Anthocyanins (ACNs) are plant secondary metabolites from the flavonoid family. Red to blue fruits are major dietary sources of ACNs (up to 1 g/100 g FW), being cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (Cy3G) one of the most widely distributed. Cy3G confers a red hue to fruits, but its content in raspberries and strawberries is low. It has a good radical scavenging capacity (RSC) against superoxide but not hydroxyl radicals, and its oxidative potential is pH-dependent (58 mV/pH unit). After intake, Cy3G can be metabolized (phases I, II) by oral epithelial cells, absorbed by the gastric epithelium (1%-10%) and it is gut-transformed (phase II & microbial metabolism), reaching the bloodstream (<1%) and urine (about 0.02%) in low amounts. In humans and Caco-2 cells, Cy3G's major metabolites are protocatechuic acid and phloroglucinaldehyde which are also subjected to entero-hepatic recycling, although caffeic acid and peonidin-3-glucoside seem to be strictly produced in the large bowel and renal tissues. Solid evidence supports Cy3G's bioactivity as DNA-RSC, gastro protective, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic chemo-preventive and as an epigenetic factor, exerting protection against Helicobacter pylori infection, age-related diseases, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and oral cancer. Most relevant mechanisms include RSC, epigenetic action, competitive protein-binding and enzyme inhibition. These and other novel aspects on Cy3G's physical-chemistry, foodomics, and health effects are discussed.

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Nixtamalization process is the first step to obtain maize based products, like tortillas; however, in both the traditional and commercial processes, white grain is generally preferred. Creole maize races, mainly pigmented varieties, have increasingly attention since these are rich in anthocyanins and carotenoids. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the antioxidant and antimutagenic activity of rich anthocyanins and carotenoids extracts from creole maize races before (grain) and after (masa and tortilla) the nixtamalization process. Most anthocyanins and carotenoids were lost during nixtamalization. Before nixtamalization, blue and red genotypes contained either higher antioxidant capacity and anthocyanin contents (963 ± 10.0 and 212.36 ± 0.36 mg of cyanidin-3-glucoside eq/100 g, respectively) than the white and yellow genotypes. However, the highest carotenoid levels were displayed by red grains (1.01 ± 0.07 to 1.14 ± 0.08 μg of β-carotene eq/g extract). Anthocyanins losses were observed when the blue grains were processed into masa (83 %) and tortillas (64 %). Anthocyanins content correlated with antiradical activity (r = 0.57) and with 2-aminoanthracene -induced mutagenicity inhibition on TA98 and TA100 (r = -0.62 and r = -0.44, respectively). For white grains, nixtamalization also reduced carotenoids (53 to 56 %), but not antioxidant activity and 2-Aa-induced mutagenicity. Throughout the nixtamalization process steps, all the extracts showed antimutagenic activity against 2-aminoanthracene-induced mutagenicity (23 to 90 %), displaying higher potential to inhibit base changes mutations than frameshift mutations in the genome of the tasted microorganism (TA100 and TA98, respectively). The results suggest that even though there were pigment losses, creole maize pigments show antioxidant and antimutagenic activities after nixtamalization process.

Medicinal herb infusions can be used for the treatment of obesity-related metabolic alterations. The aim of this study was to characterize the phytochemical profile and to evaluate the effect of Hypericum perforatum, Salvia officinalis, and Calendula officinalis on the cardiovascular risk developed in diet-induced obese rats. All infusions decreased body weight and abdominal fat mass and reduced serum triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol, lowdensity lipoproteins, and C-reactive protein levels. The anti-obesogenic and hypolipidemic effect of C. officinalis and H. perforatum were associated with the inhibition of triglycerides digestion and absorption. Conversely, the hypolipidemic effect of S. officinalis was not associated with this mechanism. Moreover, seven phenolic acids and nine flavonoids were quantified by HPLC-UV/VIS, hesperidin and epigallocatechin gallate were the majoritarian compounds of H. perforatum and C. officinalis, whereas rosmarinic and ellagic acids were the main compounds in S. officinalis. Additionally, we used HPLC-DAD-MSD to identify 45 phytochemicals, such as anthraquinone and phloroglucinol derivatives, phytosterols, saponins, and alkaloids. Total flavonoids, phytosterols, and alkaloids content were highly correlated with TG levels, AUC values from the oil tolerance test, and pancreatic lipase inhibition. These results suggest that these phytochemical-rich infusions may be used as an alternative for obesity-related cardiovascular risk treatment.

Summary The health benefits of phenolic compounds depend on the ingested amount, molecular diversity and gastrointestinal digestibility. The phenolic profile of eight fruits (blackberry, blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, mulberry, pomegranate, green and red globe grapes) was chemometrically associated with their in vitro digestibility (oral, gastric, intestinal). Extractable phenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins strongly correlated with each other (r ≥ 0.84), proanthocyanidins with anthocyanins (r = 0.62) and hydrolysable phenols with both extractable phenols (r = 0.45) and proanthocyanidins (r = −0.54). Two principal components explained 93% of the variance [61% (free‐phenols), 32% (bounded‐phenols)], and four clusters were confirmed by hierarchical analysis, based in their phenolic richness (CLT 1‐4: low to high) and molecular diversity. In vitro digestibility of extractable phenols and flavonoids was blackberry (CLT‐4)> raspberry (CLT‐2)> red grape (CLT‐1) related to their phenolic richness (r ≥ 0.96; P < 0.001), but anthocyanins’ digestibility was pH‐dependent. Chemometrics is useful to predict the in vitro digestibility of phenolic compounds in the assayed fruits.

<p><strong>Background</strong>: Beans (<em>Phaseolus</em> spp.) are one of the most important legumes due to their high nutritional value. The type and amount of beans’ secondary metabolites varies according to their domestication status, species, and the site where they are grown. In the sate of Querétaro, the most commonly cultivated species are <em>P. vulgaris</em> L. and <em>P. coccineus</em> L., both of which can also be found in wild and disturbed areas.</p><p><strong>Hypothesis</strong>: The aim of this project was to characterize the secondary metabolites in the seeds of the aforementioned species of <em>Phaseolus </em>with different domestication stages and from different geographical areas. The hypothesis is that wild beans collected in Mexican Plateau will have higher concentrations of secondary metabolites.</p><p><strong>Study site and period of research</strong>: The seeds of six samples of domesticated <em>P. vulgaris</em> and three of wild and weedy <em>P. coccineus </em>populations were collected from the Mexican Plateau and the Sierra Madre Oriental in Querétaro, between 2013 and 2016.</p><p><strong>Methods</strong>: It was an experiment with one factor and two levels (bean species) sampled randomized. The experimental unit was each sample, which was studied to obtain 17 chemical parameters, mainly secondary metabolites. From each sample 5 g were selected, minced and parameters were measured twice employing spectrophotometry and high performance liquid chromatography. Data was analyzed using a bootstrap method, discriminant analysis and by establishing simple correlations.</p><p><strong>Results</strong>: The content of secondary metabolites from cultivated <em>P. vulgaris</em> seeds was higher, probably due to its favorable growth environmental and domestication status. Also, beans from the Mexican Plateau had a higher content of secondary metabolites than those from the Sierra Gorda. The analysis of these metabolites allowed for the identification of bean samples with the highest gallic, ellagic, ferulic and <em>p-</em>coumaric acids and vainillin content.</p><strong>Conclusion</strong>: The studied samples had different metabolite content according to their species, domestication status and site of growth.

The effects were examined of plantresponse signaling compounds, salicylic acid (SA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA), on resistance to pill-bugs (Armadillidium vulgare) attack in lettuce plants. Foliar SA and MeJA applications were made at weekly intervals from the emergence of the plant until one week before harvesting. SA and MeJA induced detectable levels of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) at least during 5 days post-application in these plants throughout their cultivation. On the whole, SA and MeJA in the concentrations and application scheme evaluated in this research did not significantly influence the dry and fresh weight matter of plants, or the chlorophyll and nitrate contents. In addition, both signal elicitors significantly diminished lettuce mortality due to pill-bugs, which was positively correlated with phenolics and flavonoids contents. Our results suggest that SA and MeJA, especially in low concentrations, should be further evaluated in lettuce production and priming resistance.