Antioxidants are important ingredients that are present in fruits and vegetables (FAV). With increased consumption of FAV in its raw and processed form, a predominantly plant-based diet rich in FAV could reduce the risk of the development of chronic human diseases. This review highlights the potentials of the various types of antioxidants containing FAV; their impact on human health as nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and phytoceuticals; as well as prospects in tackling some chronic human diseases. The structures and activity relationship of the antioxidant compounds, as well as their mechanism of action, are examined from current scientific investigations. Information provided herein will give more insight into the roles of antioxidant ingredients present in FAV.

The advent of highly efficient, environmentally friendly and cost effective fermentation technology has given impetus to research in the field of optimizing nutritional parameters for optimum yeast fermentative performance. Very high gravity fermentation is a novel fermentation technology that provides an increased production capacity from same size fermentation facilities, with outstanding benefits that includes: high ethanol yield per fermentable mash, considerable savings in energy and process water usage, and effluents with low biological oxygen demand amongst others. Limitations to full commercialization of the technology have been attributed to deleterious effects of the fermentation condition on yeast physiology which include high osmotic stress and ethanol toxicity amongst others. The impact of these physiological stresses on yeast cells during high substrate fermentation manifest as sluggish and incomplete fermentation with high residual sugars in beer, reduced ethanol yield, disproportionate synthesis of esters and generation of respiratory deficient yeast crop. However, compelling evidence has implicated magnesium ions with numerous biological processes and more importantly, with the role of curtailing the impact of these stress conditions. Hence, this review highlights two potential stress conditions of very high gravity fermentation; their mechanism of inhibition versus yeast stress response mechanism, role of magnesium ions in yeast physiology and its impact on fermentation processes. The knowledge emphasized herein will be of practical importance to industrial fermentation processes, as it provides feasible clues to improving yeast fermentative performance under high substrate conditions -with perspectives to precise magnesium regulation in yeast.

Udeh H.O., Duodu K.G., Jideani A.I.O. (2017): Finger millet bioactive compounds, bioaccessibility, and potential health effects -a review. Czech J. Food Sci., 35: 7-17.Finger millet is among minor cereal grains that are underutilised. However, over the years, research interest in the millet has increased owing to its abundance of bioactive compounds. These compounds which include, among others, ferulic acid-rich arabinoxylans or feraxans, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, and quercetin have been associated with certain health promoting properties and have been found bioaccessible in the grain. Following the recent interest in natural curative substances over their synthetic counterparts in the treatment of food dependent diseases, finger millet has shown potential nutraceutical effects. Some important health effects such as antidiabetic, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties have been reported in recent trials with the grain. This review emphasises the dietary fibre -arabinoxylan, and phenolic compounds of finger millet and their properties, and further discusses available evidence on their bioaccessibility and bioactivity. The information presented will further explore the potential of finger millet utilisation, its bioactive compounds, bioaccessibility, and potential health benefits, in view of stimulating further research.

BackgroundDeficiency of essential minerals is a widespread nutritional disorder in the world, particularly in developing economies. Poor mineral accessibility from foods is a major contributing factor to deficiency and associated health problems. This study investigated the effect of malting on minerals, phytic acid, and physicochemical properties of finger millet varieties. Sorghum was used as external reference. Mineral composition was analyzed using an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP‐AES) and mass spectroscopy (ICP‐MS).ResultsData showed that finger millet is rich in macroelements and trace elements. Malting for 24 hr reduced mineral content of the grains except sodium. Increase in the minerals was observed beyond 48 hr of malting particularly at 96 hr. Successive decrease in phytic acid of the grains was not observed with malting time. Malting did not result in any significant change in the physicochemical properties of the grains.Conclusion ICP‐AES/MS showed that finger millet contain a variety of minerals in amounts that were not previously reported, and malting the grain for 72 to 96 hr positively affected the minerals. Changes in phytic acid suggest that phytate undergoes dissociation during malting rather than a degradation of phytic acid. Potential exists for utilization of finger millet as functional ingredient to augment important minerals in weaning, geriatric, and adult foods for health promotion.

The present study examined the influence of malting on the phenolic composition of two cultivars of finger millet using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometer. Total polyphenols and antioxidant activities of the grains were also evaluated using sorghum as an external reference. Catechin, epicatechin, quercetin, taxifolin, and hesperitin were isolated flavonoids, whereas protocatechuic acid was the phenolic acid detected in finger millet malt. Increases in the content of catechin, epicatechin, and protocatechuic acid were observed for 72 h and 96 h for brown finger millet and sorghum malt. Complete loss of taxifolin and hesperitin were observed with the malting period for finger millet cultivars. A similar loss was noted in the proanthocyanidin A1/A2 and catechin content of sorghum with malting time. The grain malt exhibited 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl,2,2′-azinobis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging and iron reducing activities. Increased ABTS and iron reducing activity with malting time were observed for the finger millet cultivars. The study demonstrates the presence of hesperitin in finger millet, and also shows that 72 h and 96 h of malting enhanced the catechin, epicatechin, and protocatechuic acid content, in addition to the antioxidant activity of the grain.