Search Results (32)

Wheat bran forms the outermost part of the kernel, which is typically discarded as a by-product. Depending on the milling process, bran can be separated into four fractions: coarse bran (CB), coarse weatings (CW), fine weatings (FW), and low-grade flour (LGF). This study aimed to analyze the macronutrient and bioactive compound profiles of these four by-products across five cultivars and two wheat mixtures. Dietary fibers, free and bound phenolics, phytic acid, fatty acids, and aleurone layer markers were examined in all samples. The results indicate that insoluble fibers, phenolic compounds, and phytic acid decreased from CB to LGF, whereas soluble fiber content exhibited a greater variability among fractions. In all samples, coarse bran was the richest fraction in the protein 7S globulin. The same fraction from the two commercial mixtures and Manitoba cultivar exhibited significantly higher levels of bound ferulic acid compared to the other cultivars (+34%). Manitoba CB also had the highest oleic acid content (18.04% of total lipid content) among all samples, followed by the Rumeno cultivar (17.75%), which also had the highest linolenic acid content (6.35%). Given their health-promoting and technological potential, these by-products could be selectively used to enrich food products and dietary supplements with functional nutrients. Full article

Wheat bran (WB) is rich in bioactive compounds, but its incorporation into food products often negatively affects dough properties. The soluble components in WB, including polysaccharides, minerals, and proteins, exhibit significant variations across different bran layers and may dissolve and interact with flour components during food processing, affecting dough properties. This study aims to investigate the influence of aqueous extracts from different WB layers (aleurone layer, AL; non-aleurone layer, NAL) and their components on the functional properties of wheat starch and gluten. The results indicate that the AL-rich fraction yielded a higher extract content (30.6%) compared to the NAL-rich fraction (15.1%), attributable to the higher cellular content in the AL. Both the extracts and residues from AL and NAL significantly lowered the denaturation temperature of wheat gluten. The aqueous extracts reduced the storage (G′) and loss (G″) moduli of wheat gluten, primarily attributed to the effect of polysaccharide components, whereas the protein and ash fractions elevated the G′ and G″ at suitable dosages. The extracts elevated the gelatinization temperature of starch, but reduced enthalpy (ΔH). Moreover, the pasting viscosity of starch with WB extract decreased due to the combined effects of protein and ash fractions. These findings provide insights into the roles of water extracts from different WB layers and their components in modulating wheat-based product quality. This study also offers a theoretical basis for optimizing WB utilization in foods, thus providing a theoretical foundation for promoting whole-wheat foods or foods containing WB. Full article

This study explored the enhancement of antioxidant properties in bread by incorporating ginger powder while reducing wheat flour utilisation through partial replacement with cassava flour, addressing the issue that bread produced from refined wheat flour is low in antioxidants due to the removal of the aleurone layer during processing. The study investigated the effect of cassava flour and ginger powder addition on physicochemical properties (moisture content, water activity, firmness, crumb structure, density, volume, specific volume, and colour), antioxidant capacity (AC) using Ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP), and total phenolic content (TPC) (by using the Folin Ciocalteu method) of bread. Seven bread samples were produced using the Chorleywood method (220 ± 1 °C at 25 min) using cassava flour (10 and 40%) only and with the combination of ginger powder (1 and 3%). The volume, specific volume, and firmness of the bread with 10% cassava flour and ginger powder were similar to the control (100% wheat flour). Breads containing 40% cassava flour had reduced volume and specific volume and increased firmness and density. The TPC and AC increased significantly (p < 0.05) with ginger powder addition. The study showed that 10% cassava flour and 3% ginger powder could be added to bread formulations to improve their phenolic content and antioxidant capacity without significantly affecting their quality. Full article

As an agri-food by-product, the rice bran of pigmented rice, encompassing varieties such as red, black, and purple rice, has garnered increasing attention due to its richness in terms of bioactive compounds. Being mainly composed of the pericarp, aleuron, seed coat, and germ, the brown outer layer of the rice kernel offers potential health benefits and has applications in skincare. Human skin serves as the primary barrier against external threats, including pathogens, pollutants, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Notably, UV radiation accelerates the aging process and contributes to various skin issues. Recent trends suggest a heightened interest in incorporating pigmented rice into skincare regimens, motivated by its potential to mitigate oxidative stress, inflammation, and pigmentation, which are pivotal factors in skin aging and photodamage. With increasing consumer demand for natural and sustainable ingredients, pigmented rice has emerged as a promising candidate within the skincare and personal care sectors, effectively bridging the gap between nutrition and dermatological health. This review examines the applications of pigmented rice in skincare, with a particular focus on its bioactive components and potential mechanisms of action that contribute to skin health. The unique chemical composition of pigmented rice, which includes compounds such as anthocyanins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and vitamin E, underlies its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and skin-protective properties. Despite the increasing recognition of its benefits, a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms remains limited, underscoring the necessity for further research to exploit the potential of pigmented rice in skincare applications fully. Full article

This study aimed to optimize supercritical CO₂ extraction conditions, analyze bioactive compounds, and visualize their distribution in corn grains (Zea mays L., hybrid Pri-15-7-16). The optimal extraction conditions were identified as a pressure of 200 bar and a temperature of 55 °C, yielding 2.2 mg/g of bioactive compounds. The distribution of autofluorescent compounds within corn grain tissues was visualized using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Image analysis showed that the pericarp and aleurone layer cell walls were rich in autofluorescent compounds, while the endosperm cell walls exhibited low autofluorescence. Metabolomic analysis, combining high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, identified 44 compounds in the extracts, including 30 polyphenolic compounds from subgroups such as polyphenolic acids, flavones, flavan-3-ols, flavonols, and anthocyanidins as well as 14 compounds from other chemical groups, including amino acids and fatty acids. Full article

The study aimed to investigate the effects of pre-treatment (husking, sifting, and moisture adjustment) and explosion puffing on the chemical composition, volatile profile, phenolic content (free and bound), radical-scavenging activity, and formation of potentially hazardous compounds in wheat grain. Processing decreased protein, fat, ash, and dietary fiber content primarily due to removing the aleurone layer and thermal degradation leading to a diminished overall nutritional value. However, the starch content increased, along with significant changes in mono- and disaccharides, including higher maltose and glucose content attributed to starch gelatinization and hydrolysis. Thermal processing significantly altered the volatile profile, introducing new aroma-active compounds, such as pyrazines and furans, formed through Maillard and caramelization reactions. Additionally, the content of spectrophotometrically determined free phenolics and flavonoids increased, enhancing the grains’ radical-scavenging potential. Safety analyses confirmed that 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) and acrylamide levels remained within permissible limits, ensuring compliance with food safety standards. These findings highlight the nutritional and safety implications of explosion puffing, emphasizing its potential as a wheat-processing method. Full article

Blue barley grain pigmentation results from anthocyanin accumulation in the aleurone layer. Anthocyanins are known for their beneficial effects on human health. The gene encoding the MYELOCYTOMATOSIS 2 (MYC2) transcription factor is potentially responsible for the blue coloration of the aleurone. In non-pigmented barley, a single nucleotide insertion in this gene causes a frameshift mutation with a premature stop codon. It was hypothesized that restoring the MYC2 reading frame could activate anthocyanin accumulation in the aleurone. Using a targeted mutagenesis approach in the present study, the reading frame of MYC2 was restored in the non-pigmented cultivar Golden Promise. Genetic constructs harboring cas9 and gRNA expression units were developed, pre-validated in protoplasts, and then functional MYC2 alleles were generated at the plant level via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Anthocyanin accumulation in the aleurone layer of grains from these mutants was confirmed through microscopy and chemical analysis. The expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes was analyzed, revealing that the restoration of MYC2 led to increased transcript levels of F3H and ANS genes. These results confirm the critical role of the MYC2 transcription factor in the blue aleurone trait and provide a biotechnological solution for enriching barley grain with anthocyanins. Full article

During the domestication of crops, seed dormancy has been reduced or eliminated to encourage faster and more consistent germination. This alteration makes cultivated crops particularly vulnerable to pre-harvest sprouting, which occurs when mature crops are subjected to adverse environmental conditions, such as excessive rainfall or high humidity. Consequently, some seeds may bypass the normal dormancy period and begin to germinate while still attached to the mother plant before harvest. Grains affected by pre-harvest sprouting are characterized by increased levels of α-amylase activity, resulting in poor processing quality and immediate grain downgrading. In the agriculture industry, pre-harvest sprouting causes annual economic losses exceeding USD 1 billion worldwide. This premature germination is influenced by a complex interplay of genetic, biochemical, and molecular factors closely linked to environmental conditions like rainfall. However, the exact mechanism behind this process is still unclear. Unlike pre-harvest sprouting, vivipary refers to the germination process and the activation of α-amylase during the soft dough stage, when the grains are still immature. Mature seeds with reduced levels of ABA or impaired ABA signaling (weak dormancy) are more susceptible to pre-harvest sprouting. While high seed dormancy can enhance resistance to pre-harvest sprouting, it can lead to undesirable outcomes for most crops, such as non-uniform seedling establishment after sowing. Thus, resistance to pre-harvest sprouting is crucial to ensuring productivity and sustainability and is an agronomically important trait affecting yield and grain quality. On the other hand, seed color is linked to sprouting resistance; however, the genetic relationship between both characteristics remains unresolved. The identification of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-3 (MKK3) as the gene responsible for pre-harvest sprouting-1 (Phs-1) represents a significant advancement in our understanding of how sprouting in wheat is controlled at the molecular and genetic levels. In seed maturation, Viviparous-1 (Vp-1) plays a crucial role in managing pre-harvest sprouting by regulating seed maturation and inhibiting germination through the suppression of α-amylase and proteases. Vp-1 is a key player in ABA signaling and is essential for the activation of the seed maturation program. Mutants of Vp-1 exhibit an unpigmented aleurone cell layer and exhibit precocious germination due to decreased sensitivity to ABA. Recent research has also revealed that TaSRO-1 interacts with TaVp-1, contributing to the regulation of seed dormancy and resistance to pre-harvest sprouting in wheat. The goal of this review is to emphasize the latest research on pre-harvest sprouting in crops and to suggest possible directions for future studies. Full article

Wheat bran separated in the standard milling process as a by-product contains many substances of importance in livestock and human nutrition. In the Czech Republic, as in other Central European countries, a significant part of the bran is not traditionally used as a raw material for feed production and is used as a heating fuel. This means that many interesting and health-promoting components of fiber, phenolic compounds, vitamins, proteins, and minerals are lost. The bran is made up of particles of the grain outer coating and sub-coating layers, particularly the pericarp, testa, and aleurone layer. Their composition varies, but while the pericarp in particular is largely composed of cellulose and lignin, the testa and aleurone layer contain many valuable non-starch polysaccharides (hemicelluloses), as well as the macro- and micronutrients mentioned above. Wholemeal flours contain all the anatomical parts of the grain mentioned above, which brings both technological problems in terms of their bakery processing and a not always acceptable sensory impact on the products. This paper summarizes selected physical and physicochemical methods that can be used to remove those components that may cause technological and sensory problems and retain those that, on the other hand, represent a significant nutritional benefit. Full article

The association between pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) and seed coat color has long been recognized. Red-grained wheats generally exhibit greater PHS resistance compared to white-grained wheat, although variability in PHS resistance exists within red-grained varieties. Here, we conducted a genome-wide association study on a panel consisting of red-grained wheat varieties, aimed at uncovering genes that modulate PHS resistance and red color components of seed coat using digital image processing. Twelve loci associated with PHS traits were identified, nine of which were described for the first time. Genetic loci marked by SNPs AX-95172164 (chromosome 1B) and AX-158544327 (chromosome 7D) explained approximately 25% of germination index variance, highlighting their value for breeding PHS-resistant varieties. The most promising candidate gene for PHS resistance was TraesCS6B02G147900, encoding a protein involved in aleurone layer morphogenesis. Twenty-six SNPs were significantly associated with grain color, independently of the known Tamyb10 gene. Most of them were related to multiple color characteristics. Prioritization of genes within the revealed loci identified TraesCS1D03G0758600 and TraesCS7B03G1296800, involved in the regulation of pigment biosynthesis and in controlling pigment accumulation. In conclusion, our study identifies new loci associated with grain color and germination index, providing insights into the genetic mechanisms underlying these traits. Full article

Consumer interest in foods enriched with phytochemical compounds for health benefits has prompted plant breeders to focus on developing new cultivars with an enhanced content of specific compounds. Studies regarding the exploration of germplasms of species of great economic importance, such as maize, could be useful in this task. This study aimed to assess the physical grain traits and phenolic compound variations (including anthocyanins, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidins) in blue-purple maize accessions from various Mexican races. We examined 207 accessions from 21 Mexican maize races, evaluating physical grain traits such as weight of one hundred grains (W100G), endosperm type (ET), pigment location, and grain color. Phenolic composition analysis encompassed total soluble phenolics (TSP), total anthocyanin content (TAC), flavonoids (FLAV), and proanthocyanidins (PAs). The predominant endosperm type was floury, with W100G values indicating a large grain size and the pigment primarily located in the aleurone layer. Among phenolic composition variables, only TSP exhibited a normal distribution, while others skewed towards the left side. A hierarchical analysis of phenolic composition data revealed three distinct groups comprising different numbers of Mexican varieties, with TAC proving the most effective for grouping. Our comprehensive exploration of maize diversity featuring blue-purple grain coloration has led to the identification of novel maize varieties with outstanding phenolic contents. Full article

Planning long-term space flights necessarily includes issues of providing food for the crew. One of the areas of research is the development of technologies for independent production of food by the crew. Extensive research on lettuce has confirmed that the “space production” of lettuce is not inferior to that on Earth, even in the absence of gravity, but the same deep understanding of the quality of grain crops has not yet been achieved. Therefore, the goal of our work is to establish whether the conditions for growing wheat in outer space without gravity affect the weight and basic parameters of the grain, and whether this leads to increased asymmetry of the kernel and distortion of the starch composition. The objects of the study were wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) kernels of the Super Dwarf cultivar. Of which, 100 kernels matured in outer space conditions in the Lada growth chamber on the International Space Station (ISS), and 85 kernels of the control wheat grown in a similar growth chamber under terrestrial conditions. It has been established that kernels from ISS have significant differences to a smaller extent in weight, area, length, and width of the kernel. However, the kernels under both conditions were predominantly large (the average weight of a kernel in space is 0.0362 g, and in terrestrial conditions—0.0376 g). The hypothesis that the level of fluctuating asymmetry will increase in outer space was not confirmed; significant differences between the options were not proven. In general, the kernels are fairly even (coefficients of variation for the main parameters of the kernel are within 6–12%) and with a low or very low level of asymmetry. The length of starch granules of type A in filled and puny kernels is significantly greater in kernels from ISS than in the control, and in terms of the width of starch granules B and roundness indices, both experimental variants are the same. It can be assumed that the baking qualities of earthly kernels will be slightly higher, since the ratio of type B starch granules to type A is 5–8% higher than on the ISS. Also, the width of the aleurone layer cells in mature kernels was significantly inferior to the result obtained on Earth. The work proposes a new method for establishing the asymmetry of kernels without a traumatic effect (in early works, it was supposed to study asymmetry in transverse sections of the kernels). Perhaps this will make it possible to further develop a computer scanning program that will determine the level of asymmetry of the wheat fruit. Full article

Wheat bran (WB) consists mainly of different histological cell layers (pericarp, testa, hyaline layer and aleurone). WB contains large quantities of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP), including arabinoxylans (AX) and β-glucans. These dietary fibres have long been studied for their health effects on management and prevention of cardiovascular diseases, cholesterol, obesity, type-2 diabetes, and cancer. NSP benefits depend on their dose and molecular characteristics, including concentration, viscosity, molecular weight, and linked-polyphenols bioavailability. Given the positive health effects of WB, its incorporation in different food products is steadily increasing. However, the rheological, organoleptic and other problems associated with WB integration are numerous. Biological, physical, chemical and combined methods have been developed to optimise and modify NSP molecular characteristics. Most of these techniques aimed to potentially improve food processing, nutritional and health benefits. In this review, the physicochemical, molecular and functional properties of modified and unmodified WB are highlighted and explored. Up-to-date research findings from the clinical trials on mechanisms that WB have and their effects on health markers are critically reviewed. The review points out the lack of research using WB or purified WB fibre components in randomized, controlled clinical trials. Full article

Anthocyanins are a class of antioxidants that scavenge free radicals in cells and play an important role in promoting human health and preventing many diseases. Here, we characterized a maize Bronze gene (BZ1) from the purple colored W22 introgression line, which encodes an anthocyanin 3-O-glucosyltransferase, a key enzyme in the anthocyanin synthesis pathway. Mutation of ZmBZ1 showed bronze-colored seeds and reduced anthocyanins in seeds aleurone layer, seedlings coleoptile, and stem of mature plants by comparison with purple colored W22 (WT). Furthermore, we proved that maize BZ1 is an aleurone layer-specific expressed protein and sub-located in cell nucleus. Real-time tracing of the anthocyanins in developing seeds demonstrated that the pigment was visible from 16 DAP (day after pollination) in field condition, and first deposited in the crown part then spread all over the seed. Additionally, it was transferred along with the embryo cell activity during seed germination, from aleurone layer to cotyledon and coleoptile, as confirmed by microscopy and real-time qRT-PCR. Finally, we demonstrated that the ZmBZ1 contributes to stress tolerance, especially salinity. Further study proved that ZmBZ1 participates in reactive oxygen scavenging (ROS) by accumulating anthocyanins, thereby enhancing the tolerance to abiotic stress. Full article

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) accumulates in plants in response to environmental stresses. The activity levels of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), an enzyme involved in GABA biosynthesis, are reported to increase during germination under salinity stress. However, it is not clear which tissues of the plant seeds are affected by GAD activity in response to salinity stress. In this study, the effects of salinity stress on the distribution of barley seeds GAD activity during germination were investigated. The mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) method was optimized, and the distribution of GAD activity in germinated seeds exposed to salinity stress at different germination stages from 12 to 48 h after imbibition was investigated. In this study, MSI was successfully applied to enzyme histochemistry to visualize the relative GAD activity in germinating barley seeds for the first time. The salinity stress increased the GAD activity, mostly due to the increase in relative GAD activity in the embryo. Higher GAD activity was detected in seeds exposed to salinity stress in the scutellum or aleurone layer, which are difficult to separate for extraction. This method can be used to clarify the role of GABA shunts, including GAD enzyme responses, in barley seeds under stress. Full article