control (M0) to 16.0/100 g for that supplemented with 20% mealworm powder (M20), accompanied with the significantly increased essential amino acid content. Meanwhile, the fat and dietary fiber content of M20 exhibited 20.5 and 21.7% increase compared to those of M0. The score of the sensory attributes showed no significant difference up to 15% substitution level. The results demonstrated the 15% mealworm powder substitution level would not significantly affect the farinograph property, microstructure of wheat dough, and sensory acceptability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods: Product Development, Technological Trends, Efficacy Evaluation, and Safety)

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14 pages, 3160 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Flaxseed Polysaccharide Alters Colonic Gene Expression of Lipid Metabolism and Energy Metabolism in Obese Rats

by Hua Wei, Xiaohong Lin, Liu Liu and Xichun Peng

Foods 2022, 11(13), 1991; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11131991 - 5 Jul 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2619

Abstract

Obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges. Recently, we found that flaxseed polysaccharides (FPs) had an anti-obesity effect through promoting lipid metabolism, but the obesity-inhibiting pathway of FP is still unclear. In this study, after FP intervention in an obese rat model, a transcriptome study was performed to further investigate how FP intervention alters the gene expression of colonic epithelial tissues (CETs). The results showed that there were 3785 genes differentially expressed due to the FP intervention, namely 374 downregulated and 3411 upregulated genes. After analyzing all the differentially expressed genes, two classical KEGG pathways were found to be related to obesity, namely the PPAR-signaling pathway and energy metabolism, involving genes Fabp1–5, Lpl, Gyk, Qqp7, Pparg, Rxrg, Acsl1, Acsl4, Acsl6, Cpt1c, Car1–4, Ca5b, Car8, Car12–14, Cps1, Ndufa4l2, Cox6b2, Atp6v1g2, Ndufa4l2 and Cox4i2. QRT-PCR results showed a consistent expression trend. Our results indicate that FP promotes lipid metabolism by changing the expression of some key genes of CETs, thus inhibiting obesity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods: Product Development, Technological Trends, Efficacy Evaluation, and Safety)

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20 pages, 8737 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Polyphenols and Polysaccharides from Morus alba L. Fruit Attenuate High-Fat Diet-Induced Metabolic Syndrome Modifying the Gut Microbiota and Metabolite Profile

by Meixia Wan, Qing Li, Qianya Lei, Dan Zhou and Shu Wang

Foods 2022, 11(12), 1818; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11121818 - 20 Jun 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3139

Abstract

Morus alba L. fruit, a medicinal and edible fruit in East Asia, showed potential health-promoting effects against metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, both the protective effects and mechanisms of different fractions extracted from Morus alba L. fruit against MetS remain unclear. Additionally, the gut microbiota and its metabolites are regarded as key factors in the development of MetS. This study aimed to investigate the potential role of polyphenols and polysaccharides derived from Morus alba L. fruit against MetS in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice, individually and in combination, focusing on remodeling effects on gut microbiota and metabolite profiles. In the study, polyphenols and polysaccharides derived from Morus alba L. fruit improved the traditional pharmacodynamic parameters of MetS, including reductions in body weight (BW) and fat accumulation, improvement in insulin resistance, regulation of dyslipidemia, prevention of pathological changes in liver, kidney and proximal colon tissue, and suppressive actions against oxidative stress. In particular, the group treated with polyphenols and polysaccharides in combination showed better efficacy. The relative abundance of beneficial bacterial genera Muribaculum and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group were increased to various degrees, while opportunistic pathogens such as Prevotella_2, Bacteroides, Faecalibacterium and Fusobacterium were markedly decreased after treatments. Moreover, fecal metabolite profiles revealed 23 differential metabolites related to treatments with polyphenols and polysaccharides derived from Morus alba L. fruit, individually and in combination. Altogether, these results demonstrated that polyphenols and polysaccharides derived from Morus alba L. fruit attenuated MetS in HFD-fed mice, and improved the gut microbiota composition and fecal metabolite profiles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods: Product Development, Technological Trends, Efficacy Evaluation, and Safety)

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Review

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13 pages, 439 KiB

Open AccessReview

Investigating the Regulatory Process, Safety, Efficacy and Product Transparency for Nutraceuticals in the USA, Europe and Australia

by Muralikrishna Gangadharan Komala, Ser Gin Ong, Muhammad Uzair Qadri, Lamees M. Elshafie, Carol A. Pollock and Sonia Saad

Foods 2023, 12(2), 427; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12020427 - 16 Jan 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5114

Abstract

Increased numbers of patients with chronic conditions use nutraceuticals or food-based therapeutics. However, to date, there is no global consensus on the regulatory processes for nutraceuticals. With the increased use, issues of quality and safety have also arisen. This review summarises the current regulations held for nutraceuticals in the USA, European and Australian jurisdictions using regulatory authority sites and databases. The efficacy and safety concerns, product development, gaps in regulation and challenges in ensuring product authenticity are also summarised. The data highlight the complexity that the globalisation of nutraceuticals brings with respect to challenges in regulation and associated claims regarding efficacy and safety. The development of an effective system with integrity is needed to increase vertical collaboration between consumers, healthcare practitioners, and government agencies and the development of international risk assessment criteria and botanical compendia. This will help in greater transparency and improved trust in the process and products. Emerging technologies could play a role in improving systems engineering by information sharing and leveraging the strengths of different countries. In conclusion, nutraceuticals have been poorly regulated leading to spurious claims based on little or no real evidence. This makes it difficult to separate meaningful results from poor data. More stringent regulation and an effective system of integrity are required to ensure efficacy and safety and enable the adequate monitoring and increase consumer and healthcare professionals’ confidence. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods: Product Development, Technological Trends, Efficacy Evaluation, and Safety)

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23 pages, 2495 KiB

Open AccessReview

Future of Structured Lipids: Enzymatic Synthesis and Their New Applications in Food Systems

by Jun Zhou, Yee-Ying Lee, Yilin Mao, Yong Wang and Zhen Zhang

Foods 2022, 11(16), 2400; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11162400 - 10 Aug 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5084

Abstract

Structured lipids (SLs) refer to a new type of functional lipid obtained by modifying natural triacylglycerol (TAG) through the restructuring of fatty acids, thereby altering the composition, structure, and distribution of fatty acids attached to the glycerol backbones. Due to the unique functional characteristics of SLs (easy to absorb, low in calories, reduced serum TAG, etc.), there is increasing interest in the research and application of SLs. SLs were initially prepared using chemical methods. With the wide application of enzymes in industries and the advantages of enzymatic synthesis (mild reaction conditions, high catalytic efficiency, environmental friendliness, etc.), synthesis of SLs using lipase has aroused great interest. This review summarizes the reaction system of SL production and introduces the enzymatic synthesis and application of some of the latest SLs discussed/developed in recent years, including medium- to long-chain triacylglycerol (MLCT), diacylglycerol (DAG), EPA- and DHA-enriched TAG, human milk fat substitutes, and esterified propoxylated glycerol (EPG). Lastly, several new ways of applying SLs (powdered oil, DAG plastic fat, inert gas spray oil, and emulsion) in the future food industry are also highlighted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods: Product Development, Technological Trends, Efficacy Evaluation, and Safety)

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21 pages, 1410 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Developments in Fermented Cereals on Nutritional Constituents and Potential Health Benefits

by Jiayan Zhang, Mengting Liu, Yansheng Zhao, Ying Zhu, Juan Bai, Songtao Fan, Lin Zhu, Ci Song and Xiang Xiao

Foods 2022, 11(15), 2243; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11152243 - 27 Jul 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4812

Abstract

Fermentation is one of the most economical and safe methods to improve the nutritional value, sensory quality and functional characteristics of raw materials, and it is also an important method for cereal processing. This paper reviews the effects of microbial fermentation on cereals, focusing on their nutritional value and health benefits, including the effects of fermentation on the protein, starch, phenolic compounds contents, and other nutrient components of cereals. The bioactive compounds produced by fermented cereals have positive effects on health regulation. Finally, the future market development of fermented cereal products is summarized and prospected. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Foods: Product Development, Technological Trends, Efficacy Evaluation, and Safety)

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