Infant formulations are enriched with vegetable oils that confer not only calories, but also peculiar chemical attributes. Vegetable oils are particularly rich in phytosterols, a class of triterpene molecules analogous to cholesterol, but with different and largely unknown biological effects. The preparation and sterilization of infant formula provide opportune physicochemical conditions for oxidative reactions to occur. Oxidation of phytosterols during the preparation of infant formula can led to oxidized derivatives, known as phytosterol oxidation products [POPs], which harmful effects can be exacerbated given the wide variety of infant formulas characterized by their exclusivity of milk surrogates, required to fulfill specific needs in the nutritional development of a baby. In this review, the state-of-the-art regarding phytosterols and their presence in infant formulation is revised, stressing the need of further investigation in the field of food processing. Reconsidering infant formula manufacturing in the context of phytosterols oxidation will lead to several opportunities for food engineers and technologists in the food safety. Practical applicationsPhytosterols are plant-based bioactive lipids with health benefits. Therefore, they have been implemented as a supplement in infant formula through the addition of vegetable oils. Processing, packaging, and storage contribute to the oxidative process of these compounds. A surveillance of the entire food chain is needed to reduce the oxidative load in the final product.

A healthy lifestyle includes fruits and vegetables consumption. Tomato is one of the most consumed vegetables, although it is susceptible to physical damage through postharvest handling, thus leading to important losses. Softening is an important variable during tomato ripening; excessive softening is undesirable and leads to postharvest losses. TomloxB plays an important role in ripening, mainly in the loss of cellular integrity caused by fatty acids released from the lipid matrix of membranes that initiate oxidative deterioration, which is in turn carried into senescence. In order to increase postharvest life, we produced transgenic tomato plants via Rhizobium radiobacter with tomato lipoxygenase B (TomloxB) antisense constructs under control of the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter. Lipoxygenase activity and firmness were measured in tomato fruit and the fatty acids profile was determined. Transgenic fruits were maintained for 40 days at room temperature in optimal conditions, whereas wild type fruits remained in similar conditions for only six days. Firmness in pink and red stages was significantly lower in wild type fruits than in two transgenic lines. Linolenic acid was the most important fatty acid consumed by lipoxygenase in both turning and pink stages of ripening. Lipoxygenase activity was smaller in transformed fruits in comparison with the wild type. These results suggest that silencing the TomloxB gene promoted significant changes in the physiology of transformed tomatoes, being the increase in postharvest life the most important.

Research background. TomloxB is the main isoform of lipoxygenase associated with ripening and senescence of fruits. On the other hand, ethylene, a gaseous hormone, is essential for the regulation of ripening in climacteric fruits like tomatoes. However, the relationship between TomloxB and ethylene production has not been thoroughly studied. Therefore, we aim to assess the effect of exogenous ethylene in transgenic tomatoes that contain a silenced TomloxB gene, and subsequently evaluate lipoxygenase activity, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase and ethylene production; as well as to quantify the expression of the genes encoding 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase and TomloxB.Experimental approach. To investigate the effect of lipoxygenase and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase activity, fruits harvested at the stages of break, turning and pink were used. Tomatoes at break stage collected from transgenic and wild type plants were used to determine ethylene production and gene expression. Genetically modified and wild type tomato fruits were exposed to 100 μL/L exogenous ethylene. Lipoxygenase activity was measured spectrophotometrically. Activity of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase and ethylene production were determined by gas chromatography. Oligonucleotides for differentially expressed genes: 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase and TomloxB were used to determine gene expression by real-time PCR.Results and conclusions. The data showed that silencing of TomloxB caused a reduction in lipoxygenase activity and ethylene production in tomato fruits, and also reduced 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase activity. Hence, the addition of exogenous ethylene increased lipoxygenase activity in all treatments and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase activity only in transgenic lines at break stage, consequently there was a positive regulation between TomloxB and ethylene, as increasing the amount of ethylene increased the activity of lipoxygenase. The results suggest that lipoxygenase may be a regulator of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase and production of ethylene at break stage.Novelty and scientific contribution. These results lead to a better understanding of the metabolic contribution of TomloxB in fruit ripening and how it is linked to the senescence-related process, which can lead to a longer shelf life of fruits. Understanding this relationship between lipoxygenase and ethylene can be useful for better post-harvest handling of tomatoes.

Integration of multiple data sets in agricultural and food practices is critical for decision making, particularly if it affects product qualitative characteristics that influence decisions of producers and consumers about production strategies and purchases. Herein, we apply multidimensional data analysis to evaluate the grape chemical composition obtained via high-resolution metabolomics and vine growth characteristics following the application of early leaf removal (ELR), a canopy management technique implemented in cool climate viticulture. The application of discriminant analysis using a supervised PLS (sPLS-DA) algorithm along with multivariate analysis of variance reveals that ELR enhanced the concentration of several secondary metabolites, without compromising other berry attributes that are pivotal for the vinification process, such as sugar content. Overall, this study paves the way for highly effective integrated strategies (metabolomics and agricultural practices) that link laboratory analysis with vineyard management decisions.

Background: Cancer is one of the main causes of death by disease; several alternative treatments have been developed to counteract this condition. Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), extracted from the rhizome of Curcuma longa, has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties; however, it has low water solubility and poor intestinal absorption. Carrier systems, such as nanoemulsions, can increase the bioavailability of lipophilic bioactive compounds. Objective: To evaluate the effect of curcumin nanoemulsions prepared with lecithin modified with medium-chain fatty acids as an emulsifier, on the expression of the Cdk4, Ccne2, Casp8 and Cldn4 genes involved in the carcinogenesis process in K14E6 transgenic mice. Methods: The emulsifier was prepared by interesterification of medium-chain fatty acids, pure lecithin, and immobilized phospholipase-1 on Duolite A568. An Ultraturrax homogenizer and a Branson Ultrasonic processor were used for the preparation of nano-emulsions, and a Zetasizer evaluated the particle size. qRT-PCR analysis was performed to quantify the cancer-related genes expressed in the K14E6 mice. The development and evolution of skin carcinogenesis were assessed through histological analysis to compare cell morphology. Results: Ca 59% of the MCFA were incorporated via esterification into the PC within 12 hours of the reaction. An emulsifier yield used to formulate the NE of 86% was achieved. Nanoemulsions with a particle size of 44 nm were obtained. The curcumin nano-emulsion group had a 91.81% decrease in the tumorigenesis index and a reduction in tumor area of 89.95% compared to the sick group. Histological analysis showed that the group administered with free curcumin developed a microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma, as opposed to the group with nanoemulsion which presented only a slight inflammation. In gene expression, only a significant difference in Cdk4 was observed in the nanoemulsion group.

INTRODUCTION Medium chain fatty acids MCFAs are recognized for their health benefits. They are used in enteral and parenteral nutrition for a series of medical conditions of patients suffering low absorption of fats, poor digestion, and metabolic difficulties related to cystic fibrosis, Crohn s disease, colitis and enteritis 1, 2. MCFAs with 6 to 14 carbons are of high interest for green chemistry due to their lathering and low-viscosity properties. They are widely used in detergents and lubricants. After esterification with alcohol, they can also be used as emulsifiers for foods and cosmetics, solvents for flavours, surface treatment of food products and as well as readily digestible fat in high-energy diets 3. In lipid research, thin layer chromatography TLC is commonly used for a rapid lipid fractionation and fatty acids profile characterizations. Nowadays, TLC constitutes a basic tool for modern analytical chemistry because of its

Alternative therapies for cancer treatment have been developed using bioactive compounds such as betulinic acid (BA). The objective of this study was to investigate the bioactivity of BA in its free form and compare it with its nano-encapsulated form under a skin carcinogenesis protocol in a genetically modified murine model. K14E6 and FVB mice were divided into four groups to be treated with free BA and with betulinic acid nanoemulsion (BANE). Lecithin enriched with medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) was employed as an emulsifier to prepare the nanoemulsions with a mean droplet size of 40 nm. Skin tumors were induced by exposure to DMBA and TPA directly to the transgenic mice. Tumor development was completely inhibited by BANE and by 70% with free BA. This was validated by histological sections and the gene expression of the Cdk4 and Casp8 genes.

Integration of multiple data set in agricultural and food practices is critical for decision-making, particularly if affecting product qualitative characteristics that influence producers and consumers decisions on production strategies and purchases. Herein, we apply a multidimensional data analysis to evaluate grape chemical composition obtained via high-resolution metabolomics and vine growth characteristics following the application of early leaf-removal (ELR), a canopy management technique implemented in cool climate viticulture. The application of discriminant analysis using a supervised PLS (sPLS-DA) algorithm along with MANOVA reveals that ELR enhanced the concentration of several secondary metabolites, without compromising other berry attributes pivotal for the vinification process, such as sugar content. Overall, this study paves the way for highly effective integrated strategies (metabolomics and agricultural practices) that link laboratory analysis with vineyard management decisions.