Abstract Sea cucumbers belong to the Class Holothuroidea of marine invertebrates. They are commercially valuable and prized as a food and folk medicine in Asia. Nutritionally, sea cucumbers have an impressive profile ...Abstract Sea cucumbers belong to the Class Holothuroidea of marine invertebrates. They are commercially valuable and prized as a food and folk medicine in Asia. Nutritionally, sea cucumbers have an impressive profile of valuable nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and amino acids. A number of unique biological and pharmacological activities/properties, including anticancer, anticoagulant/antithrombotic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antihyperlipidemic, antihyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antihypertension and radioprotective, have been ascribed to various compounds isolated from sea cucumbers. The therapeutic properties and medicinal benefits of sea cucumbers can be linked to the presence of a wide array ofbioactives, especially triterpene glycosides, acid mucopolysaccharide, sphingoid bases, glycolipids, fucosylated chondroitin sulfate, polysaccharides, phospholipids, cerebrosides, phosphatidylcholines, and other extracts and hydrolysates. This review highlights the valuable bioactive components as well as the multiple therapeutic properties of sea cucumbers with a view to exploring their potential uses as functional foods and a natural source of new multifunctional drugs.展开更多
Consumption of functional foods with health promoting benefits and/or disease prevention has been on the increase globally. The study aimed at evaluating the potential of utilizing Kenyan orange fleshed sweet potato ...Consumption of functional foods with health promoting benefits and/or disease prevention has been on the increase globally. The study aimed at evaluating the potential of utilizing Kenyan orange fleshed sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas Lam.) for functional food production with aesthetics benefits. Purees from three different varieties of orange fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) were analyzed for nutritional, physicochemical and microbial quality, The findings of the study show that the three purees were all microbiologically safe and of near neutral pH, but differed significantly (P 〈 0.05) in nutrient content (dry matter content, 12.76-28.23%; crude fiber, 1.37-2.90% fresh weight basis (FWB); 13-carotene, 0.94-9.27 mg/100g dry weight basis (DWB); starch, 10.20-18.30% FWB & total sugar 27.08-31.76% DWB). The purees had attractive appearance (ranging from yellow to dark orange), with varying significantly different spectrophotometer hunters color scale (P 〈 0.05), and flow ability. Conclusions from the findings show great potential of utilizing the varying properties of OFSP puree to produce enriched functional food products such as probiotic/prebiotic dairy, beverages, bakery and baby foods.展开更多
The white mulberry (Morus alba L.) had been forgotten in Europe or known only as a plant associated with breeding of mulberry silkworms (Bombyx mori L.). The initial studies have shown great potential of this plan...The white mulberry (Morus alba L.) had been forgotten in Europe or known only as a plant associated with breeding of mulberry silkworms (Bombyx mori L.). The initial studies have shown great potential of this plant in energy, food and pharmaceutical industries. The leaves and fruits contain very valuable bioactive substances, which may be used in health care. Antioxidants of plant origin include flavonoids and vitamin C (ascorbic acid), and these substances are present in high amounts in anatomical parts of white mulberry. It has also been reported on the medicinal properties of this plant and its use in preventing diseases, such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity and cancer. The food industry increasingly uses the white mulberry in food to provide human organism with precious bioactive substances. Functional food, due to the presence in its composition of valuable components, is beneficial to human health. What is more, very fast growth of mulberry causes that biomass of the plant may be used as biofuel or energy plant. The aim of this paper is to present the possibility of using the white mulberry as a raw material for functional foods and as an energy plant.展开更多
文摘Abstract Sea cucumbers belong to the Class Holothuroidea of marine invertebrates. They are commercially valuable and prized as a food and folk medicine in Asia. Nutritionally, sea cucumbers have an impressive profile of valuable nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and amino acids. A number of unique biological and pharmacological activities/properties, including anticancer, anticoagulant/antithrombotic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antihyperlipidemic, antihyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antihypertension and radioprotective, have been ascribed to various compounds isolated from sea cucumbers. The therapeutic properties and medicinal benefits of sea cucumbers can be linked to the presence of a wide array ofbioactives, especially triterpene glycosides, acid mucopolysaccharide, sphingoid bases, glycolipids, fucosylated chondroitin sulfate, polysaccharides, phospholipids, cerebrosides, phosphatidylcholines, and other extracts and hydrolysates. This review highlights the valuable bioactive components as well as the multiple therapeutic properties of sea cucumbers with a view to exploring their potential uses as functional foods and a natural source of new multifunctional drugs.
文摘Consumption of functional foods with health promoting benefits and/or disease prevention has been on the increase globally. The study aimed at evaluating the potential of utilizing Kenyan orange fleshed sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas Lam.) for functional food production with aesthetics benefits. Purees from three different varieties of orange fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) were analyzed for nutritional, physicochemical and microbial quality, The findings of the study show that the three purees were all microbiologically safe and of near neutral pH, but differed significantly (P 〈 0.05) in nutrient content (dry matter content, 12.76-28.23%; crude fiber, 1.37-2.90% fresh weight basis (FWB); 13-carotene, 0.94-9.27 mg/100g dry weight basis (DWB); starch, 10.20-18.30% FWB & total sugar 27.08-31.76% DWB). The purees had attractive appearance (ranging from yellow to dark orange), with varying significantly different spectrophotometer hunters color scale (P 〈 0.05), and flow ability. Conclusions from the findings show great potential of utilizing the varying properties of OFSP puree to produce enriched functional food products such as probiotic/prebiotic dairy, beverages, bakery and baby foods.
文摘The white mulberry (Morus alba L.) had been forgotten in Europe or known only as a plant associated with breeding of mulberry silkworms (Bombyx mori L.). The initial studies have shown great potential of this plant in energy, food and pharmaceutical industries. The leaves and fruits contain very valuable bioactive substances, which may be used in health care. Antioxidants of plant origin include flavonoids and vitamin C (ascorbic acid), and these substances are present in high amounts in anatomical parts of white mulberry. It has also been reported on the medicinal properties of this plant and its use in preventing diseases, such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity and cancer. The food industry increasingly uses the white mulberry in food to provide human organism with precious bioactive substances. Functional food, due to the presence in its composition of valuable components, is beneficial to human health. What is more, very fast growth of mulberry causes that biomass of the plant may be used as biofuel or energy plant. The aim of this paper is to present the possibility of using the white mulberry as a raw material for functional foods and as an energy plant.