Bioaccessibility and potential bioavailability of phenolic compounds from achenes as a new target for strawberry breeding programs

Food Chemistry 248 (2018) 155-165

10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.11.105

Strawberry is a major natural source of bioactive compounds. Botanically, strawberry is an aggregate fruit consisting of a fleshy floral receptacle that bears a cluster of real dry fruits (achenes). Existing knowledge on the phenolic composition of achenes and its contribution to that of the whole fruit is limited. Also, the gastric and intestinal bioavailability of phenols is poorly known. In this work, a combination of spectrophotometric and HPLC–DAD methods was used to analyse the phenolic composition of whole fruits and achenes before and after in vitro digestion. Five different phenol families were identified. Also, achenes were found to contribute a sizeable fraction of phenolic acids and hydrolysable tannins in the whole fruit. Because the mere presence of phenolic compounds in a food matrix does not ensure their ready absorption and bioavailability, polyphenol potential bioavailability could be an effective selection criterion for strawberry breeding programs aimed at improving dietary healthiness.

State of the art on public risk assessment of combined human exposure to multiple chemical contaminants

Trends in Food Science & Technology, 55 (2016) 11–28

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2016.06.011

Concern about the effects on health of exposure of combined chemicals present in food, air or water are increasing nowadays. However, mechanism and effects of combined chemical contaminants are still poorly know.

This review deals with the variety of routes of these chemicals when enter the human body. The gaol is the development of a mechanism-based and quantitative framework for risk assessment to estimate the impact on human health and prevent exposure to multiple chemicals.

It has been shown that new studies should be developed taking into account cumulative effect of these substances and different tiers as external exposition, dietary exposition, lifestyle, age and economic factors. New techniques must also be implemented, mainly “omic” techniques, bioassay systems, mathematical modelling, quantitative structure-activity relationship models, and threshold of toxicological concern to develop databases. In conclusion, several programs should continuously be developed by different health agencies to have a better understanding of the effect of these substances and to develop a unified policy.