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Associations of plasma betaine, plasma choline, choline intake, and MTHFR polymorphism (rs1801133) with anthropometric parameters of healthy adults are sex‐dependent
AbstractBackgroundCholine and its metabolites apppear to have relationships with body mass index (BMI), body fat, and body weight, but the research results have proved inconsistent. We thus investigated the associations of plasma levels of trimethylamine N‐oxide (TMAO), choline, and betaine with anthropometric measurements, including modulatory effects of genetics and diet.MethodsThe study was performed on a group of 421 adults, aged 20–40 years, who had been recruited in Poland. Plasma concentrations of choline, betaine, and TMAO were determined using reverse‐phase ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry. The following polymorphisms were genotyped using TaqMan probes: rs180113 (MTHFR), rs70991108 (DHFR), rs2236225 (MTHFD1), and rs7946 and rs12325817 (PEMT). We employed multivariate linear regression to examine the associations between anthropometric measurements, one‐carbon metabolism metabolites, and genotypes.ResultsHigher plasma choline was associated with higher BMI (β = 0.17; p < 0.01), body weight (β = 0.11; p < 0.05), body fat mass (FM) (β = 0.10; p < 0.05), and waist circumference (WC) (β = 0.14; p < 0.01), whereas higher choline intake was associated with lower body FM (β = −0.14; p < 0.01) and lower WC (β = −0.12; p < 0.01). After stratification by sex, plasma betaine was found to be associated with lower BMI (β = −0.20; p < 0.05) and body weight (β = −0.16; p < 0.05) in men only, whereas choline intake was associated with lower body FM (β = −0.19; p < 0.05) and waist‐to‐hip ratio (WHR) (β = −0.19; p < 0.05) and MTHFR CC genotype was associated with WHR (β = 0.15; p < 0.05) in women only.ConclusionsHigher plasma betaine and higher dietary choline are associated with lower FM and body weight, whereas higher plasma choline is positively associated with body weight status and adiposity. Moreover, these associations appear to be sex‐specific.
Low-waste technology for the production of bioethanol from sorghum grain: Comparison of Zymomonas mobilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae in fermentation with stillage reusing
Grapefruit Extracts and Black Chokeberry Juice as Potential Antioxidant and Antifungal Agents for Carrot Seed Treatment
Grapefruit extracts and black chokeberry juice have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the effect of grapefruit-based preparations, Biosept Active and Citrogrep, and black chokeberry juice on the germination, vigor, and health of carrot seeds. The seeds of two cultivars were soaked for 30 min in 0.25% grapefruit-based preparations and in 5 and 25% chokeberry juice. Standard ISTA methods were used to evaluate seed germination and health. The chemical composition of the applied preparations and juice was analyzed with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The grapefruit-based preparations differed significantly in their chemical composition, qualitatively and quantitatively, but in both of them, flavanones and flavones prevailed. Biosept Active improved seed germination especially in the cultivar, which was characterized by a lower initial seed quality. The significant positive correlations between germination at the first and final counts, as well as the contents of flavanones and flavones, were identified in this cultivar. Moreover, the negative correlations between the percentages of diseased seedlings, dead seeds, the percentages of seed infested with Cladosporium spp., Epicoccum nigrum, Melanospora simplex, and Ulocladium spp., and the investigated compounds were found. Chokeberry juice, at the higher concentration, showed some antioxidant activity; however, it frequently stimulated the growth of the fungi.
Effect of Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) Extracts on the Physicochemical Properties of Wheat Starch Pastes and Gels Stored Under Refrigerated Conditions
The effect of UV-B irradiation on structural and functional properties of corn and potato starches and their components
Bioethanol production from sorghum grain with Zymomonas mobilis: increasing the yield and quality of raw distillates
AbstractBACKGROUNDThe present study aimed to demonstrate the superiority of bioethanol yield and its quality from sorghum using the granular starch degrading enzyme Stargen™ 002 over simultaneous saccharification and fermentation, and separate hydrolysis and fermentation using Zymomonas mobilis CCM 3881 and Ethanol Red® yeast.RESULTSBacteria were found to produce ethanol at higher yield than the yeast in all fermentations. The highest ethanol yield was obtained with Z. mobilis during 48 h of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (83.85% theoretical yield) and fermentation with Stargen™ 002 (81.27% theoretical yield). Pre‐liquefaction in fermentation with Stargen™ 002 did not improve ethanol yields for both Z. mobilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Chromatographic analysis showed twice less total volatile compounds in distillates obtained after bacterial (3.29–5.54 g L−1) than after yeast (7.84–9.75 g L−1) fermentations. Distillates obtained after bacterial fermentation were characterized by high level of aldehydes (up to 65% of total volatiles) and distillates obtained after yeast fermentation of higher alcohols (up to 95% of total volatiles). The process of fermentation using granular starch hydrolyzing enzyme cocktail Stargen™ 002 resulted in low amounts of all volatile compounds in distillates obtained after bacterial fermentation, but the highest amounts in distillates obtained after yeast fermentation.CONCLUSIONThe present study emphasizes the great potential of bioethanol production from sorghum with Z. mobilis using granular starch hydrolyzing enzyme Stargen™ 002, which leads to reduced water and energy consumption, especially when energy sources are strongly related to global climate change. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Testing Correlation in a Three-Level Model
AbstractIn this paper, we present a statistical approach to evaluate the relationship between variables observed in a two-factors experiment. We consider a three-level model with covariance structure $${\varvec{\Sigma }} \otimes {\varvec{\Psi }}_1 \otimes {\varvec{\Psi }}_2$$ Σ ⊗ Ψ 1 ⊗ Ψ 2 , where $${\varvec{\Sigma }}$$ Σ is an arbitrary positive definite covariance matrix, and $${\varvec{\Psi }}_1$$ Ψ 1 and $${\varvec{\Psi }}_2$$ Ψ 2 are both correlation matrices with a compound symmetric structure corresponding to two different factors. The Rao’s score test is used to test the hypotheses that observations grouped by one or two factors are uncorrelated. We analyze a fermentation process to illustrate the results. Supplementary materials accompanying this paper appear online.
Betaine and B12 Intake, Glutathione Concentration, and MTHFR, PEMT, and MTHFD1 Genotypes Are Associated with Diabetes-Related Parameters in Polish Adults
Lower plasma glutathione, choline, and betaine concentrations are associated with fatty liver in postmenopausal women
Insight into Rheological Properties and Structure of Native Waxy Starches: Cluster Analysis Grouping
Recent interest in the use of waxy starches in food production is due to the possibility of replacing chemically modified starches as texture-forming agents with native starch analogues. However, there is a lack of a coherent research comparing different varieties of commercially available waxy starches with respect to their molecular and functional properties. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare native waxy starches from potatoes, corn, and rice, with particular attention to rheological characteristics in relation to molecular structure. The investigated potato, corn, and rice starch preparations were characterized by significantly different molecular properties due to both botanical origin of starch and variety. The molecular weights of waxy starches were significantly higher than those of their normal counterparts. This phenomenon was accompanied by a more loose conformation of the waxy starch macromolecule in solution. The presence of amylose confers the ability to coagulate starch sol into gel, resulting in substantial changes in the rheological properties of starch paste, and waxy starch pastes being characterized by more viscous flow and smoother texture. Hierarchical cluster analysis indicated that differences between functional properties are more notable for normal than for waxy preparations, in which potato starch, regardless of its variety, was characterized by the most unique characteristics.
Diet, Trimethylamine Metabolism, and Mitochondrial DNA: An Observational Study
ScopeMitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) and its methylation level in the D‐loop area have been correlated with metabolic health and are suggested to vary in response to environmental stimuli, including diet. Circulating levels of trimethylamine‐n‐oxide (TMAO), which is an oxidative derivative of the trimethylamine (TMA) produced by the gut microbiome from dietary precursors, have been associated with chronic diseases and are suggested to have an impact on mitochondrial dynamics. This study is aimed to investigate the relationship between diet, TMA, TMAO, and mtDNAcn, as well as DNA methylation.Methods and resultsTwo hundred subjects with extreme (healthy and unhealthy) dietary patterns are recruited. Dietary records are collected to assess their nutrient intake and diets’ quality (Healthy Eating Index). Blood levels of TMA and TMAO, circulating levels of TMA precursors and their dietary intakes are measured. MtDNAcn, nuclear DNA methylation long interspersed nuclear element 1 (LINE‐1), and strand‐specific D‐loop methylation levels are assessed. There is no association between dietary patterns and mtDNAcn. The TMAO/TMA ratio is negatively correlated with d‐loop methylation levels but positively with mtDNAcn.ConclusionsThese findings suggest a potential association between TMA metabolism and mitochondrial dynamics (and mtDNA), indicating a new avenue for further research.
Insight into Oil-in-Water Emulsions Stabilized by Cross-Linked and Pregelatinized Starches: The Effect of Molecular Structure, Surface Activity and Proton Molecular Dynamics
Changes in the Content of Dietary Fiber, Flavonoids, and Phenolic Acids in the Morphological Parts of Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn Under Drought Stress
Background: Tartary buckwheat is a plant recognized for its resistance to various environmental stresses. Due to its valuable source of phenolic compounds, Fagopyrum tataricum is also characterized as a medicinal plant; therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the drought stress for the levels of phenolic compounds in the morphological parts of the plant. Methods: This experiment was conducted in 7 L pots under laboratory conditions. Phenolic compounds were identified using a UHPLC–MS chromatography system. Antioxidant activity was assessed using well-known methods, including the DPPH scavenging activity and ferrous ion chelating activity. Results: In Tartary buckwheat leaves, stems, seeds, and husks, 57 phenolic compounds were identified, with a predominance of quercetin 3-rutinoside, quercetin, kaempferol-3-rutinoside, kaempferol, and derivatives of coumaric acid. It was observed that the Tartary buckwheat samples subjected to drought stress exhibited a slight decrease in the majority of individual phenolic compounds. Conclusions: The measurement of biological parameters indicated that plant regeneration after drought stress demonstrated a rapid recovery, which can be a positive response to the progression of climate changes.
Impact of Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa L.) Extracts on the Physicochemical Properties of Wheat Bread
Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa L.) is a valuable raw material rich in health-promoting compounds, including anthocyanins, making it an excellent ingredient in food such as bread. In this research, water in the bread recipe was substituted with chokeberry extract (ChE). Dried chokeberry powder was used to obtain extracts with 0 and 7.5 °Brix content. Two types of water chokeberry extracts (0 and 7.5 °Brix ChE) were applied in the wheat bread recipe with doses of 10, 15, 20, and 30% (m/m), replacing water, respectively. The obtained chokeberry extract contributed to the enrichment of the bread in total polyphenol content and the antioxidant capacity. The control bread sample (i.e., without the extract) had a total polyphenol content (TPC) of 25.706 mgGAE/100 g, while the bread samples with the extract had TPC values ranging from 29.037 to 45.282 mgGAE/100 g. At the same time, adding chokeberry extract to the bread matrix contributed to increasing the antioxidant capacity. Bread with ChE was characterized by the same dough yield and loaf volume of bread compared to the control sample, but with changed oven loss, total baking loss, bread yield, specific volume, bread acidity and porosity of the crumb. However, there was no statistically significant effect on the chewiness and cohesiveness of the crumb in the sample texture (α = 0.05). A small effect of anthocyanins on the color of bread was observed, and sugars played the dominant role in the tested samples. Chokeberry in the form of an aqueous extract added to wheat bread can be an excellent ingredient in bread, fulfilling both a nutritional and technological function in the design of functional foods.
The Effect of Chemical Modification on the Rheological Properties and Structure of Food Grade Modified Starches
Starch in its pure form can be used as a functional component of numerous food products; however, much better results both in terms of technological and economical aspects are obtained with the use of modified starches. The aim of the work was to establish how chemical modification affects the molecular structure of potato starch and, as a consequence, its rheological properties as well as texture forming ability. Commercial food-grade potato starch preparations oxidized starch, acetylated starch, distarch phosphate, acetylated distarch phosphate and acetylated distarch adipate were the investigated material. The experimental methods included: viscographic analysis of pasting properties, flow rheometry, texture profile analysis, size exclusion chromatography with triple detection. The obtained data were further analyzed employing principal component and hierarchical cluster analysis. It was found that chemical modification leads to substantial changes in the molecular and functional properties of starch products. Oxidation process leads to depolymerization, which causes a substantial decrease in viscosity. Acetylation results mostly in stabilization of rheological properties during thermal processing. Crosslinking of starch leads to an improvement in thickening capabilities, while the type of crosslinking agent used for modification has a secondary effect. Sterilization of all types of modified potato starch pastes leads only to minor changes in their texture and rheological properties.
Betaine supplementation modulates betaine concentration by methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase genotype, but has no effect on amino acid profile in healthy active males: A randomized placebo-controlled cross-over study
From grain to products: How processing technologies modulate bioactive compounds in triticale-based products
Green Oxidation of Starch Using Ozone: A Comparative Study on Rheological Properties
Pea starch, often obtained as a by-product of pea protein isolation, is increasingly available and economically attractive. Consequently, the industry is seeking new applications of pea starch, both in its native and modified forms. This paper highlights the topic of pea and potato starch oxidation with ozone in aqueous suspension and evaluates the effect of process time, retention volume and solids content on pasting, texture, and flow behavior, benchmarking against a commercial hypochlorite-oxidized product. Moreover, obtained preparations were studied for their molecular mass distribution and hydrodynamic parameters. It was found that the oxidation of both potato and pea starch with ozone in an aqueous suspension is an effective method of obtaining this type of starch preparations. The extent of modification was dependent on all variables considered in the research. The depolymerization of both starch varieties progressed gradually, but the oxidation effects were more noticeable for potato starch compared to pea starch, which was found to be related to the gelling characteristic of those preparations.
