Project Number: 5325-41440-006-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Dec 28, 2010
End Date: Dec 27, 2015

Objective:
Objective 1. Fractionate fiber, water-soluble, alcohol-soluble and lipid-soluble fractions from the increasingly large amounts of fruit and vegetable byproducts including pomace of olives, grapes, and pomegranates and the bran of cereal grains in order to identify, condense, and test bioactive compounds in animal models of obesity related diseases. Sub-Objective 1.1. Separate different fruit tissues (skin, pulp, juice) and cereal brans (germ, aleurone, fat) using physical processes, and fractionate followed by extraction with food approved solvent methods. Sub-Objective 1.2. Assess bioactivity of extracts and residues of 1.1 by feeding mice or hamsters hypercholesterolemic diets and determining physiologic characteristics of obesity related metabolic syndrome. Objective 2. Develop processing methods that disrupt food matrices or cell barriers in order to increase accessibility to cellular contents and increase the bioavailability of phytonutrients from fractions of fruit and vegetable based byproducts including pomace of olives, grapes, and pomegranates, as well as grain byproducts from Obj. 1.1 that contain complex mixtures of phenolic compounds that may help to prevent obesity related diseases and add value. Sub-Objective 2.1. Evaluate processes such as enzymatic treatment (cellulase, esterase, phytase), sonication, ethanol extraction, and high pressure to increase bioavailability of phytochemicals and fiber, and to improve consistency of composition and bioavailability of samples for in vivo studies. Subobjective 2.2. Test samples identified as bioactive in 1.2 as well as those further processed in 2.1 for their bioavailability. Also characterize phytochemical composition of bioavailable fractions by HPLC. Objective 3. Evaluate a variety of viscous and gelling soluble dietary fibers to produce breads and other cereal products that are high in fiber and micronutrients. Sub-Objective 3.1. Breads and other baked products will be developed from non-gluten whole grains and bran such as corn, rice, oat, barley, rye, quinoa, amaranth in order to increase the diversity of whole grain products available to consumers. Viscous soluble dietary fibers are necessary to replace gluten, but also reduce postprandial glycemic response and plasma cholesterol. Sub-Objective 3.2. Preliminary studies indicate difference in hepatic nutrient metabolism between wheat and barley flours was not accounted for by soluble fiber content. We propose to evaluate a variety of cereal grains and seeds for bioactivity by analyzing expression of hepatic genes representative of metabolism of sterols, bile acids, and fat, and indicators of inflamation.

Approach:
Food processing technologies will be applied to release the high concentration of polyphenolic components from the matrices of the skin and bran byproducts of juice, wine, oil and flour production. Polyphenolics will be extracted from these processed matrices by systematic application of food grade solvents into broad classes and a fiber fraction. Mice and hamster models of obesity related diseases will be used to determine the potential of the polyphenolic or fiber fractions to reduce or prevent the characteristics of metabolic diseases. Mechanisms will be investigated through gene expression pathway analysis. Of particular interest is the ability of polyphenolics or fiber to reduce the absorption of lipopolysaccharides that trigger adopose inflammatory responses. Viscous soluble fibers will be used to develop breads from nontraditional whole grains and seeds to determine if they have potential to reduce metabolic syndrome in animal models. Replacing 5325-41440-005-00D (11/10).