https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2019/NP/C8NP00092A

Marine natural products.

Cellulases and related enzymes in biotechnology

Phenolics in Food and Nutraceuticals is the first single-source compendium of essential information concerning food phenolics. This unique book reports the classification and nomenclature of phenolics, their occurrence in food and nutraceuticals, chemistry and applications, and nutritional and health effects. In addition, it describes antioxidant activity of phenolics in food and nutraceuticals as well as methods for analysis and quantification. Each chapter concludes with an extensive bibliography for further reading. Food scientists, nutritionists, chemists, biochemists, and health professionals will find this book valuable.

Phenolics in food and nutraceuticals

http://prairie-gold.com/news_releases/files/shukla_and_cheryan-zein_review_2001.pdf

Zein: the industrial protein from corn

A critical review of methods for characterisation of polyphenolic compounds in fruits and vegetables.

Lightly processed agricultural products present a special problem to the food industry and to scientists involved in postharvest and food technology research. Light or minimal processing includes cutting, slicing, coring, peeling, trimming, or sectioning of agricultural produce. These products have an active metabolism that can result in deteriorative changes, such as increased respiration and ethylene production. If not controlled, these changes can lead to rapid senescence and general deterioration of the product. In addition, the surface water activity of cut fruits and vegetables is generally quite high, inviting microbial attack, which further reduces product stability. Methods for control of these changes are numerous and can include the use of edible coatings. Also mentioned in this review are coating of nut products, and dried, dehydrated, and freeze-dried fruits. Technically, these are not considered to be minimally processed, but many of the problems and benefits of coating these products are similar to coating lightly processed products. Generally, the potential benefits of edible coatings for processed or lightly processed produce is to stabilize the product and thereby extend product shelf life. More specifically, coatings have the potential to reduce moisture loss, restrict oxygen entrance, lower respiration, retard ethylene production, seal in flavor volatiles, and carry additives that retard discoloration and microbial growth.

Use of edible coatings to preserve quality of lightly (and slightly) processed products

Watermelon is a rich natural source of lycopene, a carotenoid of great interest because of its antioxidant capacity and potential health benefits. Assessment of bioavailability of lycopene from foods has been limited to tomato products, in which heat processing promotes lycopene bioavailability. We examined the bioavailability of lycopene from fresh-frozen watermelon juice in a 19-wk crossover study. Healthy, nonsmoking adults (36-69 y) completed three 3-wk treatment periods, each with a controlled, weight-maintenance diet. Treatment periods were preceded by "washout" periods of 2-4 wk during which lycopene-rich foods were restricted. All 23 subjects consumed the W-20 (20.1 mg/d lycopene, 2.5 mg/d beta-carotene from watermelon juice) and C-0 treatments (controlled diet, no juice). As a third treatment, subjects consumed either the W-40 (40.2 mg/d lycopene, 5.0 mg/d beta-carotene from watermelon juice, n = 12) or T-20 treatment (18.4 mg/d lycopene, 0.6 mg/d beta-carotene from tomato juice, n = 10). After 3 wk of treatment, plasma lycopene concentrations for the W-20, W-40, T-20 and C-0 treatments were (least squares means +/- SEM) 1078 +/- 106, 1183 +/- 139, 960 +/- 117 and 272 +/- 27 nmol/L, respectively. Plasma concentrations of beta-carotene were significantly greater after W-20 (574 +/- 49 nmol/L) and W-40 (694 +/- 73 nmol/L) treatments than after the C-0 treatment (313 +/- 27 nmol/L). Plasma lycopene concentrations did not differ at wk 3 after W-20, W-40 and T-20 treatments, indicating that lycopene was bioavailable from both fresh-frozen watermelon juice and canned tomato juice, and that a dose-response effect was not apparent in plasma when the watermelon dose was doubled.

Consumption of Watermelon Juice Increases Plasma Concentrations of Lycopene and β-Carotene in Humans

Watermelon consumption increases plasma arginine concentrations in adults

The increased health consciousness of consumers, diminished food preparation times, and increased purchasing power have recently combined to increase the demand for minimally processed fruits and vegetables. Minimal or light processing of fruits and vegetables describes processing steps such as trimming, peeling, sectioning, slicing, and coring. According to some reports, 25% to 80% of harvested fresh fruits and vegetables may be lost due to spoilage worldwide (Wills et al., 1981). Lightly processed produce (LPP) has a greatly reduced shelf life compared to whole fruits and vegetables, in part due to the deteriorative physiological changes that occur in what is essentially wounded viable tissue. Edible coatings offer a possible method of extending postharvest storage life for this type of commodity. Fresh, minimally processed produce can be enrobed in these edible materials, providing a semipermeable barrier to gases and water vapor. Such coatings can reduce respiration and water loss, and be used as carriers of preservatives and antioxidants.

/pdf/edible-coatings-for-lightly-processed-fruits-and-vegetables-3rnx51rn62.pdf

Edible Coatings for Lightly Processed Fruits and Vegetables

Objective: Watermelon is a rich source of citrulline, an amino acid that can be metabolized to arginine, a conditionally essential amino acid for humans. Arginine is the nitrogenous substrate used in the synthesis of nitric oxide and plays an essential role in cardiovascular and immune functions. No detailed studies have been conducted to evaluate plasma arginine response in humans after long-term feeding of citrulline from natural plant sources. This study investigated if watermelon juice consumption increases fasting concentrations of plasma arginine, ornithine, and citrulline in healthy adult humans. Methods: Subjects (n 12-23/treatment) consumed a controlled diet and 0 (control), 780, or 1560 g of watermelon juice per day for 3 wk in a crossover design. The treatments provided 1 and 2 g of citrulline per day. Treatment periods were preceded by washout periods of 2 to 4 wk. Results: Compared with the baseline, fasting plasma arginine concentrations increased 12% after 3 wk of the lower-dose watermelon treatment; arginine and ornithine concentrations increased 22% and 18%, respectively, after 3 wk of the higher-dose watermelon treatment. Fasting citrulline concentrations did not increase relative to the control but remained stable throughout the study. Conclusion: The increased fasting plasma concentrations of arginine and ornithine and stable concentrations of plasma citrulline in response to watermelon juice consumption indicated that the citrulline from this plant origin was effectively converted into arginine. These results demonstrate that plasma concentration of arginine can be increased through intake of citrulline from watermelon. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Robert A. Baker

Papers

Use of edible coatings to preserve quality of lightly (and slightly) processed products

Consumption of Watermelon Juice Increases Plasma Concentrations of Lycopene and β-Carotene in Humans

Watermelon consumption increases plasma arginine concentrations in adults

Edible Coatings for Lightly Processed Fruits and Vegetables

Applied nutritional investigation Watermelon consumption increases plasma arginine concentrations in adults