This work compares the phenolic contents and the total antioxidant capacity of the 36 most popular Brazilian foods submitted to aqueous extraction or in vitro digestion. The purpose was to evaluate the extent by which digestion differs from the simple aqueous extraction procedures of several food matrices. After in vitro digestion, cereals, legumes, vegetables, tuberous vegetables, chocolates and fruits showed higher phenolic contents and higher antioxidant activities than those obtained by aqueous extraction. Contrarily, the digestion caused a reduction in the phenolic contents and antioxidant activities of beverages (red wine, coffee and yerba mate). Our results suggest that the phenolics of food groups with solid and complex matrix are protected against enzymatic action and alteration in pH during the digestion, what does not occur in liquid food matrices such as the beverages. This fact would overestimate the antioxidant activities of beverages submitted solely to aqueous extraction.

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This study investigated the antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties of a purified yerba mate polysaccharide. The yerba mate polysaccharide showed a prominent antioxidant activity as evaluated by 2,2-diphenyl-1picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•)-radical scavenging activity (IC 50 = 1.25 ± 0.10 mg/mL), 3-ethyl benzothiazoline-6sulphonic acid (ABTS•+)-radical scavenging activity (IC 50 = 0.41 ± 0.05 mg/mL), and hydroxyl scavenging activity (IC 50 = 3.36 ± 0.31 mg/mL). The antioxidant activity evaluated as the ferric ion reduction power (FRAP) and oxygen radical absorbance radical assay (ORAC), expressed as trolox equivalents, were 20.84 ± 1.61 μM TE/mg and 556.30 ± 12.83 μM TE/mg, respectively. The purified yerba mate polysaccharide presented high antimicrobial activity against several bacterial and fungal strains; however, no cytotoxicity against all four tumor human cell lines assessed.

a b s t r a c tYerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is a plant that grows naturally in South America. From its leaves and thin stems different kinds of beverages are prepared (chimarrão, tererê and tea mate), all of them rich in bioactive substances. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and colonic fermentation on the stability of the polyphenols and on the antioxidant, antimicrobial and antitumoral activities of the yerba mate beverages. The phenolic chromatographic profile revealed that both the in vitro digestion and the colonic fermentation caused a pronounced decrease in 3,5-Odicaffeoylquinic acid and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid in the preparations. However, 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid and salvianolic acid I were only barely affected in all preparations. Despite the decrease in the phytochemicals content, yerba mate beverages maintain their functional properties such as antioxidant, antibacterial and antitumoral activities.

A B S T R A C T ObjectiveEstimate the intake of phenolic compounds by the Brazilian population. MethodsTo estimate the average per capita food consumption, micro data from the National Dietary Survey and from the Household Budget Survey from 2008 to 2009 was analyzed. The phenolic content in food was estimated from the base of Phenol-Explorer. It was chosen according to compatibility and variety of food items and usual method of preparation. ResultsThe Brazilian population consumed, on average, 460.15 mg/day of total phenolic compounds, derived mainly from beverages (48.9%), especially coffee and legumes (19.5%). Since this analysis of classes of phenolics it was possible to observe an intake of 314 mg/day of phenolic acids, 138.92 mg/day of flavonoids and 7.16 mg/ day of other kinds of phenolics. Regarding the variables studied this present study shows that those men who live in the countryside and in the northeastern region of the country had a higher consumption of phenolic compounds. Besides, consumption was higher by adults and the elderly, the medium income classes, the population with incomplete and complete primary education and those with adequate nutrition and also overweight status. ConclusionThe intake of phenolic compounds can be considered low, especially where consumption of fruit and vegetables is insufficient. We can conclude that coffee and black beans were the best contributors to phenolic intake.

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a b s t r a c tGrape pomace is an abundant/accessible food industry by-product that contains a wide range of phenolic compounds, which have been related to several health benefits and bioactivities. The aim of this study was to mimic the gastrointestinal digestion and the colonic fermentation of Merlot grape pomace, in order to unravel possible phytochemical contents reductions and the processes associated with them, as a tentative to relate the phenolic compound profiles of the extracts with their biological properties. LC-DAD-ESI/MS suggested that the in vitro digestion process promoted drastic qualitative and quantitative reductions in the phenolic compounds profile of the Merlot grape pomace crude extract. Such alterations could be related to the decreases of some bioactivities of the extract, which seems to be the case of antioxidant and antibacterial properties, although not in a directly proportional manner. However, the simulated colonic fermentation seems to have a positive effect over the extract's antiproliferative potential.