Carotenoids are one of the major food micronutrients in human diets and the overall objective of this review is to re-examine the role of carotenoids in human nutrition. We have emphasized the attention on the following carotenoids present in food and human tissues: beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, alpha-carotene, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin; we have reported the major food sources and dietary intake of these compounds. We have tried to summarize positive and negative effects of food processing, storage, cooking on carotenoid content and carotenoid bioavailability. In particular, we have evidenced the possibility to improve carotenoids bioavailability in accordance with changes and variations of technology procedures.

Chokeberries (Aronia melanocarpa) are nowadays believed to exhibit potential cardioprotective and antidiabetic effects principally due to their high content in bioactive phenolic compounds. The stability of the phenolic compounds was studied during different stages of a juice production line and a method for the valorization of pomace was evaluated. Samples were taken from a commercial juice production plant, extracted and analyzed for phenolic constituents and antioxidant potential. Prototypes of functional food ingredients were produced from the pomace by wet milling and micro-milling. Alongside juice processing, the contents of phenolic berry constituents did not vary to a great extent and the overall antioxidant activity increased by about 34%. A high quality juice and a by-product still rich in polyphenols resulted from the process. The phenolic compounds content and the overall antioxidant activity remained stable when milling and micro-milling the pomace. During coarse milling, extractability of total phenolic compounds increased significantly (40% to 50%). Nanosized materials with averaged particle sizes (x 50,0 ) of about 90 nm were obtained by micro-milling. These materials showed significantly enhanced extractability of total phenolic compounds (25%) and total phenolic acid (30%), as well as antioxidant activity (35%), with unchanged contents of total procyanidins and anthocyanins contents. OPEN ACCESSAgriculture 2012, 2 245

Ferulic acid (FA) and tocopherol (Toc) loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) were prepared by a hot homogenisation method. The particle size distribution, zeta potential and melting behaviour of the SLN as well as the stability, encapsulation efficiency and radical scavenging activity of FA and Toc in the SLN were analysed. The different formulations containing up to 2.8 mg g−1 of FA or Toc were stable during at least 15 weeks of storage at room temperature. Despite partial degradation and / or release of FA and Toc during storage, significant radical scavenging activity was maintained. DSC measurements and radical scavenging tests after different time periods revealed that the re-structuring of the lipid matrix was connected to the enhanced antioxidant activity of Toc but did not affect the activity of FA.

The development of engineered nanometre sized materials (ENM) produced with food-grade ingredients and designed as delivery systems for organic and inorganic materials has gained increasing interest. The major reason for this trend is the aim to overcome problems associated with the low bioavailability of many bioactive compounds (BC) which are usually claimed to benefit human health. In this review, outcomes of studies investigating the potential bioavailability enhancement of BC using ENM as delivery systems are summarised and discussed. It focuses on in vitro and in vivo studies carried out with ENM produced with food-grade materials and designed for the delivery of vitamins, other secondary plant metabolites and minerals. Furthermore, the physical and physicochemical aspects governing the preparation of the systems, the loading of the BC, the stability of the delivery systems in food applications and finally the release of the BC in the gastrointestinal tract are also considered. The mechanisms leading to an enhanced bioavailability are based on (i) improved solubility of the BC under gastrointestinal conditions, (ii) the protection of the BC from the chemical conditions in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), (iii) the controlled release within the GIT or (iv) an improved transfer through the intestinal wall. The main outcome of the review is that particle size, surface properties and physical state of the ENM are key parameters to be controlled aiming at an enhanced nutritional value of food materials. Furthermore, the bioavailability classification scheme (BCS) can help to understand the efficacy of different ENM for the delivery of specific BC.

Eggerthella and Slackia spp. are gut associated bacteria that have been suggested to play roles in host lipid and xenobiotic metabolism. A quantitative PCR method for the selective enumeration of bacteria belonging to either the genus Eggerthella or Slackia was developed in order to establish the numbers of these bacteria occurring in human feces. The primers developed for selective amplification of these genera were tested first in conventional PCR to test for their specificity. Representative species of Eggerthella and Slackia, as well as closely related genera of the Coriobacteriia, were included in the investigation. The selected primers were shown to be capable of specific amplification of species of the genera Eggerthella and Slackia, but not all species of the genera may be amplified by the respective primers. Their use in qPCR experiments to assess the levels of Slackia equolifaciens and Eggerthella lenta in the feces of 19 human volunteers showed they occurred at mean counts of 7 × 105 and 3.1 × 105 CFU/g for Eggerthella spp. and Slackia spp., respectively. Electron microscopy investigations showed that while E. lenta cells exhibited slender and very regular shaped rods, Slackia cells showed a remarkably pleomorphic phenotype. Both species did not appear to have fimbriae or pili. Some S. equolifaciens cells showed a characteristic “ribbon” of presumably extracellular material around the cells, particularly at the areas of cell division. The two species also differed markedly in their adhesion behavior to Caco-2 cells in cell culture, as E. lenta DSMZ 15644 showed a high adhesion capacity of 74.2% adherence of the bacterial cells added to Caco-2 cells, while S. equolifaciens DSM 24851T on the other hand showed only low adhesion capability, as 6.1% of bacterial cells remained bound. Speculatively, this may imply that the ecological compartments where these bacteria reside in the gut may be different, i.e., E. lenta may be associated more with the gut wall, while Slackia may be free living in the lumen.