Microfluidic paper-based analytical device for measurement of pH using as sensor red cabbage anthocyanins and gum arabic.

The objective of this study was to develop and validate a novel microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD) for determining the pH levels in foods. Anthocyanins from red cabbage aqueous extract (RCAE) were used as its analytical sensor. Whatman No.

High methoxyl pectin grafted onto gallic acid by one- and two-pot redox-pair procedures.

The aim of this research was to graft gallic acid (GA) onto high methoxyl pectin (HMP) through the redox-pair of ascorbic acid (Aa) and hydrogen peroxide (HO) with one- and two-pot procedures. The effectiveness of the both procedures and the chemical, physical and antioxidant properties of the obtained HMP-GA were evaluated. HMP-GA (23.

Impact of low-frequency ultrasound technology on physical, chemical and technological properties of cereals and pseudocereals.

Cereals (CE) and pseudocereals (PSCE) play a pivotal role in nourishing the human population. Low-frequency ultrasound (LFUS) modifies the structure of CE and PSCE macromolecules such as starch and proteins, often improving their technological, functional and bioactive properties. Hence, it is employed for enhancing the traditional processes utilized for the preparation of CE- and PSCE-based foods as well as for the upcycling of their by-products.

Hybrid high-intensity ultrasound and microwave treatment: A review on its effect on quality and bioactivity of foods.

With the growing of consumer's demand for products ready to eat that can be elaborated with greener technologies without affecting to their organoleptic characteristics, the application of ultrasound combined with microwaves has been widely studied on food preservation treatments (drying, frying), extraction of high-value added compounds and enzymatic hydrolysis of proteins. This review presents a complete picture of current knowledge on the ultrasound combined with microwaves including the mechanisms, influencing factors, advantages and drawbacks, emphasising in several synergistic effects observed in different processes of strong importance in the food industry. Recent research has shown that this hybrid technology could not only minimise the disadvantages of power US for drying and frying but also improve the product quality and the efficiency of both cooking processes by lowering the energy consumption.

Design of polyphenol-rich diets in clinical trials: A systematic review.

Most randomized clinical trials of polyphenols focus on individual foods. Nevertheless, due to their presence in many foods and in order to reflect a real situation, clinical trials based on polyphenol-rich diets are particularly important. This systematic review explores the characteristics of the polyphenol-rich diets used in intervention studies.

Physicochemical and functional properties of isolated starch and their correlation with flour from the Andean Peruvian quinoa varieties.

Quinoa has been recognized as a complete food due to its balanced nutritional composition. Quinoa flour is used as an ingredient to improve the nutritional and functional characteristics of cereal-based foods. The physicochemical and functional (thermal and pasting) properties of flours and isolated starches of three Andean Peruvian quinoa varieties (Blanca de Hualhuas, BH; Rosada de Huancayo, RHY and Pasankalla, PK) were studied and the correlation among them properties were evaluated in order to explore their possible uses as a food ingredient.

A green analytical assay for the quantitation of the total saponins in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) based on macro lens-coupled smartphone.

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a microtiter macro lens-coupled smartphone (MCS) assay for the quantitation of the total saponins in quinoa based on foam measurement. The 96-well micro plate with a black bottom and an inclination angle = 12.102° of macro lens-coupled smartphone allows to acquire images with a high resolution.

Microencapsulated betacyanin from colored organic quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.): optimization, physicochemical characterization and accelerated storage stability.

Background: Betalains are presently gaining popularity as pigments for use as natural colorants and/or bioactive compounds in functional foods. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) has been recognized as an extremely nutritious grain and has recently been found to be a novel and good betalain source.

Role of fetal nutrient restriction and postnatal catch-up growth on structural and mechanical alterations of rat aorta.

Key Points: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), induced by maternal undernutrition, leads to impaired aortic development. This is followed by hypertrophic remodelling associated with accelerated growth during lactation. Fetal nutrient restriction is associated with increased aortic compliance at birth and at weaning, but not in adult animals.

A novel pyrogallol red-based assay to assess catalase activity: Optimization by response surface methodology.

Pyrogallol red (PGR) was identified as a novel optical probe for the detection of hydrogen peroxide (HO) based on horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-catalyzed oxidation. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied as a tool to optimize the concentrations of PGR (100µmolL), HRP (1UmL) and HO (250µmolL) and used to develop a sensitive PGR-based catalase (CAT) activity assay (PGR-CAT assay). N-ethylmaleimide -NEM- (102mmolL) was used to avoid interference produced by thiol groups while protecting CAT activity.

Short-term esmolol attenuates remodeling of the thoracic aorta in hypertensive rats by decreasing concentrations of ADMA down-regulated by oxidative stress.

Esmolol produces early regression of left ventricular hypertrophy and improves coronary artery remodeling, although the impact of short-term treatment with this beta-blocker on remodeling in large arteries has not yet been studied. We hypothesized that even a short (48h) course of esmolol might alter remodeling of the aorta in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). Fourteen-month-old male SHRs were treated intravenously with vehicle (SHR, n=8) or esmolol (SHR-E, n=8) (300μg/kg/min).

Maternal plasma antioxidant status in the first trimester of pregnancy and development of obstetric complications.

Introduction: Oxidative stress is present in pregnancy complications. However, it is unknown if early maternal antioxidant status could influence later development of complications. The use of assisted reproduction techniques (ART) is rising due to the delay of first pregnancy and there is scarce information on its influence on oxidative balance.

Prediction of fermentation index of cocoa beans (Theobroma cacao L.) based on color measurement and artificial neural networks.

Several procedures are currently used to assess fermentation index (FI) of cocoa beans (Theobroma cacao L.) for quality control. However, all of them present several drawbacks.

A novel high-throughput image based rapid Folin-Ciocalteau assay for assessment of reducing capacity in foods.

The aim of the presented work was to develop and validate a novel high-throughput rapid Folin-Ciocalteau assay for the quantification of reducing capacity of foods based on image scanner (Image-F-C assay). The original rapid F-C assay using a 96-well plate was improved by adding a neutralization step that stabilizes the formed color, enabling image acquisition using a flatbed scanner. Although the scanner has been already used in other analytical applications, no analysis has been reported regarding the effect of the scanner model, the plate orientation or the reaction volume.

Fetal undernutrition is associated with perinatal sex-dependent alterations in oxidative status.

Intrauterine growth retardation predisposes to hypertension development, known as fetal programming. Females are less susceptible, which has been mainly attributed to estrogen influence. We hypothesize that perinatal differences in oxidative status might also contribute.

Physical features, phenolic compounds, betalains and total antioxidant capacity of coloured quinoa seeds (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) from Peruvian Altiplano.

Physical features, bioactive compounds and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of coloured quinoa varieties (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) from Peruvian Altiplano were studied. Quinoa seeds did not show a pure red colour, but a mixture which corresponded to different fractal colour values (51.

A novel, micro, rapid and direct assay to assess total antioxidant capacity of solid foods.

A novel, micro, rapid and direct procedure to measure the total antioxidant capacity of solid foods using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (mR-QUENCHER-DPPH) was developed and validated. The mR-QUENCHER-DPPH assay was performed in semi-aqueous medium (methanol-Tris buffer) using very small sample amounts (below 3.6 µg), as estimated by a Bradford reagent-based chemical predictor, and it was completed in 10 min at room temperature.

Improved evaporative light scattering detection for carbohydrate analysis.

Optimization and validation of evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD), aided by response surface methodology (RSM), has been developed for the liquid chromatography analysis of a wide molecular weight (MW) range of carbohydrates, including polysaccharides and oligosaccharides. Optimal experimental parameters for the ELSD detection were: 88.8°C evaporator temperature, 77.

Development of albuminuria and enhancement of oxidative stress during chronic renin-angiotensin system suppression.

Objective: Albuminuria has been recently described in hypertensive patients under chronic renin-angiotensin system (RAS) suppression. We investigated whether this fact could be related to an increase in oxidative stress.

Methods: We examined normoalbuminuric and albuminuric patients in stage 2 chronic kidney disease, both with more than 2 years of RAS blockade.

Assessing non-digestible compounds in apple cultivars and their potential as modulators of obese faecal microbiota in vitro.

The health benefits of apple bioactive compounds have been extensively reported. However, only few studies have focused on bioactive compounds that are not absorbed and metabolised during gastrointestinal digestion and can induce changes in microbial populations of faeces. We have characterised Braeburn, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, McIntosh and Red Delicious cultivars and found significant differences for extractable phenolics (1.

Short-term esmolol improves coronary artery remodeling in spontaneously hypertensive rats through increased nitric oxide bioavailability and superoxide dismutase activity.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of short-term esmolol therapy on coronary artery structure and function and plasma oxidative stress in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). For this purpose, 14-month-old male SHR were treated for 48 hours with esmolol (SHR-E, 300  μ g/kg/min). Age-matched untreated male SHR and Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) were used as hypertensive and normotensive controls, respectively.

Imbalance between pro and anti-oxidant mechanisms in perivascular adipose tissue aggravates long-term high-fat diet-derived endothelial dysfunction.

Background: The hypothesis of this study is that long-term high-fat diets (HFD) induce perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) dysfunction characterized by a redox imbalance, which might contribute to aggravate endothelial dysfunction in obesity.

Methods And Results: C57BL/6J mice were fed either control or HFD (45% kcal from fat) for 32 weeks. Body weight, lumbar and mesenteric adipose tissue weights were significantly higher in HFD animals compared to controls.

Technical note: optimization of lactose quantification based on coupled enzymatic reactions.

A colorimetric microplate-adapted lactose assay was developed to quantify lactose in dairy products. The assay was based on the coupled enzymatic reaction of β-galactosidase-glucose oxidase-horseradish peroxidase using Amplex red as detection probe. The assay showed good linearity in the range of 0.