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Given the high incidence of diet-related diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cancer, there is a growing need to explore new strategies for their prevention. Although polyphenols are known to reduce starch digestibility and lower the in vitro glycemic index, their antioxidant capacity and cytotoxic properties, when complexed with starches, remain underexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the antioxidant activity, total polyphenol content, and cytotoxic potential of polyphenol–starch complexes formed using common dietary polyphenols—(+)-catechin, epigallocatechin gallate, hesperidin, naringenin, trans-ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, quercetin, and kaempferol—and widely consumed starches from wheat, rice, potato, and maize. Antioxidant activity (FRAP and DPPH) together with the total polyphenols content (Folin–Ciocalteu) were tested: (1) before (undigested) enzymatic hydrolysis of the tested sample; (2) after (digested) enzymatic hydrolysis of the tested sample and (3) after hydrolysis of the sample and its centrifugation (supernatant). Cytotoxicity against colon cancer (Caco-2, HT29) and normal colon (CCD 841CoN) cell lines were determined in vitro by the MTT method. In undigested samples, the highest antioxidant activity was obtained with the addition of quercetin to wheat, rice, and maize starch (6735.8 µmol Fe2+/g d.m., 678.8, 539.4 µmol Trolox/g d.m., respectively), and epigallocatechin gallate to wheat, rice, potato, and maize starch (692.1, 538.0, 625.8, 573.6 µmol Trolox/g d.m., respectively). In digested samples, the highest antioxidant activity was obtained with the addition of quercetin to wheat and rice starch (2104.5 µmol Fe2+/g d.m., 742.1 µmol Trolox/g d.m., respectively). In the case of the natant of the digested samples, the highest value was recorded for the addition of (+)-catechin to potato starch and trans-ferulic acid to maize starch (823.7 µmol Fe2+/g d.m., 245.1 µmol Trolox/g d.m., respectively). The addition of quercetin to wheat and rice starch and (+)-catechin to potato starch (0.239, 0.151, 0.085 g gallic acid/g d.m., respectively) resulted in the highest total polyphenol content. Furthermore, quercetin demonstrated the most significant level of cytotoxic activity against the tumor cell line Caco-2 (IC50 = 275.6 µg/mL; potato starch). Overall, quercetin was identified as the most significant or one of the most significant for all parameters evaluated.

With the global population projected to reach nine billion by 2050, the search for alternative protein sources has become critical. This study evaluated the digestibility of cricket protein powder compared with that of whey protein powder. Cricket protein powder had a slightly lower protein content but higher fat content than whey protein powder. Although both contained all essential amino acids, their quantities varied. The most abundant essential amino acid was leucine in both samples. The essential amino acid index (EAAI) for cricket protein powder reached 79% when utilising crude protein for calculation. When using the amino acid sum calculation method, it increased by nearly 13%. The EAAI for whey protein was then 94% when calculated based on crude protein, with a slight increase observed when using the amino acid sum calculation method. Cricket protein exhibited a gradual increase in digestibility during intestinal digestion, reaching nearly 80%, whereas whey protein digestibility surpassed 97%. Despite the lower digestibility of cricket protein compared with whey protein, it remains sufficiently high for consideration as a valuable protein source. This study highlights the potential of cricket proteins and underscores the importance of assessing their protein content and digestibility in evaluating their nutritional value.

Small pelagic fish, such as sardines and sprats, are an affordable and nutritionally rich source of omega-3 fatty acids and bioactive peptides. While their nutritional value is well established, the impact of standard household cooking methods on their immunomodulatory potential and effects on intestinal integrity remains poorly understood. Fish were prepared using five culinary techniques (raw, boiled, steamed, baked, and fried), digested via the INFOGEST protocol, and applied at 1% concentration in a Caco-2 co-culture model combined with lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. NO and TNF-α production, and epithelial permeability were assessed. Steamed sardines induced the highest NO levels (122%) in activated macrophages, while raw sardines inhibited NO production (73%). Baked sardines and raw sprats triggered higher TNF-α production (>400 pg/mL). Boiled sardines and baked sprats caused the strongest disruption of epithelial permeability (>13%), whereas steamed sardines and raw sprats preserved barrier integrity (<11%). Notably, digested baked and fried fish preserved suppressive effects on NO and TNF-α even after translocation across the epithelial layer. Culinary processing significantly modulates the bioactivity of fish. In general comparison, steaming is gentler than dry heat cooking methods, as it better preserves anti-inflammatory effects and barrier-promoting properties. These findings highlight the relevance of cooking practices in modulating the functional benefits of fish consumption.

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of widely grown fruits (wild roses, elderberries, sea buckthorns, rowans, chokeberries, and hawthorns) as a functional ingredient in wheat-flour cookie formulation on antioxidative properties with a simultaneous reduction of the carcinogen-like compound acrylamide. The organoleptic features of the cookies were assessed by a panel of consumers. The following parameters were measured: chemical composition, total polyphenols, polyphenolic profile, antioxidant activity, and acrylamide content. The overall ratings of the tested cookies with the addition of chokeberries, hawthorns, sea buckthorns, and elderberries were more than satisfactory, while wild rose and rowan cookies were the most widely accepted and best rated by the panelists. The antioxidant activity of the tested cookies was 1.1–15.22 μmol trolox·g−1 dm and 2.46–26.12 μmol Fe (II)·g−1 dm as measured by the ABTS and FRAP methods, respectively. All the fruit-enriched cookies had significantly higher antioxidative properties (p < 0.05) in comparison to the control cookies, but among the fruit-enriched cookies, there were differences in the quality and quantity of particular polyphenols. The acrylamide content was significantly decreased by 59% (hawthorn), 71% (rowan), 87% (wild rose), 89% (sea buckthorn), 91% (elderberry), and 94% (chokeberry) compared with the control cookies (p < 0.05). Cookies enriched with wild-grown fruits could constitute a promising novel snack food.

Nutrition is an influential determinant of the risk of present-day metabolic diseases. Raspberries (Rubus idaeus L.) are extraordinary berries with a high nutritional and bioactive component complex. They have a number of major essential minerals and trace elements as well as dietary fibre and other important constituents. This study aimed to analyse and compare raspberry fruits and leaves originated from organic versus conventional agricultural practices and wild grown for the contents of basic composition (water, crude fat, total protein, ash, digestible carbohydrates and dietary fibre) and selected minerals (calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, sulphur, selenium, barium, lithium, and beryl) as well as selected antioxidant properties (total polyphenols, total carotenoids, anthocyanin content, and antioxidant activity by methods of ABTS and FRAP). This study was carried out regardless of climatic and agro-technical factors and was of a more consumer-oriented nature, in order to recognize the diversity of raspberry fruits and leaves from more or less monitored crops. The basic composition, mineral content and selected antioxidative properties of raspberry fruits and leaves are fundamentally different. Raspberry fruits have a lower content of protein and ash, and higher levels of dietary fibre and carbohydrates in comparison to fruits. The biggest difference is the amount of protein, whose content in leaves is two to three times higher versus fruits. Raspberry leaves have been found to have a higher mineral content than raspberry fruits and were characterized by up to five times the amount of total polyphenols, with respect to raspberry fruit, regardless of source. The content of total carotenoids was found in some cases to be 100 times higher in raspberry leaves, in comparison to fruit, regardless of origin. It has not been definitely identified, both for raspberry fruits and leaves, which method of growing is the most advantageous in terms of levels of basic nutrients, selected minerals and antioxidant properties.

The number of deaths due to malignant neoplasms is increasing year by year. For this reason, new ways of preventing them and supporting treatment are being sought. One of them is adding plant extracts to food to increase its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancerogenic activity. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of different wild-grown fruits (chokeberry, elderberry, hawthorn and sea-buckthorn) added to wheat-flour cookies on the proliferation of: (i) normal BJ lines (fibroblasts); (ii) tumor cells of the MCF-7 (breast cancer) and (iii) WM793 (melanoma) lines. Methanol-acetone extracts were prepared from previously baked wheat-flour cookies fortified with fruits in order to use them in the further part of the research to prepare mixtures with concentrations of 0.5 mg/mL; 1 mg/mL; 1.5 mg/mL; 2.5 mg/mL. The viability and cytotoxicity of normal and neoplastic cells was examined. It was observed that the WM793 melanoma tumor line appeared to be more susceptible to the action of the tested extracts with the addition of selected wild-grown fruits compared to MCF7 breast cancer cells. Moreover, the greatest significant effect on the inhibition of WM793 cells among extracts with a concentration of 2.5 mg/mL was proved in the case of sea-buckthorn (p < 0.05). In terms of the inhibition of the MCF7 line, the effect was proved only in the case of sea buckthorn (p < 0.05), while the viability of these neoplastic cells was at most affected by elderberry and chokeberry extracts (p < 0.05).

This study compared different methods of determining starch digestibility (in vivo vs in vitro) in wheat grains and evaluated the influence of extrusion on digestibility. In vivo starch digestibility was determined in broiler chickens by calculating the residual starch content in their ilea and the digestibility using a chromium oxide indicator. In vitro digestibility was examined using pepsin and pancreatin. During in vivo testing, the highest digestibility coefficient (DC) was achieved by the Bonanza variety in its extruded form (91.19 ± 0.40%). In contrast, the lowest DC was achieved by the Tobak variety in its non-extruded form (81.45 ± 1.92%). Generally, a higher DC was observed in vivo for extruded forms of wheat. During in vitro testing, the highest DC was achieved by the Stefii variety in its non-extruded form (96.10 ± 0.55%), whereas the lowest DC was observed in the Yetti variety in its extruded form (49.72 ± 0.41%). Overall, the in vitro experiments did not exhibit significant differences between extruded and non-extruded forms of wheat. Linear regression analysis showed a strong relationship (r2 = 0.860; 85.98%) between in vivo- and in vitro-derived DC values in all wheat varieties, both in extruded and non-extruded forms. The study showed that in vivo testing is a suitable method for the determination and control of starch levels in extruded materials. However, despite the accuracy of this technique, it is also very demanding in terms of time, space, equipment, and methodological knowledge. Therefore, based on the strong correlation between the in vivo and in vitro assays, we recommend in vitro digestibility testing as a preferable alternative.

In this study, a new broth macrodilution volatilization method for the simple and rapid determination of the antibacterial effect of volatile agents simultaneously in the liquid and vapor phase was designed with the aim to assess their therapeutic potential for the development of new inhalation preparations. The antibacterial activity of plant volatiles (β-thujaplicin, thymohydroquinone, thymoquinone) was evaluated against bacteria associated with respiratory infections (Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes) and their cytotoxicity was determined using a modified thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide assay against normal lung fibroblasts. Thymohydroquinone and thymoquinone possessed the highest antibacterial activity against H. influenzae, with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 4 and 8 µg/mL in the liquid and vapor phases, respectively. Although all compounds exhibited cytotoxic effects on lung cells, therapeutic indices (TIs) suggested their potential use in the treatment of respiratory infections, which was especially evident for thymohydroquinone (TI > 34.13). The results demonstrate the applicability of the broth macrodilution volatilization assay, which combines the principles of broth microdilution volatilization and standard broth macrodilution methods. This assay enables rapid, simple, cost- and labor-effective screening of volatile compounds and overcomes the limitations of assays currently used for screening of antimicrobial activity in the vapor phase.

Fish are a valuable source of high-quality protein and essential nutrients, making them an integral component of a healthy diet. However, protein digestibility, influenced by preparation methods, is a critical factor in assessing nutritional quality. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of various thermal processing methods on the protein digestibility of two commonly consumed small pelagic fish species: sardines (Sardina pilchardus) and sprats (Sprattus sprattus). Protein digestibility was assessed using two complementary approaches: total protein digestibility and the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS). Fish samples were subjected to different cooking methods, including boiling, steaming, baking, and frying. All thermal treatments enhanced protein digestibility compared to raw fish. Fried samples exhibited the highest total protein digestibility, with sardines reaching 92.4 ± 4.3% and sprats reaching 89.5 ± 4.4%. DIAAS values corroborated these findings, indicating superior protein quality in fried fish. While frying yielded the highest digestibility scores, steaming and boiling provided a favourable balance between improved protein quality and lower potential health risks, with baking achieving comparable results.

The unicellular green microalga Dunaliella is a potential source of a wide range of nutritionally important compounds applicable to the food industry. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of Dunaliella salina dried biomass on the growth and adherence of 10 strains of Lactobacillus, Lacticaseibacillus, and Bifidobacterium. The immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and cytotoxic effects of D. salina on human peripheral mononuclear cells and simulated intestinal epithelial cell lines Caco-2 and HT-29 were evaluated. Furthermore, the hypocholesterolemic effects of the microalgae on lipid metabolism in rats fed a high-fat diet were analyzed. The addition of D. salina biomass had a positive effect on the growth of nine out of 10 probiotics and promoted the adherence of three bifidobacteria strains to human cell lines. The antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties of D. salina were concentration-dependent. The inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) were significantly increased following Dunaliella stimulation at the lowest concentration (0.5% w/v). Eight week supplementation of D. salina to the diet of hypercholesteromic rats significantly decreased the serum concentrations of LDL-C, VLDL, IDL-B, and IDL-C. D. salina is not cytotoxic in intestinal cell models; it promotes adherence of selected bifidobacteria, it affords immunomodulatory and antioxidant effects, and its addition to diets may help decrease atherosclerosis risk factors.