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The effect of three domestic thermal processing methods on chestnut fruit was analysed in this study. By evaluating the changes of the contents of free and bound phenolic profiles as well as the antioxidant activity in chestnut fruit, our study indicated that steaming could better preserve and enhance the level of phenolics and flavonoids in chestnut fruit and thus brought to a higher antioxidant activity. Microwaving could increase the phenolic content and the antioxidant activity of chestnut fruits within a short time, while blanching caused a decrease of flavonoid contents. In addition, our research suggested that there was formation of new phenolics in chestnut fruit, which were discovered during thermal processing because of the increases of bound phenolics after processing. Therefore, the potential of chestnut fruits to be developed as a kind of functional food could be highly expected.

Phenolic profiles, antioxidant, antiproliferative, and hypoglycemic activities of the whole Ehretia macrophylla Wall. (EMW) fruit were investigated in the present study. Catechin (CE), o‐methoxy benzoic acid (o‐MBA), and rosmarinic acid (RA) were the predominant phenolics in free extract, while CE, vanillic acid (VA), and o‐MBA were for bound extract. These extracts exhibited potential antioxidant capacity measured by peroxyl radical scavenging capacity (PSC), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), and cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) assays. This fruit also possessed dose‐dependently antiproliferative activity, and this may be due to the synergistic and additive effects of individual phenolics. Furthermore, EMW fruit showed favorable hypoglycemic activity via inhibition of activities of α‐glucosidase and α‐amylase, enhancement of glucose consumption, glycogen accumulation, and glycogen synthase 2 (GYS2) activity, and downregulation of activities of glucose‐6‐phosphatase (G6Pase) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK). Therefore, EMW fruit has the potential as an ingredient of functional foods to improve human health and shows promising applications with additional health and economical benefits.Practical ApplicationEMW fruit is a plant‐based food rich in natural phenolic compounds, which suggesting its potential bioactivities for humans such as antioxidant, antiproliferative, and hypoglycemic activities. Our findings would provide a logical strategy to promote the comprehensive utilization of phenolics in EMW fruit with both health and economical benefits.

The lipid-based nanotechnology, namely self-microemulsion drug delivery system (SMEDDS) was used to improve the bioavailability and oral delivery of total flavones of Hippophaë rhamnoides L. (TFH). The relevant bioavailability of TFH could be remarkably 3-fold improved by the optimized SMEDDS. The SMEDDS produced via a simple one-step process for poorly soluble TFH to achieve a significant improvement in the bioavailability, may endorse the promising utilization of TFH in functional foods as well as pharmaceutical fields with an enhanced absorption in vivo.

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BACKGROUND: Black sweet corn as an edible fruit has various nutritional qualities. This study discusses changes in the vitamin C and E, folate, and carotenoid content during black sweet corn maturation, and also the effects of preharvest weather conditions and of related genes in multi-vitamin biosynthesis pathways. RESULTS: Most vitamin levels improved, especially vitamin C and carotenoid levels, while the folate content dropped rapidly. Transcript levels of most genes in folate biosynthesis showed trends that were similar to the content changes. VTC2 and GLDH, which are regulated by light, had high expression levels leading to an increase in ascorbate content during maturation. γ-Tocotrienol is the main vitamin E component, and HGGT, the key gene controlling the synthesis of tocotrienols, had a much higher expression level than other genes. Lutein and zeaxanthin were the dominant carotenoid components. A rapid reduction in the transcription level of LCYε could result in a lower lutein production rate. CONCLUSION: Black sweet corn has a high nutritional value and is rich in vitamins, including zeaxanthin, γ-tocotrienols, and ascorbic acid. The best harvest time is between 20-25 days after pollination (DAPs) when kernels had a good taste as well as relatively high vitamin levels.

Phenolic profiles and gene expression pattern in their synthetic pathway, total antioxidant activities and antiproliferative activities in two genotypes of sweet corn (YT16 and YT28) during kernel maturation were analysed. Results showed that increasing trends of phenolics and flavonoids in the two genotypes of kernels from 10 to 30 days after pollination (DAP). Gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid were identified and quantified as the main phenolic compounds in both genotypes of kernels. High expressing levels of C4O and PAL resulted in the increasing phenolic contents. Higher expressing levels of CHS in YT28 led to higher flavonoid contents than that in YT16. The phenolic contents, antioxidant capacities and antiproliferative abilities of the two genotypes of sweet corn were competitive comparing to many fruits and vegetables. In addition, the maturation process of sweet corn could raise the kernel's bioactive ability as well as nutritional values.