Safety assessment of Plukenetia volubilis (Inca peanut) seeds, leaves, and their products

Abstract

Plukenetia volubilis or Inca peanut is a promising plant with high economic value. Its seeds can be pressed for oil production or roasted and served as a snack, while the dried leaves can be used to make a kind of tea. Although the oil from the cold‐pressed seeds has been proven to be safe for human consumption, little information is known about the other parts of the plant regarding safety. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the naturally occurring phytotoxins, including saponins, total alkaloids, and lectins in fresh and roasted Inca peanut seeds and leaves. In addition, cytotoxicity on several normal cell types including human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, human embryonic kidney cells, human hepatic stellate cells, and mouse fibroblasts as well as in vivo mutagenic properties was studied. This study showed that fresh Inca peanut seeds and leaves contain saponins, alkaloids, and lectins. However, roasting enables the reduction in alkaloids, saponins, and possibly lectins, suggesting that these phytotoxins become unstable under heat. Furthermore, Inca peanut seeds and leaves, especially after roasting, are safe to a variety of normal cell lines and do not induce DNA mutations in Drosophila expressing high biotransformation system. In conclusion, the data in this study indicated that high and chronic consumption of fresh seeds and leaves should be avoided. Heat processing should be applied before the consumption of Inca peanut seeds and leaves in order to reduce phytotoxins and potential health risks.

Health‐promoting bioactivity and in vivo genotoxicity evaluation of a hemiepiphyte fig, Ficus dubia

“…Compared to the negative control, results implied that not all FD extracts induced toxicity; therefore, 2 mg/ml was further used for wing spot analysis. Findings in Table 6 show that, in agreement with a previous study (Srichamnong et al., 2018), a nontoxic dose of urethane strongly displayed total spots/wing at 24.63 compared to 0.53 for the negative control. In addition, compared to urethane, RW30, RW80, REt30, and latex revealed no induction of either small, large, or twin spots even at a high dose of 2 mg/ml (Table 6), suggesting that RW30, RW80, REt30, and latex could be considered as genome safe.…”

Phytochemical Screening and Antioxidant Activities of the Seedling Extracts from Inca Peanut Plukenetia volubilis

“…In any way, the seedling consumption, Heat processing should be apply before consumption Inca peanut in order to reduce phytotoxins and potential health risks. Roasting could be most effectively reducing these phytotoxins, and hence, thermal processing should be applied before the consumption of Inca peanut 31,37 . The approximately heating inducing on Inca peanut seeds (at 160ºC for 15 mins) might be increased total phenolic compound contents and improved antioxidant inhibitory activity has been reported for the plant seeds 38 .…”

Technical Report on the notification of roasted seeds from Plukenetia volubilis L. as a traditional food from a third country pursuant to Article 14 of Regulation (EU) 2015/2283

“…Other information on the TF Srichamnong et al (2018) investigated cellular toxicity of extracts (80% ethanol) of fresh and roasted (at 120 °C for 10 minutes) sacha inchi seeds in a variety of non-cancerous mouse and human cell lines. Extracts from fresh seeds displayed mild toxicity observed in hepatic stellate cells (LX-2) with IC20 at 250 μg/mL.…”