Traditional foods : functional properties and perspectives Diana Di Gioia

1. Traditionalfoods: functionalproperties and perspectives Diana Di Gioia Department of Agricultural Sciences University of Bologna – Italy Tampere, 1.7.2013

2. University of Bologna Department of Agricultural Sciences

3. The aim is to give a brief overview of the functional properties of traditional foods (TFs) Content • The health image of TFs: the role of plant ingredients • The health image of TFs:the role of microorganisms • Challenges and perspectives of the TF sector

4. The Mediterranean diet

5. The Mediterranean diet Trichopoulou et al., (2005), BMJ, 330, 991-997

6. Secondary plant metabolites eliciting pharmacological or toxicological effects in man and animals The health image of TFs: the role of plant ingredients Bioactivecompounds in plants Primary metabolic routes (biosyntetic pathway) Secondary metabolic routes (special metabolism) Small molecules not needed for daily functioning of the plants Carbohydrates, aminoacids, protein and lipids They are not useless !

7. Wounding cholorogenic acid coumarins lignin UV Light anthocyanidins flavonols/ flavones psoralens Pathogen Attack isoflavones coumarins flavonols stilbenes Low Nitrogen flavonoids isoflavonoids Low Iron phenolic acids Low Phosphate anthocyanidins The health image of TFs: the role of plant ingredients Dixon & Paiva, The plant cell, 1995, 7; 1085-1097. 7

8. Secondary plant metabolites can have a beneficial effect in humans: some examples …. The antioxidant activity of bioactive plant metabolites is the main reason of their beneficial effects The health image of TFs: the role of plant ingredients • carotenoids • polyphenols

9. The health image of TFs: the role of plant ingredients Free radicals Reactive oxygen species

10. The health image of TFs: the role of plant ingredients Example of chain reaction

11. The health image of TFs: the role of plant ingredients RO + AH ROH + A antioxidant Free radical with a low affinity for cellular molecules NO CHAIN PROPAGATION

12. The health image of TFs: the role of plant ingredients Carotenoids carotenes xanthophylls • Provitamin A activity: Vitamin A isproducedwithin the body fromβ-carotene • Antioxidantactivity(lycopene) • preventionofage-related macular degeneration (lutein) • enhancementof the immune system function

13. The health image of TFs: the role of plant ingredients Polyphenols phenolic acids flavonoids lignans stilbenes • group of molecules characterized by aromatic rings and several hydroxyl groups • widely distributed in plants

14. The health image of TFs: the role of plant ingredients Phenolic acids Hydrobenzoic acids Cinnamic acids • p-coumaric acid isfound in tomatoes, carrots and garlic. Ithasantioxidantproperties (lowerriskofstomachcancer) • caffeic acid occurs in fruits, grains and vegetables • ferulic acid is the mostabundantfenolic acid in cerealgrains (wheat and maize) 14

15. The healthimage of TFs: the role of plantingredients Flavonoids They are ubiquitous in the human diet and are found in fruits, vegetables and grains. Flavonoids in food are generally considered to be beneficial to consumers' health and are one of the most important categories of bioactive food components. Epidemiological observations ascribed to flavonoids: toboost the immune sytem toprotect body from free radicals tokillpathogenicmicroorganisms todecrease the risk of cancer 15

16. The health image of TFs: the role of plant ingredients Lignans • flaxseed; • cereals (triticale and wheat), • leguminous plants (lentils, soybean), • fruit (pears, prunes), • vegetables (asparagus, carrots) • anti-inflammatory activity • anti-oxidantactivity • protectiveeffectagainstestrogen-relateddiseasesuchasosteoporosis • anti-cancer properties (reduced incidence rate of breast, prostate and colon cancer) 16

17. The health image of TFs: the role of plant ingredients Stilbenes • antioxidantactivity • preventionofcardiovasculardisease: the “FrenchParadox” (attenuationofcoronaryhearthdisease in wine drinkers) • preventionofischemicdamage • inhibition of the development of cancer and extendedlifespan in cell culture and animalcellmodels 17

18. It is recognized that highly-intensive agricultural practices (conventional farming) may reduce the natural production of secondary metabolites involved in plant defense; Under organic farming conditions, plants are easily subjected to stress conditions  elicitation effects on secondary metabolites  increment in functional compounds. The health image of TFs: the role of plant ingredients Functionalcompounds and organicfarming

19. a protective role (protective cultures), to reduce the growth of pathogenic and/or spoilage microrganisms in food BIOPRESERVATION a probiotic role (probiotic cultures), i.e. conferring a beneficial effect upon the host, either on a farm animal through animal feed, or on humans, through different food products. The health image of TFs: the role of microorganisms Beneficial bacteria in the food chain can have: 19

20. Streptococcus Lactobacillus Lactococcus Oenococcus The health image of TFs: the role of microorganisms Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) and bifidobacteria are the best candidates for use as protective & probiotic cultures: • Have been used since the beginning of history as starter cultures • Present in almost all fermented foods-vegetables, meat products, dairy products • Are part of the natural microbiota of both farm animals and humans • Have a long history of consumption and safe use Bifidobacterium Pediococcus 20

21. The health image of TFs: the role of microorganisms Relevance of LABin different fermented food products Wine Cider Cheese Fermented sausages Fermented milk Sauerkraut 21

22. Soft cheeses • Control of pathogens such as Listeria spp. Mascarpone Brie Soft Cheese Cheddar Pecorino The health image of TFs: the role of microorganisms Protective cultures: applications in traditional dairy products Yogurt • The starter cultures used can be considered protective cultures • Starter cultures can also have a role as probiotic cultures Semi hard & hard cheeses • Growth control of undesirable spoilage bacteria Parmiggiano Reggiano 22

23. Sausages Beef jerky Bresaola Ground meat Poultry The health image of TFs: the role of microorganisms Protective cultures: applications in traditional meat products • Control of pathogens such as Listeriamonocytogenes, Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella enteriditis • Control of spoilage bacteria (Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonasspp., …..) 23

24. Dietary glycosides Aglycones Bacterial hydrolysis Bioactive form Glucosidase Fla Fla Glu Absorption Glu The health image of TFs: the role of microorganisms Interaction between probiotics and plant derived functional componds

25. Gut microbiota Bifidobacterium Lactobacillus The health image of TFs: the role of microorganisms Bioavailability of dietary flavonoids  ability of gut microbiota to degrade these compounds (b-glucosidase activity) Several groups of bacteria possess b-glucosidase activity Interactionbetweenmicroorganisms and funtionalcompounds

26. Kaempferol kaempferol 3-O-xylosylglucoside kaempferol 3-O-glucoside Kaempferol-3-0-xylosylglucoside kaempferol 7-O-glucoside AFTER incubation with B7003 0 4 8 12 The health image of TFs: the role of microorganisms Flavonoid metabolism: selected bifidobacteria strains incubated with flavonoids extracted from “Zolfino” bean seeds SelectedBifidobacteriumstrains can beusedasprobioticdietaryadjunctstoimprove the healthbeneficialeffects of flavonoidbasedproducts, including common beanfoodderivatives Time (min)

27. Challenges and perspectives of the TF sector • Innovations in traditionalfoodproducts are costantlylookedforto • guarantee the safety of the products (ensuringsafetythroughinnovation) • improve the nutritional and healthproperties of the food (link betweennutrition and health) Consumer acceptance of innovation in TF (Kuhne et al. 2010)

28. Nutrigenomic food Molecular nutrition Tailor-made personal food Functional food Home-test kits Chemical analysis NutraceuticalFunctional compounds Health claim Convenience food Essential nutrients Engineered food Mass production Survival food Challenges and perspectives of the TF sector Personalized Nutrigenomic Food Age Harmonization of Eastern & Western Health knowledge Value (Technology +Iinformation) Genomics Diet Health Future 18th 21th Century 19th 20th 28

29. TFs Pathologic status Health status Tailor made diet Comparison Challenges and perspectives of the TF sector Personalized Nutrigenetic Food Age

30. Summary • The link betweennutrition and healthisextremelyimportantfor the modern consumer, also in the sector of TRADITIONAL FOODS • Plants are animportant source of bioactivecompounds: theymainlyactasantioxidantswhichpreventbiologicalmolecules’ oxidation • Microorganismshave a functionalrole in foods: they are usedbothasprotective and probiotic cultures • Microorganisms have also an important role in the bioavailability of bioactive compounds • The link among diet, health and genomics is increasingly being important

31. Thank you diana.digioia@unibo.it